Your roof is one of the most important parts of your home. If it’s developed a leak, or you notice that some shingles have gone missing, or have torn, you’ll be faced with the decision of whether to repair the damaged section, or to replace the entire roof. Both have their pluses and minuses that can help sway you in one direction or another. In some cases, however, it can be a clear cut decision based on the circumstances of what’s currently happening on the roof itself.

When to Repair

Sometimes a repair job is just the thing you need to extend the life of your roof without breaking the bank. If the majority of the roof is in good shape, but a few shingles have been damaged by hail, pulled off by wind, or have torn, repairing and replacing just those few shingles can be a big time and money saver.

The key is to ensure that you can find shingles that are a close match to what’s already on the roof. Patch jobs can be fairly noticeable, and can detract from the curb appeal of your home, particularly during a sale. If you are able to find the right color and style of shingle, make sure that this isn’t a repeating or ongoing problem. In other words, if the roof is old and shingles come loose in the wind each time there’s a major storm, it might be time to reroof. On the other hand, if this is a onetime occurrence and the rest of the roof is fairly new and in good shape, patching can help save you a lot of money while extending the life of the roof.

When to Partially Reroof

Roofs don’t always wear out uniformly all at once. One half of a roof may develop a leak or have enough damaged shingles to warrant replacing it, while the rest of the roof is still in good shape. In this case, you may want to consider partially reroofing.

In a partial reroofing, only one section of the roof is removed and replaced. This can make it less obvious if you’re not able to get a good match on the shingles, and can help minimize long term problems if the shingles are older and beginning to fail, but you don’t want to replace everything at once.

Keep in mind, though, that if you partially reroof the house, you could run into a few issues. The first is that if you already have two layers of shingles in place, the new section will be thinner and lower than the remaining sections. This can create some odd looking roof lines.

It can also be more expensive long term to replace the roof one section at a time. If the rest of the roof may need to be replaced in the next few years, it can often be more cost effective to do the entire thing at once. That said, if you can reasonably expect the rest of the roof to hold up, just replacing one part could save you the money of the entire job at once now.

When to Replace the Entire Roof

If your roof has come to the end of its lifespan and you have leaks or broken and missing shingles in multiple areas all over the roof, it may be time to just replace the whole thing. When replacing your roof, there are several things you need to know first (link to second here) A few things to keep in mind are:

  • If your roof already has two layers, you’re better off replacing than repairing because roofs last longer when the shingles are adhered directly to the roof, rather than to another layer.

  • If your roof has two layers, you will need to remove both layers before putting on the new shingles. This does add to the expense, but the most layers that a roof can support is two; anything more than that would be too heavy for the house. The upside is that your new roof will last longer and be in better condition.

  • If your roof only has one layer, it will cost more now to remove it, and then put on the new layer, but this will give you a longer lasting roofing job for the future. You do have the option of layering on new shingles, however, for a roof that is more cost effective in the short term.

Make the Right Choice for Your Home

Roofs are too important to make decisions about them lightly. Weigh your options carefully, and be sure to get an inspection done to find out exactly what’s going on up there before you decide anything. Make the right choice for your home and know that your roof will help protect your belongings for years to come.