Did our heavy rains make you think you need a new roof installed or roof repair?

The heavy rains in December and January filled the reservoirs and flood control dams in the San Gabriel Valley but are you worried what they did to your roof, especially if it’s older?

Thomas Garvey, owner of Garvey Roofing, says the main question he gets asked is from homeowners who want to know, “Do I need a new roof or can I get my roof repaired?”

If you have an older roof, and you made it through the recent rains without a leak then maybe you’ve breathed a sigh of relief. However, summer is coming. So we’ll look at how the sun’s rays impact your roof.

San Gabriel Valley’s heat, winds and occasional downpours have a way of degrading roofs.

Garvey Roofing is a local roofing contractor working in Monrovia and throughout the San Gabriel Valley from Duarte and Bradbury to Alhambra, La Canada and every place in between. His passion is making sure residences and commercial buildings have a roof for all seasons.

Summer Sun

In just a few months, the springtime sun will be on us and we’ll have those warm but comfortable days and likely spikes in temperatures, like we often do.

By mid-July to late August, the summer sun will be shining brightly and your roof will be subject to the sun’s most harmful rays for weeks on end. This is where damage begins with older roofs. The sun dries out roofing materials like shingles and they curl and become brittle.

The underlayment begins to cook, too, and eventually weakens.

Winter Rains

The process happens gradually and when powerful storms hit like the ones we’ve just experienced then your roof takes a beating. Older roofs show signs of aging and if your downspout is full of granules then protection against the sun’s rays is washing away.

If you have a low slope roof, or flat roof, on part of your house, then you might have standing water. If the low slope roofing material is older and it has seams then you might not notice water seeping into the seams. This will soak the plywood and that gradually becomes spongy.

The water then seeps into your attic and you’ll see water spots.

Low slope membrane with insulation beneath, installed into existing shingles.

Temperature Changes

We’re fortunate that we don’t have drastic temperature changes here like in many other parts of the country. But we have plenty of nights below 45 degrees and the temps often dip to near freezing in neighborhoods above the Altadena Golf Course, Sierra Madre, and the hills above Monrovia.

Then summer comes along and your roof has to handle temperatures hitting well above 125 degrees and higher.

Your roof isn’t just sitting still on top of your home. The roofing materials expand and contract.

Beyond Weather

We have other factors in northeast LA County that impact our roofs. Seasonal Santa Ana winds, plus regular tremors that keep your home in motion, even if you don’t notice it.

Do You Need a New Roof?

If your roof did leak this past December or in the rains this month, you may not need a new roof if the leak occurred in one specific spot. Perhaps flashing needs repaired around the roof’s edge or the vents.

But if your roof is older, with tile that’s faded, curled shingles, and older underlayment then you’ll need a new roof eventually.

Here’s a general rule of thumb:

the older your roof is, and the longer you plan to live in your home, then the wiser it is to invest in a new roof now using today’s roofing technology.

Your home or commercial building will be protected for decades to come and it’ll be more energy efficient than it is now.