New Shingles or New Roof?

Your roof needs help.  Do you install new shingles to repair it or do you do a full roof replacement?  Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.  This decision could mean a full-proof roof upgrade that will protect your home from water damage but at an expense or swapping out bad shingles for new ones but with the worry that it’s not enough.

Different Situations, Different Calls

Before you make any moves to repair or replace, first assess the status of the roof.  Are you considering new shingles or a new roof because of recent damage?  For example, if a storm tore through your area and caused debris to hit some shingles, either knocking them off entirely or just damaging them, this could spark the debate of repair versus replace.

Here are a few guiding questions to help you decipher if your roof should be replaced or repaired:

• How old is your roof?
• Is it still covered by the warranty?
• Did the roof suffer a lot of damage or just a few broken shingles?

When to Repair

A fallen tree limb or nasty windstorm doesn’t have to warrant an entire roof replacement.  If your roof is already in good shape and relatively new, opt to replace the damaged or missing shingles with new ones.

If your roof still has a warranty, you should be safe to do repairs versus an entire roof replacement.  The average asphalt roof has a warranty of 20-30 years.  You should still have extra original shingles given to you by the contractor who installed your roof.  These extra shingles can be used to do a quick repair should your roof experience any damage.

When to Replace

But let’s say your roof was damaged and no longer has a warranty.  That would mean your roof’s age is beyond the warranty (past 30 years old) and you should consider a replacement—even if the damage is limited.

Replacing shingles on an older is much akin to slapping a band-aid on a serious injury.  Sure, you’ll have new shingles to help maintain the surface of the roof, but the roofing system, the underlayment, and its protective layers, are no longer as protective as when they were first installed.

If your patch job wouldn’t match the rest of the roof anyway, you should consider a replacement.  Potential buyers will turn away if they notice an unsightly patch on the roof of the house.

Partial Reroofing: A Compromise

Of course the downside of a full roof replacement is the money it will cost but spending a few bucks on a repair isn’t always the answer either.  Fortunately, when it comes to roofing, you don’t have to be faced with this all-or-nothing scenario.  There are advantages and disadvantages to doing a partial reroofing, and depending on the damage of the roof, it can work out in your favor.

If the damage is confined to one side of the roof and the roof is fairly new, then a partial reroofing might be a good idea.  Replacing just one section of the roof will make it easier to blend in with the rest of the shingles as opposed to a noticeable patch job.

However, partial reroofing isn’t always the solution.  Because it’s just a partial job, the labor expense could be more than a full roof replacement.  This is also due to asphalt roofs having more than one layer, so for a partial re-roof, these layers will have to be peeled back and rebuilt.  Sometimes, even skilled contractors have difficulty in rebuilding a partial shingled roof and the result can look lopsided.  You’ll want to consult a roofing professional about this possibility before you go through with a partial re-roof.

Verge on the Side of Replacement

Homeowners tend to avoid a full roof replacement at all costs, however, with market trends and resale value, a roof replacement is actually better in the long run.  Unless your newer roof suffers a small amount of damage, you should skip a repair and go right for a new roof.

Replacing your roof can be a expensive upgrade to your home. Let us help you in making that decision. At Feldco, we provide a breakthrough design and triple layer protection to keep your roof healthy for what mother nature decides to throw at it.  For a roof replacement, our installers are factory trained, experienced and professional to get the job done right. Speak to a product specialist and get a free quote online today.