The roof of your home is an important element that you need to make sure is in good shape at all times. Doing this can help you keep your home safe from the effects of a suddenly failed roof. This makes roof maintenance one of the most important home improvement projects to work on. One question that you need to ask yourself before you work on the roof is whether you need to do a repair or a replacement. To know which one you should work on, read on for some of the signs that should point you toward the right action to take.
When Should You Repair Your Roof?
The first pointer that should let you know that you need to repair your roof is if it’s had damage as a result of natural causes like hail or wind damage. It’s important to have a professional inspect your roof so they can advise you accordingly. If the damage has only affected a small area, then you can be sure that you won’t need to replace the entire roof in a home improvement. This is the reason behind the National Roofing Contractors Association’s recommendation that roofs need to be inspected twice a year. That’s once after the hottest weather and once after the coldest weather.
Another instance in which you may simply need to do a repair and not a replacement is if your roof is experiencing installation problems. These include having a lot of tar covering flashing or missing crickets behind chimneys. All of these can be solved by having these missing parts added in a repair or the excessive tar cleared off.
When Should You Replace Your Roof?
As for when you may need to replace the roof entirely, one instance is when you’re planning on selling your home. According to Home Light, you can get back 68% of the cost of a new roof by replacing it before you sell your home. The fact that a new roof can also help you to sell the home a lot faster is going to be an added benefit for you.
If your roof has reached the end of its lifespan, this is another reason why you’d benefit from replacing it. If you do repairs on a roof that’s already old and worn, you risk having recurring problems with it down the road. This is because there will constantly be new things that you need to repair. In the end, this cost could end up being higher than if you simply replaced the entire roof. Keep in mind that most houses in the United States need to be remodeled and improved because roughly 80% of them are at least 20 years old.
Finally, you may have to replace your roof if it’s extremely degenerated. This means that if you can see excessive amounts of shingle granules in the gutters, for instance, you need to replace the roof. This kind of degeneration is hard to reverse with a repair, and even if done, it may end up being inexpensive and ineffective. The growth of algae or moss may also be another sign that you need to replace your roof instead of repairing it. If it’s sagging, this is another issue that can’t be solved easily and affordably by repairing. That’s because this is a failure of the roof on a structural level as opposed to an aesthetic one.
Use this comparison to help you know whether to replace your roof or repair it. This way, you can save valuable time and money and also get a beautiful roof that will serve your home for a long time to come.
