Had a bit of an eye-opener this weekend. My neighbor was having his roof redone, and turns out he had two layers of shingles already up there. The roofer guy mentioned something interesting—basically, every extra layer adds quite a bit of weight, and houses aren't always built to handle that long-term. Got me thinking about my own place, since the previous owner mentioned they'd just slapped a new layer over the old one a few years back (you know, to save money).
Anyway, figured I'd share a tip I picked up: if you're planning on re-roofing, it's usually better in the long run to strip off the old shingles first—even though it's pricier at first. It can prevent structural problems down the road. Learned something new every day, I guess.
Curious if anyone else has dealt with this or has other tips about roofing maintenance or DIY fixes...
Yeah, layering shingles can definitely be tempting when you're trying to save a few bucks—been there myself. A couple years back, after a nasty storm, we found out the previous owners had done exactly that. Roof guy said we were lucky the damage wasn't worse because the extra weight can really stress the structure over time. Ended up biting the bullet and stripping everything down to start fresh. Not gonna lie, it hurt the wallet a bit, but I sleep better knowing my roof isn't secretly plotting revenge on me.
One thing I've wondered though: does the type of shingle you use make a big difference with weight? Like, are architectural shingles heavier than the standard 3-tab ones? Might be worth thinking about if you're already concerned about roof load...
Yeah, architectural shingles are usually a bit heavier than the standard 3-tab ones—nothing crazy, but enough to notice if you're already worried about roof load. But honestly, the weight difference isn't usually the main issue. Most roofs built in the last few decades can handle either type just fine. The real kicker is when folks start layering multiple times without checking what's underneath.
Had a customer once who insisted on layering a third set of shingles (yep, THIRD). Told him it was a bad idea, but he was convinced it'd save money. Fast forward two years, and he's calling me back because his roof started sagging like a hammock. Ended up costing way more to fix the structural damage than it would've to strip it down in the first place.
So yeah, layering shingles can work in some cases, but it's a gamble. Personally, I'd rather not roll those dice... roofs have enough ways to ruin your day as it is.
