Is A New Roof Really Needed?

“Never ask a barber if you need a haircut.” Most roofing companies would love to sell you a $10,000+ re-roofing job!

But do you really need a new roof? Today we are going to talk asphalt shingle roofs, and we are going to ignore the topic of insurance claims for roof damage.

There are 2 types of shingles commonly in use today:

1. “3 Tab” Shingles - These typically last 15-20 years. See the photo above for a example of these simple looking flat in appearance shingles.

2. Architectural Shingles - These typically last 20-25 years, but certain (thicker) products can last longer. Some shingles with 30, 40 and 50 year warranties utilize a thicker shingle material, which naturally is going to last longer.

There is a time to repair and a time to replace. I believe too many homeowners are convinced by others to replace sooner than they need to.

What does a repair (or maintenance) look like?

1. Every 2-3 years a roofer should inspect your entire roof. You can expect that they will find some repair needs, and your bill will be $300-600. Tasks like:

   1. Sealing exposed nail heads. See photo above.

   2. Securing loose or dislodged shingles.

   3. Replace broken or damaged shingles.

   4. Sealing around any roof penetrations.

   5. Repairing any popped (loose) nails.

   6. Localized failure of the roof sheathing requiring localized replacement.

What does the need for replacement look like?

1. Widespread loss of shingle to shingle adhesion.

   1. Shingles have what is called a “Sealing Strip” on the bottom of the shingle which glues the shingle to the shingle below.

   2. Over time this glue can fail, allowing the shingles to flap in the wind and fail.

   3. You might begin to notice more and more shingles being bent back over time. Eventually one big bad wind storm will bend back so many shingles, that it makes sense to replace the whole roof.

2. Serious damage to a majority of the shingles.

   1. Hail damage, wind damage, and impact damage could all cause widespread damage to the roof.

   2. At a certain point, it does make sense to just rip the whole roof off and put on a new one.

   3. I think too many get pushed towards replacement here.

3. Shingles become too brittle to individually replace shingles.

   1. This is partly related to 4 below. As the asphalt based material in the shingles becomes older, the materials become brittle and less flexible.

   2. If select shingles need to be replaced as part of a repair, it can be difficult or impossible to move the adjacent shingles enough to install the new shingle.

4. Heavy Granule loss.

   1. Granules are little stones that are adhered to the top of a shingle (they are set in asphalt based materials). The granules protect the underlying asphalt based materials from UV light. UV light is ultimately what will destroy a shingle if left along long enough.

   2. You can see in the photo above that those shingles have lost 50%+ of their granule coverage. Even these shingles can last 2-5 more years!

   3. What eventually happens is the UV causes the shingles to warp, curl and lift. At that point, you must replace.

In conclusion, part of owning an asphalt shingle roof is sending someone up there every 2-3 years to look for maintenance and repair needs, and addressing those needs.

There is a time to replace your roof, but using the guide above, there are only a few reasons to do so. Be careful out there with roofing advice!

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Don’t Let Your Hot Water Tank Fail!

If your hot water tank is 12 years or older, you should replace it. Or at least consider serious inspection and maintenance.

The damage it can cause if it leaks is not worth the risk and savings by putting it off.

At around $1,700 to replace a typical tank, this will cost you about $142 a year on average for reliable, trouble free service.

There are so many ways they can fail, causing you unnecessary repair bills. Watch the video below for more information.

Check out A.O. Smith, a company which focusses exclusively on hot water tanks. Some of their tanks include a 10 year warranty.

The content of this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Some of the links included in this newsletter are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links. Always perform your own due diligence before making any financial or business decisions.