Repair or Replace Your Existing Roof?

With spring in the air, big home projects are on everyone’s minds, especially when something is broken and needs to be fixed or replaced.  Leaky faucets and chipped paint are simple fixes, and it is usually an easy decision whether to get a brand new faucet or to just fix the current one (plus the plumber usually tells you right there if it isn’t fixable).  With roofs, though, it can be more difficult to discern which option is best.

When it comes to roofing and other big projects, consumers should really do their research about what the best option is that will make the roof last the longest so they can get the most out of their money—and rightfully so!  So what is the best option when it’s time to update your roof?  Another layer of shingles with some repairs on the area that’s leaking?  Or ripping off the shingles and putting on an entirely new roof?

The answer to that question really depends on the nature of the necessary repair.  A small tear in the roof causing leaks can easily and inexpensively be patched up and have new shingles placed as a replacement.  Sometimes this means that the new shingles won’t match the original roof because they no longer make those shingles, but it’s usually pretty manageable to get the shingles very close to the existing roof shingles.  Even more serious damage can be fixed by a partial re-roofing to avoid getting an entirely new roof.

It’s when the entire roof needs to be updated that it becomes a difficult decision.  Laying new shingles onto an existing roof is certainly less expensive in the moment, but is it less expensive long-term too?  Well, first, it’s important to take into account that if you already have two layers of shingles, it will have to be torn off, since the International Residential Code only allows for two layers.  If you only have one layer, the decision is yours, but shingles tend to hold better when attached directly rather than being placed on top of other shingles.  If this is the route you choose to go, you could find yourself needing another repair much sooner than you would like.  Another thing to consider is that completely tearing off the roof allows the roof to be inspected so that any issues can be found before adding more on top of it or before it becomes a problem.

It’s cost-efficient in the long-run to have contractors at the house fewer times rather than doing part of a roof at a time.  Keep in mind that in your roofing costs is labor, materials, and time, so when you keep it to only one installation/repair, it saves you money!

Of course, everybody has times when big projects need to be done, and there isn’t the money to do a full re-roofing that you may want to do.  In this case, it’s definitely better to do any repairs that need to be done rather than waiting and letting them get worse.

If you’re interested in learning more about getting a new roof or repairing your current roof, contact Triple Peaks Roofing.