The double-layer thing always cracks me up—like, yeah, let’s just slap another coat on and hope for the best. My place had two layers when I bought it. First winter, I found a leak and tracing it was basically a game of “find the mystery puddle.” Insurance adjuster gave me the runaround too, saying it was “pre-existing.” Anyone else ever try negotiating a cash-out for a tear-off instead of letting them patch? Wondering if that’s even an option, or if I just got lucky with a lazy adjuster…
Cash-out for a full tear-off isn’t unheard of, but it really depends on the adjuster and your policy. I’ve seen adjusters push for patch jobs to save money, even when it’s not the best fix. Double layers just hide problems—one good storm and you’re back to leaks. You probably did get lucky, but honestly, a proper tear-off is the only way to really know what’s going on underneath.
I get where you’re coming from—patch jobs can be tempting if you’re trying to save a buck, but I’ve seen way too many situations where that just leads to headaches down the road. You ever pull up a second layer and find rotten decking underneath? Not pretty. Even if the shingles look okay from above, moisture can get trapped between layers and start all kinds of problems you won’t notice until it’s too late.
Curious—did your policy specifically say they’d cover a full tear-off, or did you have to push for it? I’ve had homeowners tell me their adjuster was dead-set on patching until they insisted on an inspection. Sometimes it really depends on how much you advocate for yourself... not always fair, but that’s insurance for you.
I do think the fish scale thing is kind of cool though—when installed right, those layers shed water like crazy. But only if there aren’t hidden issues underneath. Out here in the Midwest, one rough hailstorm and those double-layer roofs are toast anyway. Ever dealt with decking repairs after a bad storm?
You nailed it about patch jobs—sometimes they just mask the real problems. I learned that the hard way a few years back. Thought I was saving money, but when we finally did a full tear-off, half the decking was spongy and moldy. Insurance tried to push a patch too, but I kept pushing for a full inspection and it paid off. Midwest storms don’t mess around, either... one bad hailstorm and you really see what’s hiding under those layers. The fish scale look is neat, but only if everything underneath is solid.
Had a similar situation with our old roof—kept patching spots after storms, thinking it’d stretch things out a few more years. Ended up wasting money since water was already getting under the shingles and rotting the plywood. Didn’t realize how bad it was until we finally bit the bullet and did a full tear-off. The fish scale thing does look cool, but you’re right, if the base isn’t solid, it’s just hiding trouble.
Insurance also tried to steer us toward a quick fix, but after I pushed for a real inspection, they found way more damage than expected. Midwest weather is rough on roofs—hail and wind just find every weak spot. If I could do it over, I’d skip the patch jobs and just save up for a proper replacement sooner. Lesson learned, I guess.