Hurricane season is in full force in many parts of the country. This has many turning their attention to the stability of their roofs. If you need repairs to your existing roof, you may be tempted to save a few dollars by roofing over existing shingles.
Following are some pros and cons of doing so.
Pro: When you roof over existing shingles, it adds extra weight to the existing roof. If your current roof is very well supported (and this cant’ be stressed enough), then it may be okay to take this route.
But, keep the following in mind . . .
Con: Will your home warranty/insurance cover you? In many cases, your home warranty won’t cover any roof damage if you roof over existing shingles. This is because the added weight of roofing over shingles can cause roof sagging, deterioration and/or damage much quicker than it would had it not had the extra weight.
So, be sure to check this before moving ahead. Insurance and home warranty claims can be sticky. In case of damage, you want to be covered.
Con: Building Codes. Every municipality has building codes that structures must adhere to. A professional roofing contractor will be able to tell you if your local building codes allow you to roof over existing shingles.
Con: Decreased Home Value. Because of the cons listed above, the value of your home can be decreased if you roof over existing shingles.
This is because, when a prospective buyer is told by their home inspector of the drawbacks of buying a home that has a roof like this, it scares many of them off – even if the job was done to code and is perfectly above board.
For all of these reasons, most roofing specialists advise that you not roof over existing shingles.
