Your roof is one of the most critical parts of your house. It protects you from elements, boosts home value, and improves curb appeal, among other benefits. Unfortunately, irrespective of how strong or appealing your roof is, there comes a time when the roof gets damaged, and you need roof repair services. Sometimes, normal repairs may not work, so you need re-roofing.

Read on to learn more.

What Is Re-Roofing?

Re-roofing entails adding a new layer of shingles on top of an existing one. Typically, it's done when the damage on your roof isn't so severe to warrant a total replacement. Re-roofing should happen once, and your roof must have only one layer of shingles. Having more than two shingle layers is risky, as the excess weight can cause a sagging roof or even collapse your roof. 

What Are the Benefits of Re-Roofing?

Since the entire roof isn't replaced, the process is fast and less labor-intensive. Depending on the size of your house, the project should be complete within a few days. You won't need to vacate your home, as is the case with some roof replacement projects. 

Again, reroofing is cheap compared to installing a new roof. Professional roofers often charge their services depending on the nature of work, the time required to complete a project, and the workforce required. Therefore, they'll charge lower for re-roofing than roof replacement. 

When Is Re-Roofing Not a Good Idea?

Re-roofing isn't a good idea if you only want a small portion of your roof done. If you add a new layer over the affected part only, the section will be thicker than the rest of the roof. This mismatch will be easily noticeable even to your visitors, and it won't be pleasing to the eye.

Also, re-roofing isn't recommendable if you aren't sure about the severity of roof damage. What appears as a minor leak may have led to severe rot in the internal structure of your roof. This is why re-roofing should only be left to the hands of professional roofers, as they'll inspect your roof first.  

To Re-Roof or to Replace?

The extent of roof damage will be the first consideration when deciding whether to re-roof or replace your roof. If there are minor issues, re-roofing is your best option since it's cost-effective and fast. For significant damage like roof sagging, massive leaks, and rots, replacement may work best. 

Overall, the importance of hiring an expert roofer for professional assessment and re-roofing services cannot be spoken enough. You may think your roof is so damaged that it needs total replacement, only to realize later that re-roofing is the best course of action. 

To learn more, contact a local roofer.

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