As soon as you become a homeowner, you take on a lot of responsibility. You are going to need to watch over all of your home's systems and sections. Along with the plumbing and electrical, you also need to watch for roofing issues. If you have experience climbing up on roofs and you know what to look for, then you are steps ahead of many homeowners already. However, if you are like the many homeowners who don't feel comfortable getting up on their roofs and don't know what to look, then the tips here will help you know when to pick up the phone and call a few residential roofing contractors.
Your roof has been there a long time
If you know your roof is very old, then you should have a roofer take a look. Even if the roof is still hanging on, there are probably going to be areas that need to be tended to in order to prevent issues. Also, there is the chance that the roof is on its last 'legs' and if this is the case, then being proactive and having the roof replaced early can help you escape what could be a very damaging roofing problem.
You see your shingles are no longer lying nice and flat
If you can clearly see that the shingles on your roof are looking like they are starting to lift or curl, then this tells you the roof is in need of repairs and may even be in bad enough condition to need full replacement. If the roof is warping inward, then there is the chance that a roofer can take care of the affected section and save the roof. However, if shingles are curling in many spots, it is due to things like age and exposure to excessive moisture and heat. The good news about this is you can usually spot this issue from the ground, so it won't go on for a long time without you noticing it.
Granules are falling off the roof
It is normal for you to see a few granules from the roof, especially after a good storm. However, when you start noticing that there are a lot of them collecting in the gutter and elsewhere, then there may be a serious problem with the roof, especially if it is fairly new. If you see an alarming number of granules coming off your roof, then you need to get a roofer out to look at it.