A repair is almost always cheaper than a replacement — so it is worth knowing when patching is still smart and when you are just throwing money at a roof that is done.
If you are seeing a few of these signs together, it is usually time to plan a replacement rather than another repair.
1. Your roof is 20+ years old
Most asphalt shingle roofs last 20 to 25 years in Alberta. If yours is in that range and starting to show wear, repairs become a losing game — you fix one spot and another fails the next winter.
2. Shingles are curling, cracking, or missing
Curled edges, bald patches where the granules have worn off, and shingles that crack when touched all point to material that has reached the end of its life. A few missing shingles after a storm is a repair; widespread deterioration is a replacement.
3. Granules in the gutters
If you are cleaning a sandy grit out of your gutters, those are the protective granules washing off your shingles. Once they are gone, the asphalt underneath bakes and fails fast.
4. Recurring or spreading leaks
One leak in one spot can be fixed. But if you are getting leaks in multiple places, or the same stain keeps coming back, the roof system is failing rather than having a single weak point.
5. Daylight or sagging in the attic
If you can see daylight through the roof boards from the attic, or the deck feels spongy and sagging, moisture has gotten into the structure. That is well past a patch and needs to be addressed before it spreads.
Still not sure? Get it inspected.
The honest truth is that some roofs look worse than they are, and some look fine but are failing underneath. A roof inspection gives you photo-backed answers so you are not guessing — and if you go ahead with the work, we waive the inspection fee.