7 Signs You Need a New Roof in New Jersey

New Jersey roofs take a beating. Between coastal humidity, summer heat above 90°F, freeze-thaw cycles, and the occasional nor'easter, the average asphalt shingle roof in our region lasts 20 to 25 years — sometimes less if it wasn't ventilated properly when it was installed.

Here are the seven warning signs we look for during free inspections across Bergen, Morris, Hudson, and Essex County.

1. Curling, cupping, or clawing shingles. When the edges of your shingles curl up or down, the asphalt has dried out and the shingle has lost its ability to shed water.

2. Bald spots and granules in the gutter. Asphalt granules protect the shingle from UV damage. When you see them piling up in your gutters or downspout splash blocks, the clock is ticking.

3. Daylight in the attic. Climb into your attic on a sunny day. If you can see pinpoints of light through the roof deck, water is finding the same path.

4. Sagging roof line. A roof should be perfectly straight. Any dip — especially between rafters — usually means moisture damage to the decking underneath.

5. Recurring ice dams. If you fight ice dams every winter, the real problem is almost always under-insulated attic floors and missing roof ventilation, not the gutters.

6. Stains on interior ceilings. Yellow or brown rings on a ceiling almost always trace back to a roof leak, even when the stain is feet away from the actual entry point.

7. Your neighbors are all replacing theirs. If your house was built at the same time as the rest of the development, your roof is the same age as everyone else's.

Not sure where your roof stands? A 20-minute inspection from a qualified North Jersey roofer is the easiest way to find out — and it should always be free.