The structure of a church acts as a safe space for all members and their families every week. When leaks, water damage, physical signs of aging and discoloration disrupt the look of the building, it’s time for repairs or replacements. These signs are often indications of an old roof. Contacting a trusted team of experienced craftspeople is the first step to restoring your church’s appearance.

3 Signs a Contractor Needs to Repair Your Church’s Roof

1. Old Age

The age of your church’s roof can indicate the need for a replacement. Roofs have different life spans depending on the material and the church roof design.

Identify what kind of roof your church has and assess how long it has been in use. This time estimate may tell you when to replace the structure altogether. A typical asphalt shingle roof has a life span of 12-15 years, with minor repairs occurring every few years. As shingles age, the protective granules fall off, leaving the underlying scrim exposed. This greatly accelerates the deterioration process of the shingle. After this time frame, it is essential to replace the roof to avoid any damage to the church’s structure.

Other common roof materials and their life expectancy include:

• Steel roofs can last 50-100 years
• Copper roofs can last 60-100 years or longer
• Clay tile roofs can last 50-100 years or longer
• Slate roofs can last over 100 years

If you are unsure of the roof’s age, look at it for physical signs of aging. After years of use, shingles may begin to shift from their place. Crooked or cracked shingles are one of the first signs of an old roof.

Heat and UV rays can also cause shingles to curl upward. This damage impacts the roof’s visual appeal and can make it easier for water to seep through the roof.

2. Physical Damage

Harsh storms, tree branches, animals and flyaway baseballs can all cause physical damage to a roof. The easiest way to tell if your church’s roof has physical damage is to assess the shingles’ status visually. If your roof is a more solid material and doesn’t have shingles, a contractor can complete this evaluation for you.

You should be able to notice a difference in the roof’s cosmetics from dismantled or crooked shingles. These tiles fall off or crack under harsh circumstances. Without the protection of shingles, the roof can begin to deteriorate, causing damage inside the building. Any bare spot on the roof increases the chances of experiencing water damage.

3. Leaking Roof

Leaking is often the most obvious sign of an old roof. Storm damage to the roof can break shingles and allow water to become trapped in walls and ceilings. Water damage needs immediate action to repair due to its effects on the rest of the structure. Contacting a trusted roofing contractor can help avoid too much damage to your church’s interior.

Discoloration of walls or ceilings indicates leaking somewhere in the building. Roof leaks and clogged gutters can cause water to enter tight spaces that are hard to reach. That water can cause mold, odors and weakening walls over time.

If your church has an attic, you can test the roof’s ability top revent moisture intrusions by checking for wet spots. If you notice any damp areas along the attic’s ceiling, you’ll know some shingles are missing or cracked, allowing moisture to leak through the roof.

A contractor can determine the roof’s stability and moisture protection by walking on it. If they notice that the roof seems to dip or bounce as they walk across the surface, then moisture has been seeping through the shingles over time.

Benefits of Replacing the Roof

Choosing between replacing and repairing a roof depends on the current roof status that your contractor notices. If they find that damage has impacted over a quarter of the church’s roof, replacement is often the best choice. Instead of repairing the broken roof that will continue to deteriorate over time, replacing an entire roof offers brand-new materials and a long life span.

Replacing a church’s roof can also address minor issues that may have gone undetected. Fixing one larger problem can eliminate smaller mishaps in the future.

If the roof is reaching the end of its life expectancy or causing damage to the inside of the building, replacing a church’s roof is the best route. This choice allows your roof to restart its life span so church caretakers can live worry-free for the next few decades. Church roof replacement can also save you money in the long run instead of making minor repairs every few years.

Benefits of Repairing the Roof

In some instances of a small leak or missing shingle, a repair job can make a roof look good as new. Repairing the structure by patching up a small area of the roof can be a quick and easy project to get life back on track for the church’s visitors. A contractor can also assess weak spots on the roof. Noticing these flawed points will allow for a quick and easy repair to avoid further damage in the future.

Repairing the roof of your church adds a few more years to its life span. Repairing increases the life of one section of the roof while the rest continues to age. If the roof is newer, it can be better to have a contractor repair it instead of completing a total replacement.

Church Roof Repairs by Cornett Roofing Systems

If your church’s roof can benefit from repair or replacement, trust Cornett Roofing Systems to satisfy your needs. With precision and dedication at every step of the process, we can offer quality craftsmanship to ensure your roof performs as well as it looks. Our experience in church roof repairs and replacements has allowed us to become a trusted source for any roofing service need, big or small, around Franklin and Indianapolis.

Our services have been able to satisfy countless churches, mosques and synagogues in the area. Rest assured that your needs will be met at every step of the process to ensure a stable and beautiful roof.

Get a free estimate today to get started on your roof restoration.