Determining Whether You Should Repair Your Roof or Install a New Roof in Traverse City, MI

Determining Whether You Should Repair Your Roof or Install a New Roof in Traverse City, MI

March 2, 2017

If you live in a home that you plan on staying in for years to come, at some point you will have to decide between either having your roof repaired, or forgoing the repairs and investing in a new one. Here a few key things to consider when debating between repairing your current roof and installing a new roof in Traverse City, MI.

The size and location of potential repairs

If you have had your roof for a while, there are probably shingles that have been damaged due to extreme weathering, and others that have even blown away and are missing altogether. In this instance, repairing the few scattered shingles that are damaged or missing makes the most sense. This is an easy fix that will generally be inexpensive, although it might be difficult to find new shingles that perfectly match those on the rest of the roof.

However, if you find that an entire section of shingles needs to be replaced, the decision becomes a little more difficult. Replacing a large section of your roof will certainly extend the life of your entire roof overall, but what it will also do is disturb the maintenance schedule. Say that you replace a section now, but will eventually have to replace a separate section in two years, and then another section two years after that. It will likely work out cheaper if you choose to make the one-time investment to have a new roof installed, rather than paying for three separate sectional repairs. The most logical and economical choice in this situation would be to have the whole roof done at once, instead of doing patch jobs in different areas every few years.

Should you tear off your old shingles, or shingle over them?

If you make the decision to have a new roof installed, you will then need to decide if you want to remove all of the shingles from your previous roof, or have the contractor lay the new roof on top of the old one. While shingling over the old roof would be cheaper, the cost savings would ultimately be marginal, and this option could lead to potential problems down the line.

On the other hand, having your old shingles torn off completely means the contractors will be able to get a good look at your roof deck. Upon doing so, the contractors might find that the structure of your home has been compromised by a mold or deterioration issue, which you would then have the opportunity to get cleared up before your new roof installation. If you were to simply add new shingles on top of the old ones, you might not know about these hazards until it’s too late.

Deciding whether it is best to repair your existing roof or install a new roof in Traverse City, MI will never be easy, and it is best that you speak with professionals when it is time to make your final decision. Offering services in the area for 25 years, Qualified Roofing can be trusted to help you do what is best for your home both in the short term and in the future, so be sure to consult with us for all of your roofing needs!

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