When you first moved into your home, it became the backdrop for countless moments yet to be shared with your family and friends. Perhaps your home has served as a meeting place around the holidays, a workspace, a personal sanctuary, and many other things.
Homeownership brings immense joy—but it also carries the responsibility of ongoing home maintenance.
One of the most significant projects in the journey of homeownership is replacing your roof. And while there can be various reasons for needing a roof replacement, age is often the primary factor.
Which may leave you wondering “how old is my roof?”
As local roofers, we find ourselves asking homeowners about the age of their roof multiple times each day. Why? Because the age of your roof is crucial. Knowing its age helps you plan for a roof replacement at the right time and avoid unexpected surprises.
In this guide, we’ll cover ways to determine the age of your roof so you can be prepared when the time comes for a replacement.
4 Ways to Find the Age of Your Roof
If your roof is between 15-25 years old, it may be time to have your roof replaced. Typically roofs at this age have seen their share of wear and tear, especially for homes in the greater Myrtle Beach area. Our area tends to get hit with strong winds, rain, and hurricanes pretty often throughout each year. Meaning that most shingle roofs are no longer in proper condition to protect your home after around 15-25 years.
To find out the age of your roof you can:
- Check Purchase Documents: If you had an inspection done before you purchased your home, the report from that inspection may note the condition of your roof as well as its age. Not only that, but if you have warranty documents or receipts from the previous homeowner, you may be able to figure out the age of your roof from those documents.
- Contact Builder or Previous Owner: If you don’t have purchase documents, you may be able to reach out to the builder or previous owner. Builders keep record of construction dates, which likely includes the date of roof installation.
- Get a Roof Inspection: Roofers can usually get a pretty good idea of how old your roof is once they’ve completed an inspection. At Linta Roofing, we tend to check the pipe boot on a roof as that gives a more specific timeframe around when the roof was installed.
- Consult the Local Building Department: The local building department may have records of permits issued for roof work. Permits are typically required for significant repairs or replacements, so checking with this office could help you figure out the age of your roof.
By doing these things, you should be able to nail down the age of your roof. This will give you a good idea of how long you have until it’s time for a replacement.
So, if you find that your roof is 15-25 years old, what’s next?
Important Steps to Take When Your Roof Reaches 15-25 Years Old
Unless your roof was brand new when you bought your home, you might feel left in the dark about the age of your roof. But if you use the information in this article you should be able to find out the age of your roof and plan accordingly for the time of your roof replacement.
If you’ve come to find that your roof is over 15-25 years old – don’t panic! If you haven’t had a roof inspection, your first step is contacting a few trustworthy roofing companies in the area. It’s always a good idea to get a few estimates, look into financing options, and speak to a roofer about whether it may benefit you to file an insurance claim.
And as always, if you have any questions about the age of your roof or whether or not you need a roof replacement, we at Linta Roofing are here to help! Give us a call and we’ll come out as soon as possible to make sure your home and roof are safe.
