Signs You Need a New Roof

Most of them are visible without getting on a ladder.

Last updated 2026-09-16

You do not need to climb anything to get a reasonable idea of where your roof stands. Here is what to look at, roughly in order of how much it should worry you.

From the ground

1. Missing shingles, particularly ridge and hip caps, which go first.
2. Shingles that look dark and patchy in places. That is granule loss, and it means the mat underneath is exposed.
3. Curling, cupping or lifted edges. Shingles should lie flat. Edges standing proud means the seal strips have failed and wind will find them.
4. A sagging ridge or a wavy roof plane. This is structural rather than cosmetic and it is the one sign that warrants a call today.
5. Daylight or a visible gap at the eave, the ridge or around a penetration.
6. Moss or heavy dark streaking. The streaking is usually algae and is mostly cosmetic. Moss holds moisture against the surface and is not.

From the gutter

7. Black grit in the gutters or at the bottom of the downspout. Some granule loss is normal after a new roof. A steady accumulation from an older roof means the shingles are shedding their UV protection.
8. Gutters sagging or pulling away, which usually means the fascia behind them has rotted and will no longer hold a screw. That is its own job.

From inside

9. Stains on ceilings or in the top corners of walls, including old ones somebody painted over. Water travels, so the stain is rarely under the entry point.
10. Daylight through the roof deck in the attic. Take a torch, turn it off, and look up. Pinpoints of light are holes.
11. Water staining on the underside of the decking or on the rafters, and rust on nail shanks. This tells you where water has been even when nothing is dripping today.
12. An attic that is dramatically hotter than outside, or decking where the plywood layers are separating. That is a ventilation problem quietly ending your roof early. Why it matters.

The test that settles it

Ask whoever inspects your roof to lift a shingle next to any damaged area while you watch. If it flexes and lifts, the roof has life in it and a repair is real. If it cracks as soon as it moves, the roof is finished, and no amount of patching will change that.

What is not a sign

• A single leak. Usually a pipe boot or a flashing detail.
• Dark streaks. Usually algae. Cosmetic.
• Your roof being a certain age. Roofs do not expire on a date.
• A stranger at your door telling you so. Especially after a storm.

Common Questions

Is granule loss normal?

A small amount after a new roof is normal as loose granules wash off. Steady accumulation of grit in the gutters from an older roof means the shingles are losing the layer that protects the asphalt from UV.

Are dark streaks on my roof a problem?

Usually algae, and mostly cosmetic. Moss is different, because it holds moisture against the surface. Do not pressure wash either one, because it strips the granules.

My ceiling stain is old and dry. Do I still need to worry?

It means water got in at some point. Whether it is still getting in needs checking from the attic, where the staining and rusted nail shanks tell the story.

Read Next

• Free Roof Inspection
• Repair or Replace?
• Roof Maintenance Checklist
• Roof Leak Repair