No homeowner likes to think that their roof needs to be replaced, but what if you didn’t have to? If your roof deck is in generally good condition, and you’ve been performing yearly routine roof maintenance to catch and fix minor problems, your roof could be a good candidate for a roof restoration.

What Is Roof Restoration?

Everyone knows what roof replacement is – the removal of all roofing material before the application of a new roof. Roof restoration is different, however. During a restoration your roofing material is left in place. Minor issues are addressed, and the roof is resurfaced to help prolong its life. This is far less invasive – and less expensive – than a complete or even partial reroofing.

When to Restore and When to Replace

Roof restoration can seem like a very attractive idea, especially to homeowners who may not have the budget for a total roof replacement. Unfortunately roof restoration is not meant for every roof. It can be carried out on most asphalt and metal roofs, but only if they meet certain criteria first.

Restoration

To determine if your roof is a good candidate for restoration, a very thorough inspection needs to be done. There should be a good documentation of yearly roof maintenance and the last inspection cannot have been carried out more than 6 months from the time of the restoration.

The roof needs to be in overall good condition, with no moisture or decay, and with any leaks already permanently dealt with, such as replacing missing or cracked shingles or damaged flashing. A core sample of the deck and the insulation will be needed to determine their condition. There can’t be any moisture in these areas in order for the restoration to take place.

Roofs that are good candidates for restorations may already have two layers of roofing material in place, because stripping and replacing this can be far more costly than stripping one layer or layering one set of shingles on top of another. Because roof restorations add minimal weight to the roof, they can be performed without stripping the shingles, while a replacement with a roof with two layers will require both to be removed first.

Replacement

Roofs that are not good candidates for restoration need to undergo replacement. This means either stripping all of the shingles from the roof before replacing the underlayment and the shingles themselves or it may mean layering on a new set of shingles on top of the first. Any roof that has had a lot of documented problems such as multiple leaks, moss or lichen growth indicating decay, moisture found in the deck or insulation beneath the roof will need to undergo a roof replacement rather than a restoration.

Making the Right Choice

To determine what the right choice will be between the two roofing types, you will need to have a thorough inspection done by a company that can carry out a restoration or replacement. This includes core testing as well as determining the overall condition of the roof itself. If the roof is in good shape, but the shingles are nearing the end of their lifespan, restoration can be a good way to save money and help defray depreciation over a longer span of time – crucial in office buildings whose roofs are meant to depreciate for 39 years. Roofs that have underlying problems, however, should always undergo a roof replacement, regardless of the additional cost. Doing so is the best way of helping to make sure that the roof continues to protect your home and lasts for the longest time possible.