If your roof is showing significant signs of wear and tear, you might be wondering whether or not you need a roof replacement. Re-roofing is another option that is not quite as costly and can extend the life of your roof by many years. However, it is not always the most suitable option. Take a look at what re-roofing involves and its advantages and disadvantages to decide if it is the right option for you.

What is Re-Roofing?

Re-roofing involves installing a new shingle overlay over your worn shingles. Not only does this new layer look better than the old, worn-out shingles, it also provides a layer of protection to stop rain and snow from finding their way through your roof and causing leaks.

Advantages of Re-Roofing

Re-roofing is significantly less expensive than roof replacement as it does not require contractors to strip away your existing shingles. Therefore, labour costs are usually lower. Re-roofing is also a faster process than roof replacement, so you will not have to put up with as much disruption while contractors work on your roof.

Disadvantages of Re-Roofing

If your roof has already been re-roofed so that it already has a double layer of shingles, then a roof replacement is recommended over adding a third shingle layer. Re-roofing is also only suitable when you are reasonably sure that there is no structural damage to your roof, such as sagging or rot affecting its underlying structure. Adding an extra layer of shingles cannot fix these underlying problems.

What is Roof Replacement?

Roof replacement involves stripping shingles from your roof to expose the deck. After confirming that the deck is in good condition, roofers lay down a new felt paper or underlayment layer to provide weatherproofing options for your new roof. They then install new shingles on top of this layer to create a fully weather-tight roof.

Advantages of Roof Replacement

Roof replacement leaves you with a roof that is likely to last for many more years, especially when compared to a simple re-roofing process. It is also the only option if your roof has underlying structural problems affecting the deck, which might be the case if your roof has been leaking for a long time as water damage may have caused the deck to sag. In this case, roofers must repair the deck before they replace the roof.

Disadvantages of Roof Replacement

Roof replacement is a longer and costlier undertaking than re-roofing. If your roof has minor damages but is structurally sound, then re-roofing is the more cost-effective option.

For more information about re-roofing and roof replacement services, contact a local roofer.