Let's face it.
Does any homeowner with a roof leak wake up get excited about spending thousands of dollars on a new roof?
No.
But when you have a leak and contact a Matthews roofing company, there's a good chance you'll want to consider repairing your roof instead of replacing it.
If you contact High Top Roofing, you should know that we're putting our name and reputation on the line each and every time we repair or replace a roof in Matthews.
So we're not about to recommend a new roof if we think a roof repair will work for you.
But what if you've contacted several roofing companies and can't make up your mind on whether to repair or replace your roof.
Here are some things that may help you decide:
1.How old it the roof?
Most shingle roofs in the Charlotte metro area have a life of 20-30 years. So if your roof is 19 years old, it might make more sense to replace the roof especially if other sections of the roof are about to fail. If your roof is only 4 years old and has a leak, there's a good chance that your original roof wasn't installed properly. Start by contacting the original installer of the roof to see if they have a warranty on their workmanship or labor.
2. How big is the area of your roof that's leaking?
If the leak is contained to a small area, it might be possible to repair it at a reasonable cost. A smaller area may also give you the option to replace all of the shingles in the section of the roof that's leaking - not just in the immediate area of the leak. That will help ensure a good color match in that section of your roof. When roof damage is limited to a small area, a roof repair should be possible.
3. How visible is the area of the roof that's leaking?
If the location of the leak is not prominent or highly visible from the street, a repair might make sense even if the color match isn't perfect.
4. What's happening with the roofing materials?
Are shingles missing? Are the shingles curling or starting to buckle? Are a large number of granules starting to accumulate in your rain gutters or on the ground? Installing a few new shingles as part of a roofing repair is not going to be a good long term solution if those shingles are surrounded by other worn shingles that are a roof leak just waiting to happen.
5. Is the roof felt or decking damaged?
Roof felt acts as an additional moisture barrier to prevent water from entering your home. If the felt is damaged in a widespread area, your going to have other roof leaks in the future even if you repair the area of the leak. Sometimes roof decks become damaged as well and the boards need to be replaced. If there is extensive damage to your roof deck, it may be better to tear the roof off and replace any deck boards that are damaged.
6. Is it possible to repair the roof by putting shingles over your existing roof?
While most building codes allow up to 2 layers of shingles, it's generally not a good idea. Shingles are heavy and another layer of shingles could add too much weight to your roof. If you decide to put off installing a new roof by adding another layer of shingles, you will pay for it later because when you finally have to install a new roof, the roofing contractor will have to charge you for the extra time needed to tear off 2 layers of shingles instead of just 1. Finally, installing shingles on top of shingles will typically void the manufacturer's warranty on the original shingles installed.
7. How does the cost of a repair compare to the cost of a roof replacement?
As a general rule, once the cost of a repair exceeds $1,000, it's important to compare the repair cost to the cost of a roof replacement. If the roof repair is going to cost $2,800 with only 3 years of remaining life in the shingles, it would be better to spend $10,000 on a brand new roof.
If you've spoken to a roofing company and you're still undecided about whether to repair or replace your roof, call High Top Roofing at 704-989-3189 or request a free estimate today!
