Repair or Replace? Making the Call

It is the $15,000 question: Do you patch the leak, or do you tear off the whole roof? Here are the three factors we use to help homeowners decide.

1. Age of the Roof

If your asphalt shingle roof is under 15 years old, a repair is usually the right call. If it's over 20 years old, the shingles are already becoming brittle, and a patch job might just cause damage to surrounding shingles. At that age, replacement is smarter.

2. Extent of Damage

As a rule of thumb, if more than 30% of the roof is damaged or worn, full replacement is often more cost-effective per square foot than a massive repair job that leaves you with a mismatched patchwork quilt.

3. Future Plans

Are you selling in the next 1-3 years? A new roof adds dollar-for-dollar value to your asking price and speeds up the sale. Prospective buyers are terrified of inheriting a bad roof.