How much longer will the roof last? - Home Inspector Sarasota FL

“How much longer will the roof last?”

That’s a very common did I hear almost every day on my home inspections. Everybody wants to know how many years, months and day they have left before they “need” to replace the roof. The truth is, the answer is not black and white. Roofing systems do not expire the way of light bulb goes out. There’s no official notification that you must replace the roof. However, when there are enough symptoms that the roof is failing, it is probably best to put your money towards a new roof rather than kicking the problem for their down the road.

Which brings us to today’s specimen. This roof was originally a “tar & gravel” roof that has been coated and recoated by many gallons of tar over the years. The heavy rains and brutal sun of Southwest Florida caused the tar to crack and moisture to be trapped underneath the surface of the roof. Subsequently large bubbles formed. Those bubbles appear to have been recoated again and again. In this case it is safe to say the roof is fully and completely depreciated and ready to be changed out. Replacement would be a wise choice.