Replacing your home’s roofing can be as simple as removing old shingles and moisture barriers. It can also mean replacing the deck, gutters, vents, soffits, and eaves and repairing damage after an old roof fails.
Repairing, however, is mainly limited to isolated damage. When your roof is damaged, perhaps after a storm or a fallen tree, how can you know whether it needs repair or replacement? Let’s consider some factors before deciding to change the entire roof or make some repairs.
The Roof Age
Your home’s roofing age is a huge determining factor in whether you should repair or replace the roof. Most roofs have an expected lifespan, which depends on the manufacturer and material used. Ideally, top tier roofing & siding can last ten to fifteen years or even longer. You may only need to repair the damaged sections if yours is less than this age.
However, as roofs age, they may sustain wear and tear that can make them more prone to damage. Repairing is usually a temporary solution, and the roof is unlikely to last long. The roof’s lifespan will still be limited.
Although the damage may only affect one or two areas, it’s best to replace the entire roof; otherwise, you may end up repairing regularly until it’s time to change the roofing, which can cost you money, time and resources.
Also, keep in mind that the older your roofing gets, the harder it will be to match the existing shingles’ color. Even if you save some shingles from the original installation, they will not fit well. The existing ones will have weathered and will not match the new ones.
If you are looking to diagnose issues with your shingles or want to clarify the best roofing options for your home in Wisconsin, you can reach out to Top Tier Roofing and Siding as your trusted contractor via the address below:
The Extent of the Damage
The damage might be limited to a small area, such as a few shingles blowing off after a storm, water getting under the moisture barrier, the deck being exposed or damaged, or just a leak due to the damage.
If the problem affects only a small area, repairing can be the best and most economical option to restore things to normal. But if the damage is extensive, repairing alone may cost almost as much or more than the cost of replacement. Moreover, replacing the roofing can reveal underlying problems that caused the issue in the first place.
The Type of Roof
Your shingle type can also determine whether you need to repair or replace it. For instance, a slate roof can last 100 years, so if you have this type, it makes sense to repair damage rather than replace the whole roof. You can replace roofing tiles individually, and it involves minor labor.
However, if the damage is due to structural failure or water has damaged the deck, replacing the roofing is best, even if the slate tiles can be reused. Aside from these two, their age is a huge determining factor for other types of roofs. Replacing shingles will not make the shingles around them last longer.
Urgency
Sometimes, you may need to replace the entire shingle if a major storm comes. You can also perform a significant repair or take measures to protect the roof to avoid further damage.
Some people think it’s best to wait until the storm season is over before dealing with the damage at once, but this is a gamble that may cost you more than what you will spend on temporary repairs, even if you know the shingle will need to be replaced. Water damage to the inner part of the house or wind getting under the roof can result in further damage beyond the cost of just replacing the roof.
Long-Term Plans
The duration of your stay in the same house can also determine whether you need repair or replacement. If you are thinking about selling the house in a few years, then it’s best to change the shingles because this can be a selling point for buyers. You don’t need to purchase the most expensive roofing, but having old shingles can make it hard to sell the house fast.
If you plan to stay in the house forever, you can justify upgrading the shingles because the cost will be spread over the home’s lifespan. Installing higher-quality material will pay off along the way.
Building Codes
Another way to save money and time is to re-roof. This involves placing a new layer of shingles right over the old ones. It is cheaper and faster because you don’t need to remove the old roof, and it adds another layer of protection that appears new. The disadvantage of this is that if you already have two shingles layers, most building codes will not permit them.
This is due to the added weight of the new shingles layer. The average asphalt shingles weigh around 275–350 lbs, which is like putting two SUVs on a 2,500-square-foot roof. Moreover, you won’t know if damage is underneath unless you remove the old shingles.
Re-roofing can also reduce the warranty on the new shingles since they won’t last as long as replacing with a new roof. The savings are enough to make this option the right decision, but ensure you account for the hidden costs.
Conclusion
Whether you should replace or repair your roof depends on a lot of factors like the age, extent of damage, the type of roofing you have, if you are planning to live in the house forever or sell it later, urgency: that’s if there is a storm looming around, and building codes.
One way to save money, but which might come with hidden costs later, is to re-roof. However, this will only be allowed if you have only one shingle layer, because some building codes don’t allow homeowners to have three shingle layers.
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