Why A Contractor May Recommend Repairing Or Replacing A Roof
Whenever you speak with a contractor about an existing roof, there are going to be three potential options. You might be able to add shingles and call it at that, but it's also possible that it might require repairs or even replacement. Customers should understand why a roofing contractor may recommend replacement or repair work. Here are three reasons why a contractor might encourage roof replacement or repair options.
Too Many Layers of Shingles
Adding shingles on top of the existing ones is a surprisingly common technique in the industry. There isn't anything wrong with this as long as the older shingles are still in decent shape. However, if contractors keep layering more shingles onto a roof, it can eventually create enough weight to collapse it. This scenario is more likely to play out sooner in areas where heavy snowfalls happen, but it can occur regardless of the weather. The simple fact is that every layer of shingles adds thousands of pounds to a roof, and that will eventually add up.
Roof replacement is the solution in these cases. A roofing contractor will remove the existing shingles entirely. Once they've addressed any issues with the underlying decking and roofing felt, they'll put a new layer of shingles on.
Clean Hole
The ideal scenario for roof repair work is when there's a clean hole through the roof. For example, a heavy tree branch might go flying in high winds and hit the house. If it leaves a clean hole behind, there's a good chance a contractor can cut around it, replace the materials, and clean everything up nicely.
Conversely, a roof replacement may be necessary if there's a big and uneven hole. Even if the roof is relatively new, there comes a point where taking everything off and starting fresh is the best option. This allows a roofing contractor to ensure that the underlying structure will last once they've replaced the roof.
Sag
Any sag in a roof is bad. It is rare that the sag is limited to a small enough portion of the roof to allow repair. Generally, a sagging roof is suffering from rot in the plywood that forms the decking. Consequently, a roofing contractor will need to remove everything down to the supports.
Bear in mind that a sagging roof is usually close to failure. Sags develop when water gets into the wood and causes it to soften. Gravity then pulls the weight of the shingles into the plywood. Replacement is almost always a good idea when this happens.
For more information, contact a local company, like Atlas Contracting.
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