From Asphalt Shingles to Zinc Strips

Why Might You Have a Roof Patched Instead of Replaced?

When your roof starts losing shingles, leaking, and experiencing other issues, your assumption may be that the roof needs to be replaced. And indeed, it might need to be. However, there are times when it is actually better to just have the roof patched. In other words, your roofing contractor can remove and replace just the badly damaged shingles and leave the rest in place. When might patching be a good idea? Take a look.

1. You have a small budget.

Replacing a roof isn't cheap. Some roofing companies offer financing options, and sometimes homeowners take out HELOCs or home equity loans to fund the project. However, if you don't have access to this funding and your budget is really limited, then you may want to just have the roof patched for the time being. It will cost far less, and while the patches won't last forever, they will buy you at least a couple of years before you have to replace the whole roof.

2. Most of the roof really is in good shape.

What proportion of the roof is in poor shape? If most of the shingles are damaged, then you might not have an option other than having the whole roof replaced. However, if it's just a few patches of shingles that are missing, and most of the roof is in good shape, then patching will probably meet your needs.

3. The weather is bad or about to get worse.

If the weather is bad, then your roofing contractors may not want to tear off the entire roof to replace it. While this can sometimes be done in poor weather, it's unsafe and difficult. So, your roofing contractor may prefer to just patch the badly damaged spots and leave the rest alone until the weather improves. This will allow them to work under safer conditions and do a more thorough job with the actual roof replacement.

4. The damage was due to an isolated incident. 

Maybe your roof isn't overly old, but there was a storm or another incident that caused shingle damage in a certain spot. There's really no need to replace the roof if most of it is in good shape and only a few shingles are missing or torn. Your roofer can just patch the damaged spot so it's ready to stand up to bad weather and other assaults again.

Sometimes it really is better to have a roof patched than to have it replaced. Talk to your residential roofing contractor if you're unsure which approach to take.