Replacing your roof can be done within a few days in most cases, but the difference in cost between a basic repair and a complete roof replacement can be of several thousand or even tens of thousands of dollars. As a result, most homeowners will definitely want to exhaust all practical options before accepting the idea that they need to have the old roof replaced.
If you’re serious about figuring out whether your roof needs to be replaced or whether it can still withstand the elements for a few years after a good (and hopefully cheaper) repair job, then it might be essential to consider the advice presented below.
The first thing you have to consider is that your roof keeps aging. As it does so, it is continually bombarded by rain, hail, snow, as well as the sun’s UV rays that can be destructive over time. Also, depending on where you live, temperature changes can cause a lot of problems as well. Even certain pests and organic stressors such as termites and mold can lead to the shortening of your roof’s lifespan.
Aside from old age and environmental issues, roofs are heavily affected by strong impacts and water damage. If your roof was mildly affected by hail a year ago, and you failed to address the damage, chances are that it got worse since then. The worst case scenario is that the hail may have damaged pieces of shingles and flashing leading to an unnoticeable leak that hasn’t affected your home’s interior but has caused considerable water damage to part of the interior sheathing of the roof. In such cases, you might need to pay for extensive structural repairs or replace the affected part of the roof.
Of course, not all impact damage or leaks will require a complete roof replacement. The same can be said for storm damage and fire damage, especially in the case of resilient, concrete, slate and metal roofing systems.
To determine whether your roof has to be repaired or replaced, you therefore have to look for how various materials might be affected by severe snow, hail or wind damage, and how they can resist it. A newer asphalt shingle, for instance, has an excellent ability to resist storm damage, but that ability wanes as the roof passes its prime after 10-15 years. A metal roof, on the other hand, can be more than 30 years old, and it could still have a similar resilience level as when it was new, provided that it was well taken care of over the years.
Ultimately, the sure way to know if you have to replace or repair your roof is to call on reliable San Antonio roofing contractors and have them inspect your roof for damage. After giving them all the information regarding the age of your roof and what special features were installed along with it, the inspection process should go pretty fast, so you will get your answer without much fuss. You can then decide on your next course of action and consider getting a free quote from multiple roofers, before choosing the one you want to hire for your project.