Homeowners who need to reshingle their roofs may have a decision to make on whether or not to roof over the existing shingles or to tear off the existing shingles and start fresh. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but many professional contractors are divided on whether or not reroofing over an existing roof should be done. Homeowners who are considering a roof replacement should discuss options with their trusted Charleston roofing contractor.
A roofing overlay is where a new set of shingles are installed directly over the old set of shingles. There are certain conditions that must be met before a homeowner can choose to have new shingles installed over older ones. First, the sheathing and structural material must be in good condition. Second, the old shingles should be lying flat. If either of these two conditions are not met, the new shingles will degrade much faster than they should.
The major advantage of a roofing overlay is the cost. Because the homeowner is only paying to have the shingles installed, they are saving on the cost of having the old shingles removed and for construction debris cost.