. If your roof is leaking then it may need repair. If you do not want to repair it yourself then you will call a reputable roofing contractor to come check it out. It needs to be a reputable roofing company because it is easy to convince someone that because the roof is leaking it needs replacing and you need a new home roof.
It still may have a couple of years life left on it so why replace when you can repair? Of course, you always can get it replaced any time but if the repairs will work save the money until it really needs it. It may surprise you and go on for another four or five more years.
There are certain signs you may really need a new home roof. But these can sometimes be repaired to extend the life of your roof for a while. One sign is if you ceiling is showing water stains then you really should have a roofer come and take a look at your roof.
The shingles may be broken and cracked or missing. If this occurs in a couple of places perhaps they can be replaced but if it is in a lot of different places then you most likely need a new roof. An experienced roofer can tell when the shingles are brittle.
Also a way to guess you may need a new roof at this time is how long the roof has been on the house. An asphalt shingle roof or wood shake roof is generally estimated to last from ten to twenty years. Of course this depends on the quality of the shingles originally used and the general weather of the area.
More severe weather whether snow and ice or extreme heat will shorten the life of shingles. But if that roof has been on the home for twenty years then you probably should replace it rather than repair it. The upfront cost of a roof repair may be cheaper in the long run than the repair of a water damaged home with a lot of leaks.
One thing to remember when you are dealing with leaks is they are not always immediately evident and the water may show up at someplace other than where it is really leaking. There are options when you may need a new home roof.