- Not sure I totally buy the idea that “patching only buys time” in every case.
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— Same here. My place is only 13 years old, but I’ve patched twice now (asphalt shingles). Both times it was just a handful of shingles, no major leaks, and the wood underneath was fine.“I’ve seen some neighbors get another 5-10 years with regular repairs, especially if the decking’s still solid.”
- The wind here is no joke either. Lost a few tabs last spring, but the patch held up through two storms since.
- Full replacement is crazy expensive right now. If you’re not seeing sagging or mold, and the repairs are holding, I don’t see why you’d rush it.
- Only thing I worry about is missing a sneaky leak and getting rot. I check the attic after big rain just in case.
- Maybe if you’re in hurricane alley or have old wood shake, it’s different? But for standard shingles, patching seems to stretch things out pretty well.
- Guess it comes down to risk tolerance and how much you want to gamble with the weather...
I’m with you—patching’s kept my roof going longer than I thought it would. Mine’s 17 years old, asphalt shingles, and I’ve replaced maybe a dozen tabs over the past few years. No leaks yet, wood’s still solid. I get nervous after big storms too, especially since my neighbor had a slow leak that went unnoticed for months and ended up with a moldy mess in his attic. Do you guys use anything special to spot hidden leaks, or just stick to visual checks? Sometimes I wonder if I’m missing something sneaky...
I’ve wondered the same thing, honestly. I usually just do a visual check after storms—look for missing shingles, check the attic for any wet spots or stains. But I’ve heard some folks use moisture meters or even infrared cameras to catch leaks you can’t see. Not sure if that’s overkill for an old asphalt roof, though. Anyone actually tried those tools and found something they’d have missed otherwise? Sometimes I feel like I’m just crossing my fingers after every big storm...
I totally get the “crossing my fingers” thing. After the last big storm, I climbed up there (probably looked like a nervous squirrel) and just stared at the shingles, hoping nothing obvious was missing. Never used a moisture meter or anything fancy—honestly, I’d probably just end up poking holes in my own ceiling by accident. My neighbor swears by his infrared camera, but he’s also the guy who mows his lawn in straight lines with a laser level, so… not sure if that’s necessary for my 90s-era asphalt roof. For now, I just keep a bucket handy in the attic, just in case.
I’m with you on the “bucket in the attic” approach. After last year’s windstorm, I just checked for missing shingles and hoped for the best. My buddy’s got all the gadgets too, but honestly, sometimes I think simple works fine... at least until it doesn’t.
