Does Your House Need A Roof Replacement?
Posted on: 11 October 2022
The idea of doing a new roof replacement on a house can sound drastic. However, it's a fairly straightforward process for the vast majority of projects. A contracting team will strip the old materials from the roof and replace them with fresh ones, providing a cleaner and smoother surface than if they had just nailed on more shingles.
How can you tell if a roof replacement is the right choice, though? A home that has any of these four issues is likely a good candidate for replacement.
Layers
Especially in regions that get lots of snow, the accumulation of materials from multiple re-roofing efforts can become problematic. Even on fairly small roofs, a new layer of asphalt shingles can add more than a ton of additional weight. By the time the number of layers goes above three, the roof is going to get pretty heavy. Add heavy snowfall on top of a roof with more than three layers, and you have a formula for potentially collapsing it and doing serious damage to the structure.
Saddlebacking
A roof has become saddlebacked when the underlying structure is no longer capable of keeping a straight line. In the worst cases, a roof replacement contractor may have to deal with structural elements below the roof. However, they often just have to remove the underlying decking and replace it with new plywood.
At the first sign, the roof is no longer entirely holding its shape, you should contact a contractor. You might see the problem just but looking at the roof straight on. However, you may only notice it when you see water or ice collecting in the dips. Especially if the wet spot doesn't go away quickly on sunny or warm days, that's a sign there are problems.
Numerous Damaged Shingles
Layering shingles on top of shingles only works when the underlying ones are going to still be in good shape. If there has been significant damage to many of the shingles, this is at best going to produce an uneven surface. At worst, it could create spots where water can sneak past the shingles and start destroying the home's structure. Even if there are several layers of shingles on the roof, the best move is to strip the area down and begin anew.
Leaks
Generally, once a roof begins to fail and has leaks that are evident in the interior of the home, a roof replacement is presumed. The leaks could trace to damage plywood, a failing felt barrier, decaying sealants, or lost shingles. Fresh materials will give you the confidence of knowing the roof is tight.
Speak to a contractor to learn more about roof replacements.
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