Overlay Roof Pros and Cons

When a Texas storm delivers a good pounding, there may be too much damage to your roof for it to be repaired. You may need a new roof. One option you have for roof replacement is to install an overlay roof. This is when the new roof is installed on top of the existing roof.

The primary benefit of an overlay roof is to eliminate the costs of time and money used to tear away the old roof. With savings on materials and labor, an overlay roof can save you as much as 25% off the costs of reroofing your home. While it’s always nice to save money, overlaying a new roof on top of an old one involves some serious risks you should consider.

• Underlying damage: While overlay roofing may fix leaks, it doesn’t repair damage under the layers of your current roof. If a leak or other problem is the result of damaged insulation, for example, you could still have issues even after covering it up with an overlay.

• Flashings: Flashings are metal coverings around chimneys, sidewalls, and so forth. These are intended to keep water from leaking in under the roof, but an overlay roof can compromise them.

• Uneven appearance: Overlay roofing adds an extra layer to your home’s roof, and that can create an uneven appearance. In addition to potentially harming the aesthetic of your home, it can also affect its overall value.

• Shorter life: In many cases, overlay roofing has a shorter life than tearing off and replacing the old roof. This may mitigate the initial savings.

• Weight and zoning restrictions: Zoning restrictions limit the number of overlays you can have on your roof. In addition, extra roofing will add more weight to the structure, so if your roof is already straining under excess weight, a tear-off may be the better option.

• Insurability: Depending on the type of roof you are starting with and the type of roof you want to lay on top of it, you may run into problems with your homeowner’s insurance. Some insurance companies do not like to insure a home with asphalt composition shingles laid on top of cedar shake shingles because this type of roof can be more susceptible to hail damage, and can be more costly to replace.

Rebuild Texas Roof Pros will assess the current condition of your roof and help you choose the best reroofing option for your situation.