- Full tear-off is the only way I’d trust it too. Had a patch-over job years ago—rot spread under the old layer, ended up costing way more.
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Can confirm. I’m in Vermont and my neighbor’s roof sagged after a double layer winter.“More weight = more stress on your rafters, especially if you get heavy snow like we do up north.”
- Metal’s pricey up front but I’ve seen it outlast three shingle roofs on my street. Quieter than folks think, too, unless you’ve got a steep pitch.
- If you stick with shingles, check the warranty. Some “30-year” shingles barely made it 15 for me, probably from all the ice dams.
- Cool-roof options help, but honestly, nothing beats good attic ventilation for keeping bills down.
“More weight = more stress on your rafters, especially if you get heavy snow like we do up north.”
Seen this play out more than once. Folks think a second layer saves money, but up here (I’m in upstate NY), that extra weight is no joke. Had a job last winter—customer had two layers of shingles, both pretty shot, and the rafters were visibly bowing. Ended up needing structural work before we could even touch the roof. Full tear-off’s a pain, but it’s the only way I’ll sign off on a job.
Shingles are fine if you’re on a budget, but the “30-year” label is optimistic, especially with ice dams and freeze/thaw cycles. I’ve replaced plenty at the 12-15 year mark. Some brands hold up better than others, but none are immune to our winters. Ventilation’s huge—poor airflow in the attic just cooks the shingles from underneath and makes ice dams worse. I’ve seen folks spend big on fancy shingles, but skip baffles or ridge vents, and they’re back to square one in a few years.
Metal’s not cheap up front, but I’ve seen it go 40+ years around here if it’s installed right. Quieter than people expect, unless you’ve got a low slope or an open attic. Only real downside is the initial sticker shock and maybe some tricky flashing details if you’ve got a lot of valleys or dormers.
If you stick with shingles, check the fine print on the warranty. Most of them are “prorated” after 10 years, so you’re not getting much back if they fail early. And don’t let anyone talk you into a “layover” just to save a few bucks—almost always costs more in the long run.
“Full tear-off’s a pain, but it’s the only way I’ll sign off on a job.”
I’ve inspected a bunch of houses where folks tried to save with a layover, and it always bites them later. Up here in Vermont, I see sagging rafters and hidden rot all the time. Metal’s pricey, yeah, but if you’re planning to stay put, it’s worth thinking about. Just don’t cheap out on attic ventilation—seen too many “premium” roofs fail early because of that.
