No doubt many homeowners try to avoid the cost and hassle of getting a new roof installed on their home for as long as possible, and may assume that the home doesn't need a new roof until the old one has literally blown away. However, not getting a new roof installed on your home when the current roof gets older can be a mistake. Older shingles can start to buckle, curl, and shrink up over time. They may also get cracked and brittle, and nails may come loose.

Homeowners often fail to realize what this age-related damage to a roof can mean for their home overall. If you're not ready to consider a roof replacement for your older roof, note a few factors to consider.

1. Utility bills are higher

An older roof may have all its shingles in place, but once they're shrunken or buckled due to overexposure to the sun and the elements, they leave the roof paper or flashing under the shingles exposed. This can result in tears in this paper, which might be letting out more heat in wintertime and cooled air in summertime. Even without those tears, your utility bills may get higher with an older roof. Note that shingles work to insulate your home and when they curl or buckle or shrink up, this is like having a blanket that has curled up around the edges or that has shrunk in the dryer! Obviously you won't be kept as warm with such a blanket, and your home isn't as protected with an older roof either.

2. Older roofs may tend to blow away, causing more damage

After so many years, those shingles may start to come away from the nails holding them in place or the nails pull up from the studs of the home. During a storm, these shingles may then be more prone to blow away, along with the flashing or roofing paper. This can leave your home exposed to the elements during that storm, so that the studs and insulation underneath the shingles can suffer water damage and would then need to be replaced as well as the roof.

3. A roof affects a home's value

While you may not be ready to put your home on the real estate market right now, note that the condition of a home's roof can greatly affect its overall value. An older roof can mean not just a lower selling value, but may mean that some buyers won't even consider your home. Have a new roof installed as soon as necessary, so you don't face the expense when you're ready to sell or see your house languish on the real estate market.