Repair or replace: how to decide on a roof
The decision turns on three things: age, extent, and whether the deck underneath is sound. Two of those are measurable and the third is what a roofer should be able to show you.
Repair wins when
Damage is isolated to one plane, the roof is under fifteen years old, and the deck is solid. A single wind-lifted ridge or a storm-broken valley is a patch, and a patch is honest work.
Replace wins when
Shingles curl or cup across multiple planes, granules fill the gutters, or the roof is past twenty years. Two repairs on the same area within two years is the usual line in the sand.
The deck decides close calls
Soft decking under a fifteen-year roof means the shingles are not the problem. Press a screwdriver into the sheathing at the eaves. If it sinks, patching is cosmetic.
Cost of waiting
A dead roof does not fail evenly. It lets water in at the penetrations first, then the deck, then the ceiling. Every month of delay moves the cost from roofing into framing and drywall.
Frequently asked questions
How many repairs before replacing?
Two on the same area within two years is the normal threshold.
Can I roof over the old shingles?
Sometimes, if there is one layer and the deck is sound. It saves disposal but hides the deck.
Does a new roof add resale value?
It removes an objection more than it adds value. Buyers price a bad roof in.
Will insurance pay for an old roof?
For storm damage, often. For wear, no. Age is depreciated or excluded.