Should You Repair or Replace Your Roof?

Deciding whether to repair a roof or completely replace it is one of the toughest home repair decisions you'll ever make.

Eventually, all roofs need to be replaced due to age and deterioration. But the question is, will a less-expensive repair done now extend the life of your roof and delay the larger expense of replacing later?

There usually is no simple "yes" or "no" answer to that question, but by carefully evaluating several factors, you can determine whether a repair or a complete replacement makes more sense in your case.

Age of the current roof

Your roof has an expected period of time that the manufacturer expects it will last before needing to be replaced. The time it's expected to last depends on the type of material used. Typical warranties range from 10 to 30 years and vary from one manufacturer to another.

Keep  in mind that the manufacturer's estimate isn't exact, and can vary based on several factors, including the climate where you live, the amount of sun exposure the roof gets, and whether the roof is properly maintained during its lifetime.

If your roof isn't already at the end of its expected useful life and isn't severely damaged, you may be able to save money by having the roof repaired rather than replaced.

Scope of the repair needed

If the roof is leaking in one isolated area due to some missing shingles or a fallen tree limb, it's quite possible that a roof repair will take care of the problem and extend the life of the roof by many years.

Even if there's more than one leak, but they are confined to only on one side of the home, it's possible that a partial re-roof will extend the roof's life by many years and save you thousands of dollars over a complete re-roof job.

On the other hand, if the roof is leaking in more than one area due to age and deterioration, it likely makes better financial sense in the long run to simply replace it.

Pros and cons of each

If there truly isn't one obvious choice in your case, try making the decision the way Ben Franklin recommended, by making a list of the pros and cons of each. For instance, one pro of having the roof repaired instead of replaced is that it costs less. But a con is that the repair likely won't last as long as having the roof completely replaced.

The decision whether to have your roof repaired or replaced isn't easy. If your roof is causing problems or showing signs of age, contact a reputable roofing company and schedule a professional inspection and evaluation of your roof, and they will help you examine your options.

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