I get where you’re coming from, but I’m not totally convinced a full tear-off is always the way to go. I did an overlay on my shed about six years back—decking was solid, no leaks, and it’s held up fine through some pretty rough winters (I’m in upstate NY, so we get our share of freeze/thaw too). Maybe I just got lucky, but I think if you really check for soft spots and make sure there’s no moisture trapped, an overlay can buy you a good chunk of time without breaking the bank.
That said, I wouldn’t risk it if there’s even a hint of rot or sagging. But for folks with a tight budget and a roof that’s just showing age, not damage, is it really always worth the extra cost and hassle to rip everything off? I guess it depends how long you plan to stay in the house, too. Curious if anyone’s had overlays last 10+ years without issues... or is that just wishful thinking?
But for folks with a tight budget and a roof that’s just showing age, not damage, is it really always worth the extra cost and hassle to rip everything off?
I get where you’re coming from—money’s tight for a lot of folks. But I’ve seen overlays come back to bite people, especially with older asphalt roofs. My neighbor did an overlay on his ranch, looked fine for about 8 years, then started getting weird leaks around the chimney. Turned out moisture had gotten trapped between layers and the decking was toast. Full tear-off isn’t cheap, but sometimes it’s the only way to spot hidden issues before they get worse. If you’re planning to stay put long-term, I’d lean toward doing it right once, even if it stings up front.