Determine the age of your roof

How do you know the age of your roof?

Here are two quick things you can do to help you determine the age of your roof.

1) Do you see dark streaks on your roof?

The dark streaks are caused by algae. 99% of shingles manufactured today are algae resistant. This resistance is achieved by a mixture of copper and zinc coated granules during the manufacturing process. However, the manufacturer only warranty the algae resistance for 10 years. That means that algae starts to grow around the 10 year mark.

GAF Warranty information on Algae Discoloration

2) Are you finding a lot of granules washing out after a rain?

The stone granules will wash off throughout the years as the shingle breaks down from the elements of the weather. Severe granule loss could be a sign of a defective roof. However, do not be too alarmed if after a rain you see a lot coming out of the gutters as this is normal.

If you look up at your roof and you see algae streaks mixed with shiny reflective pieces, this is a sign that your roof is near the end of its life. The shiny reflective pieces you see are pieces of fiberglass. The shingle has many layers and once the top layer or the granules are worn off the fiberglass mat is exposed. Once the fiberglass is exposed to the elements, the shingle can rapidly start deteriorating and causing slow leaks during a rain.

Based upon these two quick steps you can do a visual inspection in very little time. Should your roof look like what we have mentioned, please make sure to contact Academy Roofing for a free in depth inspection and analysis of your roof.