When you hear the word roof, you likely think of the outermost layer of roofing materials, such as asphalt shingles or ceramic tiles. However, roofs are made up of many layers, including trusses, decking, and sheathing. The truss roof is the innermost layer of your roof, and these trusses are designed to last for a very, very long time. If you are having a new roof installed, you may be wondering if the truss roof layer needs to be replaced. Here are three different scenarios in which you may need to replace your roof trusses. 

The Trusses Have Gotten Water Damaged

One of the most common reasons why trusses have to be replaced is because the trusses have gotten water damaged. If your roof was leaking for a prolonged period of time, the water may have seeped through all of the layers of your roof and eventually made its way to your trusses. Water can warp, rot, or split wood trusses, shortening their lifespan. Water can also allow algae or mildew to grow on the wood, which may also shorten its lifespan. 

Termites Have Weakened the Wood Trusses

Another reason why your trusses may need to be replaced is that termites have eaten away at your wood truss roof and weakened the beams. Your truss roof is responsible for supporting all of the layers of your roof. If termites, or other wood-eating pests, have weakened the trusses, they may no longer be able to support the weight of your roofing materials and will need to be replaced. 

You Are Installing a Heavier Roof Than Your Trusses Can Support   

The final reason why you may need to replace your existing truss roof is if you are installing heavier roofing materials than your trusses can support. Older homes have fewer or weaker trusses. As such, they may not be able to support the weight of newer roofing materials, such as slate tiles or concrete shingles. If you want to install a heavy roofing material, you may need to replace your trusses to support these heavier roofing materials. 

Roof trusses last a very long time, and do not typically need to be replaced when your exterior roofing materials need to be replaced. However, if your roof has leaked and your trusses have gotten water damaged, if termites or other wood-eating pests have weakened your trusses, or if you are installing new roofing materials that your trusses cannot support, new trusses may need to be installed. Installing a new truss roof can be time-consuming and costly, but it is the best way to ensure the integrity of the structure of your roof. Reach out to a roofer to learn more about replacing the building trusses on your existing roof.