I've been patching up my roof here and there for a few years now—nothing major, just replacing a few shingles, sealing leaks, cleaning gutters, you know, the usual homeowner stuff. But lately I've noticed the shingles are looking pretty brittle and worn out. Last weekend I climbed up there again and honestly felt a bit uneasy about it. The shingles were cracking way easier than before, and the surface felt kinda slippery even though it was dry.
Here's what I've been doing so far: checking for loose or missing shingles every spring, replacing damaged ones with new shingles (matching color is a pain btw), sealing around vents and chimneys with roofing caulk, and clearing debris regularly. But now I'm wondering if there's like a point where DIY just isn't safe or smart anymore? Like how do you know when your roof's too old or fragile to keep patching yourself?
Curious if anyone else has run into this issue or has better ways to judge when it's time to call in the pros.
Yeah, you're definitely hitting that point where patching isn't gonna cut it anymore. I remember inspecting a roof once where the homeowner had been DIY-ing for years—similar to your situation. Shingles were brittle, cracked easily underfoot, and honestly, it felt sketchy just walking up there. Once shingles start breaking apart like potato chips, it's usually a sign they're past their lifespan. At that stage, you're risking leaks or even structural damage if you keep patching. Probably time to bite the bullet and get a pro to take a look.
"Once shingles start breaking apart like potato chips, it's usually a sign they're past their lifespan."
Yeah, that's a pretty accurate way to put it. Another thing to watch for is granule loss—if you're seeing lots of gritty stuff in your gutters or downspouts, that's another red flag. DIY patching can buy you some time early on, but once shingles get brittle and crumbly, you're basically chasing leaks around the roof. Better to get ahead of it before water damage sneaks up on you...
Good points about the granule loss. Another subtle thing people overlook is how much the shingles flex when you handle them. If they're still somewhat flexible, you might squeeze a bit more life out of them with patching or minor repairs. But once they start snapping apart easily in your hands, that's usually game over for DIY fixes. Learned that the hard way helping my brother-in-law last summer—thought we'd just replace a few shingles, ended up with half the roof crumbling under our feet. Not fun and definitely not safe.
Speaking of safety, what's everyone's take on walking an older roof to inspect it? I've seen some people swear by it, others say it's asking for trouble...
Granule loss and brittle shingles are definitely red flags. Last spring, I climbed up to check damage after a storm, and shingles were literally crumbling under my boots. If they're snapping easily, you're past DIY territory—trust me, learned that lesson firsthand.
