Should I Repair or Replace My Roof?
No matter if you own a house or a building, there is a roof over your head that will require you to make decisions about its maintenance and upkeep. Making the correct decisions about repair or replacement will give you peace of mind and save you money. Making the wrong decisions mean you will waste hard-earned money that could be spent elsewhere on more important items.
Roof replacement in the Oakville, Burlington, and Mississauga regions is not something to be taken lightly. We have harsh weather conditions that change substantially with the seasons. This takes its toll on the roof and lowers its life expectancy compared with other regions throughout the country with more stable weather patterns. Knowing when to repair or replace your roof in these regions makes all the difference and can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. How do you know when it is more cost-effective to replace the entire roof system than to repair it? Let’s have a look at some tell-tale signs of each.
Roof Repair
If you were to pick up, the phone book and look up roof repair in Oakville or Burlington you would find countess companies that offer various services. Knowing who to select is just as important as knowing when to repair or replace your roof.
A quick call to a roofing company will lead to a trained expert coming to your house or building to assess the condition of your roof. Any qualified contractor will always analyze the condition of the roof from the roof, not the ground, so be wary of someone who claims to know the condition of your roof without stepping foot on it.
If you have an isolated leak near one area of the roof, the contractor may recommend simply patching that area. Small leaks can occur in either a flat or sloped roof when punctures to the roof shingles or flat roof membrane occur. This, under normal circumstances, does not require a total replacement. The roofing company can simply repair the location of the leak by patching it with an approved roofing cement or replace the damaged section with new shingles or a membrane. The same holds true if your shingles have succumbed to high-winds and are missing. Loose or missing shingles due to wind damage can be easily replaced and at a relatively low cost.
On the down side, unless you have extra shingles left over from the original installation or your shingles are relatively newer, replacing them with new ones will leave an unsightly color variance due to the different dye-lots of the shingles. This may be acceptable to you, but if you decide to sell your home or building, this could cause some buyers to look elsewhere or demand a lower price due to esthetics. Repairing a small area on a flat roof does not have the same effect as the roof is generally not visible from the ground.
If the damage is significant but contained to one side of the roof, chances are a reputable roofing contractor may recommend replacing that one side instead of the entire roof. Simply replacing just one side can significantly reduce the overall cost of an entire roof replacement. This can amount to thousands of dollars in savings. Any color changes, as long as the color is relatively close, will not be noticed from the ground.
On the down side of things, partial replacement costs more per square than an entire replacement due to the extra labor and materials involved. Also, if your roof already has several layers underneath the damaged area, repairing the roof may be more costly than replacement. A professional roofing company in the Oakville, Burlington, and Mississauga area can inspect your roof and make a suggestion as to the most cost-effective way of repair.
Is a New Roof Cheaper in the Long Run?
If you need repairs to a larger area of roof, one thing you want to consider is the overall cost to replace the entire roof compared to repair. When making this decision, take into account the life expectancy of the roof and the age. In some situations, it may be more economical to pay for the entire roof to be replaced rather than a section at a time.
Roof repair in Mississauga, Burlington, Oakville, and Hamilton can vary widely from one company to another. It is very wise when getting one estimate to get two or three others just for comparison. Always make sure you are comparing similar repair jobs too. One company may have overlooked something, hence their cheaper price compared to the others.
Tear-Off or Roof Over Existing?
Now that you have decided to re-roof you have to decide if tearing off the old roof makes more sense than roofing over the existing shingles or membrane. No matter if you have a flat roof or a sloped roof, roofing contractors can apply the new roof over top of the old one in certain circumstances. You will have to ask your contractor what is the best option for your particular situation.
Making the decision to roof over the existing roof or not requires some expertise in the area. The roofing contractor will examine the type of existing roof and the age and condition of the shingles or membrane. A lot also depends on the type of material being used. Some flat roof membranes are “breathable” and require the roof be torn-off right to the substructure and new material applied. If you have a house or building with shingles, and you already have two layers of shingles installed, the decision is made for you. The building code requires the roof be torn-off to the substructure and new shingles be applied. This is done to conserve the load limit on the roof. It is designed to carry a maximum load which includes snow and ice and adding a third layer to the existing two may cause structural damage.
As you can see there is a lot to consider when you discover your roof needs repairs or replacement. It is not just a simple matter of going to the local “big box” store and picking out some shingles or patching compound. Sure that may be a quick fix, but will it last? Chances are it will not and may just end up costing you more than you bargained for. Why take the chance? If your roof needs repaired or replaced call someone in your area who is qualified, knowledgeable, and can meet your budget and expectations. A simple roof repair done wrong can lead to an expensive roof replacement. Check those references and make a well-educated decision before proceeding with any work.