If you have water leaking in your living room and it’s time for a new roof there may be some choices you’ll need to make. When you have asphalt shingles installed on your home sometimes you don’t really need to remove those asphalt shingles in order to install a new roof. Most roofing contractors will insist on removing the old roof but is it really necessary? I’ll take a closer look at tear off and replacement roof in this article and talk about the differences in each roofing method. 

Is a Tear Off and Replacement Roof Necessary?

Having asphalt shingles on your home means that when you need a roof replacement you have some choices to make. Not only choices in style and colors but also choices in how the roof will be installed. If you want a new roof installed and you contact a roofing contractor then chances are they will want you to do a full tear off and replacement. Tear offs and replacement is good for some homes but not for all, and sometimes it’s just an added expense. The other method of installing a roof on the home is called re-roofing and it’s less expensive and usually done faster. In the content below I’ll take a look at both roofing methods and explain the difference.

Tear Offs Mean More Waste and Debris

When you re-roof a home, the shingles that are currently on the home are left in place. During re-roofing a new layer of asphalt shingles are placed directly on top of the old roofing material. None of the old roofing material is removed. During a tear off and replacement however, the entire roofing system is removed down to the roof decking. There is lots of debris that will need to be collected and disposed of from the old shingles. This disposal and additional labor can make the tear off more expensive.

Adding More Weight To The Roof

If you live in an older home there is one thing that you’ll need to consider before getting a re-roof of your home and that is weight. When you’re adding an additional layer of shingles to your home you’re actually adding more weight to the roof. While it may not seem like much weight, adding an additional layer of shingles actually adds a lot of weight to the roof. Most homes can safely handle a second layer of asphalt shingles but most building codes prevent a third layer from being added. So if your home has had it’s roof replaced in the past and was re-roofed then your only choice will be a full tear off and replacement.

Finding Problems on The Roof Decking

The boards and sheeting underneath the asphalt shingles is known as the roof decking. It gives the roof structure and rigidity and allows for the asphalt shingles to be attached using nails. When there are problems in the roof decking the entire roof could fail. Finding problems in the roof decking is difficult when you get a re-roof. Since the old shingles are not removed the roof decking can’t be inspected and any problem in the roof decking is simply covered up by the new roof. Although an inspection can be done from the attic and the underside of the roof, it’s not as thorough as with a tear off and replacement. In a tear off and replacement the old shingles are removed and the roof decking is exposed. With this decking exposed it’s much easier to find any problems and fix them before the new roof is installed.

Any Flaws are Exaggerated in a Re-Roof

Another big problem with a re-roof is flaws that may be in the roof are exaggerated. Dips and rises of the roof are not only present after the new roof is installed but is also exaggerated with the new shingles. During a tear off and replacement roof you can find and fix these problems during the roof repair and installation and they won’t affect the outcome of how the roof looks.

If you live in the Troy Michigan area one of the best roofing contractor in Troy Michigan is Troy Roofing Pros. They will inspect and advise you on your current roof and what roofing method would be right for you. Troy Roofing Pros also gives a free roofing estimate in Troy Michigan so you’ll know what the project will cost before they begin.