What Is the Difference Between Re-roofing and a New Roof?
A well-built roof is likely to last for a long time, protecting your home from the elements. Eventually, however, it will need work done on it. Either the materials will start wearing out (which will be a different amount of time, depending on what they are) or your roof may have been damaged — for instance by a storm or a tree falling on it.
But what kind of work will it need? Do you need an entirely new roof, or will re-roofing be enough?
What Is Re-roofing?
For some minor damage to your roof, it’s enough to make small repairs, such as replacing a tile or two or cleaning mould or moss off the roof. However, if the damage is more extensive, and then you may need re-roofing.
Re-roofing refers to extensive patching of the existing roof, without actually stripping it back to the wooden framework, by laying tiles over the existing damaged ones. You can re-roof part of the roof, but it tends to look better if the whole roof is covered.
The main advantages of re-roofing over a new roof are that it’s cheaper and less disruptive. However, it’s only an option if the roof’s generally in good condition and not sagging at all. Also, re-roofing can only be done once — next time, you’ll need a new roof.
What Is a New Roof?
If your roof is too badly damaged for re-roofing to be an option, you’ll need a new roof. This is different from re-roofing in that the original roof is stripped right back to the roof deck, which itself may need repair or partial replacement.
The roofing material is then attached, to the deck, just like a roof added to a new-build. Materials are most likely to be clay tiles, but they may be anything from concrete tiles or slate to sheets of metal.
What About Flat Roofs?
In general, flat roofs have a shorter lifetime than pitched roofs, and traditionally serious damage, such as tears or leaks, has tended to mean a completely new roof is required.
However, there is now an alternative that’s similar in cost and simplicity to re-roofing. For a cheap, easy option, liquid rubber can be laid over your existing flat roof. It sets instantly and provides effective waterproofing and insulation, without having to install a new roof.
How Do You Know Whether You Need Re-roofing or a New Roof?
It should be clear from visual inspection, even from ground level, whether your roof has problems. Typical symptoms are likely to be cracked or missing tiles, or signs of the roof sagging, especially along the ridge.
However, in order to decide whether re-roofing or a new roof is the best option, you’ll need to call in a roofing expert, who’ll inspect your roof and explain the options. Give us a call if you think your roof may need work on it.
