There are many ways to determine the age of your shingles. By having your roof inspected, you can learn many interesting facts that will alert you to the age of your roof. If everything is in good order, your roof is probably relatively new. If you have an older roof, there are signs that you should be on the lookout for that will tell you when it is time to replace it.
Granules
Experts can look at the granules on a shingled roof to see if it is new or not. If there are lost granules, shingles will not be able to protect your home from the rain and sunlight as well. Over time, shingles will lose granules. If your shingles have lost a lot of granules, this could mean that your shingles are old. When you have a few shingles with missing granules, this can be normal. Storms can cause this and other environmental factors. When there are a lot of shingles with missing granules, then it is time to get professional help.
Curled Shingles
If you notice that the shingles on your roof are curled, this is a sign that your roof has some age on it. When a lot of shingles are looking different than they did when they were installed, your roof will need to be checked out.
Missing Shingles
Shingles can be blown off of your roof during a storm or may just fall off over time. This is a sign that your roofing is going to need to be repaired or replaced soon. If there are just a few shingles missing, you can usually have your roof repaired. When there are a lot of shingles missing, it may be better to have your roof replaced by a professional so that it can protect your home properly from the outside elements.
Rust or Dark Spots
If you have a metal roof, you will notice dark or rusted spots when it is older. Metals roofs last a long time and do not need much maintenance, but it can be a good idea to have them checked out occasionally to make sure that your roof stays in good working order.
A roof inspection can help you figure out how old your roof is and in what shape it is in. You should have an inspection done annually to make sure that your roof is in good condition since it has such an important job to do.
