Warning signs your Naperville home needs a new roof. Age, leaks, curling shingles, granule loss, and storm damage.
Most roofs in Naperville do not fail all at once. They give warnings for a few years first. Here are the signs to look for, what they mean, and how the age and style of homes in Naperville change the picture.
Naperville homes at a glance
Naperville grew outward in rings. The Historic District around North Central College has homes more than a century old, the middle of town filled in during the 1970s and 1980s, and the south side toward 95th Street and beyond was built from the 1990s on.
Naperville's larger two-story homes tend to have steep, multi-gable roofs with a lot of valleys and wall flashing. The flashing work matters more on these roofs than the shingle brand does.
What to expect from the roof on your Naperville home
In the Historic District and the streets around North Central College, the question is less the shingles than what is under them. Multiple layers, plank decking and decades-old flashing mean a leak can travel a long way before it shows. If the ceiling stains are near a chimney or dormer, the flashing is the first suspect.
In the 1970s and 1980s subdivisions such as Cress Creek and Brookdale, watch the joints where a lower roof meets an upper wall, common on split-levels and raised ranches. Staining on the wall or ceiling below that joint means the step flashing has failed, which can sometimes be repaired without a full roof.
In south Naperville, in neighborhoods like Ashbury, White Eagle and Tall Grass, if the house still has its first roof, it is at or near the end of its life. Builder shingles from that period were often the lightest grade. Curling on the south slope and granules in the gutters are the usual first signs.
Where Naperville roofs wear out first
In the 1990s neighborhoods, watch the valleys and the places where a lower roof runs into a second-story wall. Those homes have many of both. A stain on a first-floor ceiling near an outside wall is usually a flashing problem at one of those joints. In older central Naperville, tree cover makes moss and clogged valleys the first thing to look for.
The signs, from early to urgent
- Granules in the gutters. A little is normal on a new roof. A steady supply on an older roof means the shingles are wearing thin.
- Curling or cupping shingle edges. The shingles have dried out and will start to lift in wind.
- Cracked or missing shingles. A few can be replaced. Many, across several slopes, means the roof is brittle.
- Dark streaks and moss. Streaks are algae and mostly cosmetic. Moss holds water against the shingles and lifts their edges.
- Rusted or lifted flashing. Around chimneys, walls and vents, this is where most leaks start.
- Daylight or damp wood in the attic. Look on a bright day and again after rain.
- Ceiling stains or a sagging roof line. Water is already inside. Call now.
Repair or replace?
Repair makes sense when the damage is in one area and the rest of the roof has years left: a few shingles, a pipe boot, one run of flashing. Replace when the shingles are brittle across the roof, when leaks appear in more than one place, or when storm damage is widespread enough for an insurance claim. We will tell you which one you have and show you the photos.
How long roofs last here
Illinois weather is hard on asphalt: hot summers, freeze and thaw, hail and wind. Architectural shingles commonly last 20 to 30 years in this climate, and older three-tab shingles less. Good attic ventilation adds years; a hot, unvented attic takes them away. More detail in how long asphalt shingles last in Illinois.
Permits in Naperville
Permit rules are set by the City of Naperville. We check what your project needs and pull the permit when one is required. Homes in a designated historic district may also need design review for exterior changes. See our Naperville page for this service, or the same guide for Bolingbrook, or the same guide for Plainfield.
Common questions
Call (331) 250-3726 or request a free consultation in Naperville.