A roof is a major investment and tends to be one of the more costly parts of a building to maintain. When a roof begins to show wear or damage, an owner must make the critical choice between replacing the entire roof and simply covering the existing roof with new materials. Both choices have important benefits and disadvantages for the owner to consider. A qualified Sugar Land Roofing contractor can help an owner assess their particular roof to make the proper decision. The decision should always be made on a case by case basis after a thorough inspection and discussion of the costs and consequences involved.
The current integrity of the roof is of critical importance when choosing to cover or replace. A roof deck that is severely damaged may not be suitable for covering because it will not adequately hold up the new roof. If there is trapped moisture in the old roof that cannot be removed, then the roof should not be covered because the moisture will lead to further damage. Local building or fire codes may also not allow for recovering and will require that all roofs be replaced instead.
Roofing experts from Houston Restoration Services of Sugar Land TX can answer any question about residential roofing or remodeling.
The contractor will also look at specific types of damage, including leaks and the condition of the roof membrane. They will be looking specifically for pliability and slippage of the membrane material.
From a short term cost perspective, recovering is preferable to merely replacing elements of the roof. The materials and labor costs required for covering are substantially lower than replacing the roof. There is also the rising cost of disposal to consider. Many replacement projects now face steep landfill fees to dispose of old roofing. A replacement project will also take longer. Since the entire old roof must be removed, the house underneath will be exposed for a greater period of time. This leads to increased risk of unexpected weather damage to the interior of the building.
On the other hand, replacing a roof may be a better long term option. A growing amount of evidence shows that covered roofs tend to suffer a variety of problems because they are reliant on the aged materials beneath them. Even if a contractor declares a roof suitable for covering, the recovered roof will not last nearly as long as an entirely new roof replacement, and telegraphing may occur. The decision is then influenced by future plans for the roof and building. Covering is essentially a cheaper short term solution, while replacing is a more expensive long term solution.
