When Should You Replace the Roof on a Rental Property?
September 11, 2023 | By Mike Gonet | Filed under: Blog
After the foundation, your rental property’s roof is the second most important structure in the building. Although most landlords don’t give as much time to the roof as they give the other parts of their building, the roof plays a more critical role than those other features, says Keyrenter Merrimack Valley.
Roofs serve as a building’s first line of defense against direct sunlight, rain, snow, and strong winds. By sheltering the structure, roofs make the building into a viable, livable space. Issues with the roof will adversely affect all other structures and systems of the building.
As a matter of fact, your rental will still function if it has an average-looking yard. The same is true if you refuse to remodel the home. But the rental will stop as a business if the roof leaks. This is why you cannot afford to treat roof care as a secondary maintenance issue.
Yes, it is easy to understand why landlords often fail to deal with a rental’s roof issues. The roof is not in the owner’s line of sight, so it tends to get neglected. Secondly, roof problems are often costly to fix. As a result, landlords may try to cut corners with roof maintenance.
That being said, staying up to speed with the condition of your rental’s roof is still important. Not only do you want to find and fix problems quickly, but you also want to know the right time to replace the roof. Trying to fix a roof when it should be replaced can be a huge financial mistake.
How do you know when your rental property’s roof is ready for replacement?
Signs it is time to replace the roof of your rental property
Below are common issues you may experience with the roof of a rental property.
These problems are common to roofs that need replacement. They can happen to roofs that need repairs, as well as roofs that need replacement. The mere presence of these problems does not indicate that your roof needs to be replaced.
To know when to replace the roof, look for a convergence of these problems. If two or more issues are happening simultaneously, and the problems are widespread across the entire roof surface, you may assume it is time to replace the roof.
Also, note that you can replace a roof partially or entirely, depending on the severity of the problems. To ensure that the decisions you make in this regard are for your business’s long-term success, you should involve a roofing expert in this process.
1. The roof is sagging
Dips on the roof surface point to problems with the attic’s decking or your building’s foundation. The roof ridge should form a straight line when viewed from the street. If this is not the case, you need to replace your roof.
2. General discoloration
This happens when water seeps into the roof and collects beneath the shingles. Typically, it’s impossible to reuse the shingles after removing them to fix the problem.
3. Excessive granule shedding
Granules help to make asphalt shingles heat-resistant. Throughout their lifetime, shingles shed some of their granules. It must be replaced if the roof is shedding so many granules that the gutters are filled with them.
4. Shingles are covered with moss and algae
How much of the roof surface is covered by these growths, and how long they have been there? Moss will increase the risk that a roof will leak. Algae weaken the shingles by extracting their substrate.
5. Shingles are cracked and curling
An occasionally damaged shingle is fine. Sudden and extreme temperature changes can cause shingles to buckle. However, the shingles should be replaced if the problem occurs across the roof surface.
6. Several shingles are missing
A few missing shingles are nothing to worry about; strong winds often remove roof shingles. Several missing shingles mean you need a new roof; it could be a sign that the glue used on your roof has failed.
7. Flashing is detaching
Flashing creates a watertight seal in those places where the roof meets the walls of the house. If flashing detaches from the brick, your building will be exposed to a higher risk of severe water damage.
8. The roof is old
If your roof has reached or passed the manufacturer’s recommended expiration date, it is time to replace it. An old roof may look fine one day, only to develop major issues the next day. To avoid sudden roof failure, the roof should be replaced.
With all these considerations, the type of roofing, especially metal, is the best option when thinking about replacing your roof. It is very durable, saves energy, and lasts long. It can withstand heavy rain, snow, hail, and strong UV rays because it is made of strong materials. This makes sure that the structure will last for a long time.
Also, metal is naturally resistant to corrosion, which protects it from rust and decay, which are common problems with traditional roofing materials.
With a lifespan that can be decades longer than traditional choices, an aluminum roof is a smart investment that provides better protection and helps the environment by reducing the need for frequent replacements and the amount of damage done to the environment.
Finally, if the average monthly cost of maintaining your roof is close to or equal to your monthly payments on a loan to replace the roof, it makes sense to replace the roof. A new roof will not significantly increase your costs, but it will reduce the time you spend on roof maintenance.
