Most roofs in Prince George's and Montgomery counties are asphalt shingle, and most of them last somewhere between 18 and 25 years. Maryland's freeze-thaw winters, summer storms, and humidity are hard on them, especially on south-facing slopes.
A single leak after a storm doesn't always mean you need a new roof. Missing shingles, a cracked pipe boot, or failed flashing at a chimney can usually be repaired. What matters is finding the actual source, which is often a few feet away from where the stain shows up on your ceiling.
Replacement makes more sense when you see several signs at once: shingles curling or cracking across whole sections, granules collecting in the gutters, soft spots when you walk the roof, daylight in the attic, or repeated leaks in different places. At that point patching just buys time.
A proper replacement is more than new shingles. The old roof should come off down to the decking so rotted plywood can be replaced. Then synthetic underlayment goes down, with ice and water shield at the eaves and in valleys, new flashing at walls and chimneys, and ridge ventilation so the attic can breathe.
If your siding is also near the end of its life, doing both together saves on setup and gives the house a consistent look. Returning Lunarstone customers get $500 off a combined roof and siding replacement. Call us for a free inspection and written estimate.