Do you own a home with a roof that is about the same age as you are? Are you even aware of the age of your roof at all? Many homeowners give little thought to their roofs until the fateful day that the roof begins to leak. If this sounds like your current approach, you're not alone. However, it's not necessarily the best way to go about things. Even though you might not know much about roofs and roofing materials, there are a number of signs you should be watching for that could indicate something being amiss. The most critical of these signs include the following:

Musty odors: 

You don't have to have water dripping into your home for your roof to have a leak. Leaks can start small enough that only a small amount of water enters your attic or crawlspace area. This water could get soaked up by the insulation and/or other building materials instead of making its way directly into your home. Even though you might not be able to see a puddle of water on your living room floor, the water in your attic or crawlspace area could cause mold, mildew, or even dry rot to begin to form. You'll soon notice an untraceable musty odor in your home if this is the case and you'll need one of your local roofers to come out for an inspection and to pinpoint the source.

Uneven roof: 

Shingled areas of your roof should all be relatively flat and even, compared to other sections of the same roof. Even if your roofers used textured tiles, there should be an appearance of sameness across the whole roof even with the additional texture. If any of the roofing material looks uneven or just strange and you can't explain why, it's a good idea to get a professional out for an inspection. You might not be able to tell precisely what's going on, but the roof looking "wrong" could potentially indicate missing shingles or the roof starting to sag due to excessive age.

Changing color: 

In general, there are two reasons why a roof might start changing color. The first is due to a harmless species of algae that starts to grow in the shade, coloring your shingles a shiny black color. Professional roofers can install strips of thin copper along the gables of your roof to halt this growth and to return your roof to its original coloring. The second reason why a roof might change color is more critical. Asphalt shingle roofs are covered in tiny bits of gravel-like aggregate. These small stones are what gives the roof its color and texture. They also protect the asphalt underneath from the elements. As the shingles age, the stones may start to come loose and get washed away in the rain. When this happens, it's important to get your roof replaced as soon as possible to prevent leaks from happening.