At least once in every homeowner’s life, a time will come when they have to replace their roof. Your roof is your home’s first line of defense against the elements, along with other outer components of your home, including the gutters, siding, walls, windows and doors. Due to constant exposure to sun, rain, snow and debris, your roof loses its reliability over time.
When it’s time to replace your roof, you will probably be faced with two options: to remove the shingles and replace them entirely, or to install a new layer of shingles over the old ones, also known as a roof overlay. Which one should you choose? To determine which one is the best option, here are the pros and cons of installing a new layer of shingles over your old roof.
Overlay Pros
Overlaying costs less than tearing off the old shingles and installing new ones. As a matter of fact, the lower cost (up to $600 less) is the primary reason for choosing an overlay, as any roofing contractor would know. It doesn’t take as long to finish a roof overlay, so you also save time.
There is also less mess when you don’t have to tear off the old shingles. You don’t have to spend much money on cleanup, dumpster rental or disposal.
Overlay Cons
You won’t enjoy a thorough inspection of your roof deck. The sheathing might be damaged and you won’t know it, so you won’t even consider a roof repair. Whatever is covered by your old roof is not visible. Wood rot, algae or mold growth, flashing damage, and more will go undetected.
Your roof will be much heavier. How much heavier? A new layer of shingles can add up to 9,000 pounds of additional weight to your home. That added weight can get even worse with strong rains and thick snow, and it could damage the decking or the weight-bearing areas of your walls.
Heat will be trapped between the old layer of shingles and the new one. This leads to premature aging and damage, particularly if the old shingles have warped. Lastly, home inspectors generally disapprove of overlaying, so if you’re selling your home, they’re likely to see that as a negative. They expect the overlay to present the new owner with problems, so it will affect the value of your home.
At NorthWest Construction, we always recommend what will serve our customers best. We can help you replace your old roof in West Bloomfield, Dearborn and Taylor, MI. Call us today at (313) 277-7676 or fill out our contact form for a consultation.
