How can I tell when I have to replace rather than just repair my roof?
Answers:
when the roof fulls in on your head well its then safe to say that its time to replace it.
Other answers:
If you are insured, you could contact your insurance agent and ask that they inspect the roof for you. Keep in mind that, at least in my state, a roof's durability must be approved by the state insurance board if it is to be covered by the policy. Just be sure that your insurance company understands that you are not submitting a claim for a new roof, that you are only seeking an inspection. I would not suggest that you bring in a roofing company to check. And not your brother in law.
If you are insured, you could contact your insurance agent and ask that they inspect the roof for you. Keep in mind that, at least in my state, a roof's durability must be approved by the state insurance board if it is to be covered by the policy. Just be sure that your insurance company understands that you are not submitting a claim for a new roof, that you are only seeking an inspection. I would not suggest that you bring in a roofing company to check. And not your brother in law.
Check the viability of the materials ... that is do the shingles bend or break? If the gravel coating comes off and it lookd like it was heated or "bubbled" replace it. If is still very flexible (while warm) then repair ... Just a good rule of thumb ... slso check the tarpaper unnderneath ....if paperlike andn brittle ...replace. goood luck
Replace when
>there are more than 2 layers of shingles on roof.
>roof is sagging, need to brace rafters and replace sheeting
>rafters and/ or sheeting is rotten
Repair when there is only one layer of shingles or the damage is limited to a small area.
The primary function of roofing materials is to shed water and keep the water from leaking into the house. If your current roof is accomplishing that function, then why pay the money to replace it until you need to? I think you are worried that the roof might be leaking and you wouldn't know it until damage had been done to the house. So therefore, you're thinking of replacing the roof just to make sure it's not leaking. However, new doesn't mean better always and a new roof can leak too. So the real question to me is "Is my roof leaking because of the overall general degradation of the roofing material and it's ability to shed water?" The roofer's answer is not to crawl around in your attic the next time you have a week of heavy rain and check for leaks. Instead, it's to automatically replace the roof after a certain number of years whether it's leaking or not.