Improving your home comes with a checklist of items. You may be needing some minor fixes or you could be looking to make major improvements. Part of improving your home is making sure your roof is up to date.
Your roof can be overlooked after years of exposure to the sun and weather conditions. Asphalt roofs tend to last roughly 20 years or so. The lifespan of your roof depends on a variety of factors including your roof’s materials, weather conditions, average exposure to sunlight during the year, and even animals that tend to land or make homes on your roof.
At this stage, you’ll want to have a roof inspector come out to view every inch of your roof to check for missing shingles, holes, rot, water damage, possible mold, dipping, and gutter clogging. Many companies offer free inspections so you don’t waste your time if repairs or replacement is unnecessary.
Inspections don’t last too long.
Depending on the size of your home and the slope of the roof, the inspection could be done as quickly as within 1 hour. Inspections should occur each year to keep aware of your roof’s condition and possible damages. The best time of year to inspect, repair, restore, or replace your roof is during the dry season since water can prolong or damage the process.
Once an inspection has been completed, the roofing contractor will provide you with their checklist of items they found to be causes for concern or simple roof repairs. The contractor will explain to you their professional recommendation for your roof. Does it need to be restored, replaced, or just repaired?
Can a Roof Be Repaired Instead of Replaced?
Roofs can be repaired instead of replaced, but the service you choose depends on the problem. Repairing a roof essentially entails fixing or patching a smaller issue. However, if the issue is a much larger problem, you’re asking a roofing contractor to put a bandaid on your home’s roof.
Bandaids wear off over time.
Let’s say you have a small hole in your roof. A roof repair might be the right fix for the job. But what if the hole in your roof has been there for several years? This means that any sort of debris, water, and mold could have found its way into the structure of the roof. Water damage can trickle down to further parts of the roof and even find its way into the home.
Be sure not to confuse roof repair and roof restoration. The difference between these terms is that repairing a roof means patching a specific part of a roof. Roof restoration is a service for giving your roof a facelift. Know the problem(s) before you decide on repairs or restoration.
4 Things to Be Aware of for Roof Restoration
Before you decide on restoring your roof or replacing it, consider a few things when it comes to roof restoration.
- Restoration is more affordable than replacing an entire roof.
- Restoring your roof is more environmentally-friendly as it reuses parts of your roof.
- Restoration extends the lifespan of your roof for up to 15 years, whereas roof replacement is a new roof that will last somewhere around 20-25 years depending on the materials.
- Restoration is used for improving the overall health of your roof and doesn’t mean ripping it all apart and starting from the walls up.
When Should I Restore My Roof?
If you’re considering restoring your roof, there are certain instances when roof restoration works better than an entire roof replacement.
- Fire damage: When there is a fire that damages your home, smoke and soot (not to mention the flames) can damage your ceiling and the structure of your roof. Roof restoration is a great service to use if fire catches on your home.
- Water damage: During snow or heavy-rain seasons, water can find a way into the shingles, felt underlay, and possibly the decking of your roof. While the roof is meant to slide the water into the gutter, water can still sink into the roof.
- Hail damage: Some states and cities receive more hail and heavier hail solids. Take Colorado for an example. While the state is known for having more, bigger hail than many of the other states, Colorado Springs receives an average of 13 severe hail storms throughout the year. These large or plethora of hail solids can hit the roof of your home and cause massive damages.
- High-wind damage: High winds can also damage your roof. Gusts of wind can pick up and remove pieces of your shingles. Wind can knock over trees and throw other debris onto your roof that can lead to severe damages.
When Should I Replace My Roof?
Restoration is mainly used to restore the health of your roof back to the way it was before the damages were inflicted. Replacing your roof is for when restoration won’t solve the problem and an entire roof replacement is necessary so that the roof doesn’t collapse or cause massive leaking.
As a rule of thumb, when your roof is over 20 years of age (depending on materials) it’s safe to say that a replacement should be in the budget. Roofing can show bald spots, curled shingles, cracked shingles, dark streaks, mold, moss, and so much more. All of those factors are indicators that your roof may need to be replaced.
Another thought, if your neighbors are getting their roofs replaced, you should look into hiring a roofing contractor to inspect yours.
What Are The Expenses of a New Roof?
The cost of a new roof varies based on a multitude of factors. If you’re considering a roof replacement, roofing contractors take into account the size of the roof, location of the home, supplies and materials necessary for the job, and the removal fees for the old roof.
A new roof can cost anywhere from $5,300-$16,500. In the state of Colorado, the average roof replacement cost is $6,300-$12,300. Again, this can differ depending on a great many factors.
Roof restoration costs can be between $4,500-$11,000 for your entire roof’s restoration. If only some parts of the roof need restoring, this could cost only a few hundred dollars.
Roof Restoration or Replacement?
After reviewing the information above, we hope you have a better understanding as to when roof restoration is serviced instead of roof replacement or simple roof repairs.
In short, roof restoration is for when natural hazards have affected your roof. Moisture, mold, deterioration, corrosion, and damaged gutters could all imply a need for roof restoration.
Roof repairs are used for small fixes such as mold mitigation, small holes, or a couple of missing shingles. Essentially, your bandaid.
Replacing a roof is for when there is no other option or your roof is just too old to be considered safe.
All options are made available to you and some damages can be covered by insurance. A full inspection by a roofing contractor will officially answer the question of restoration vs replacement for you.
Hire a Roofing Contractor With Experience
When you are choosing whether to get your roof restored, repaired, or replaced, hire a roofing contractor. There are many hazards and parts of the roof that a DIY project shouldn’t even be an option. It takes a skilled team of roofing contractors that are local to your area and understand your home’s roof needs.
At 970 Services, we are experts in Colorado roofing projects. We have years of experience in roof restoration, repairs, and replacement. We offer free inspections because we know your roof is what protects you, your family, and your life-long belongings.
Give us a call today to set up your FREE inspection so we can accurately inform you of the condition of your roof.