Warning signs your New Lenox home needs a new roof. Age, leaks, curling shingles, granule loss, and storm damage.
Most roofs in New Lenox 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 New Lenox change the picture.
New Lenox homes at a glance
New Lenox is a few minutes from our Manhattan office. The older part of town near Route 30 and Cedar Road has ranches and split-levels from the 1960s and 1970s, and the rest is mostly 1990s and 2000s subdivisions with larger brick-front two-story homes.
Will County has seen repeated hail in recent years. If neighbors on your New Lenox street have had roofs replaced, a free inspection will tell you whether yours was hit too.
What to expect from the roof on your New Lenox home
In the older part of town near Route 30 and Cedar Road, 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 the subdivisions built through the 1990s and 2000s, 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.
On the larger lots with custom-built homes, a large, steep roof is hard to see from the ground, so problems go unnoticed longer. Binoculars from the yard or a professional inspection every few years is worth the time on a roof with this many valleys and transitions.
Where New Lenox roofs wear out first
Many New Lenox two-stories have steep front gables that are hard to see from the ground and a large rear slope that takes the weather. Check the back first. In the older homes near Route 30, check the attic ventilation: several box vents and no ridge vent usually means the shingles have been running hot for years.
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 New Lenox
Permit rules are set by the Village of New Lenox. We check what your project needs and pull the permit when one is required. See our New Lenox page for this service, or the same guide for Frankfort.
Common questions
Call (331) 250-3726 or request a free consultation in New Lenox.