A new roof becomes a necessity once your old shingles are no longer protecting your home. If you wait too long, damage will progress beneath the shingles where it can harm the roof sheathing, the trusses, or even the interior of your home. The following are signs that you should no longer put off a roof replacement.

Your roof looks bumpy

Shingles should lie flat on the roof. They should not look wavy or raised. These are signs that the shingles are warping, which means they have reached the end of their lifespan and are now letting water seep beneath them. Another sign is if the roof appears to sag in areas. This can sometimes be caused by damage to the support structure beneath the shingles, but it is more often the result of shingles that have been beaten down in some spots and begun to warp in others.

You're finding gravel everywhere

Shingles are coated in gravel as part of their waterproofing. Old shingles begin shedding the gravel very rapidly, which means they need replaced ASAP. The shed gravel will end up in your gutters, and the base of the downspout, or on the ground along the roof line. The shingles will also begin to develop shiny spots where the gravel is missing.

Shingles are curling

Curling edges on a shingle is a major sign of trouble. Not only does edge curling mean that the shingles are no longer forming a waterproof barrier, it also puts them in danger of being torn off completely the next time a gust of wind hits them. Moisture damage is the most common cause of curling on shingles, which means they have already stopped doing their job. It's time to replace the shingles before the moisture causes further damage to your roof.

The eaves are rotting

Your home's eaves consist of the fascia boards, which create the facing on the edge of your roof, and the soffits, which cover the underside of the roof between the fascia and your home's walls. Many homes now have vinyl eaves, which can last a lifetime. If your home has wooden eaves, though, you need to make sure they are in good condition. Bubbling, peeling paint, or soft wood you can indent with a screwdriver means the wood has rotted. You need to replace the eaves before moisture seeps under your roof.

Taking care of your roof also means being prepared to replace it when necessary. Contact a roofing contractor like AlphaOne Exteriors in your area for more help.