I’ve been wrestling with this exact decision for a couple months now. Our house is in the Midwest, so we get a decent mix of snow and rain, but nothing too extreme. The roof’s about 18 years old—standard asphalt shingles—and there are a few spots where I’m seeing curling and some minor leaks around the chimney. I did a ton of research (maybe too much) on whether to just add another layer or do a full tear-off.
On paper, adding a second layer looks like a no-brainer cost-wise. But every contractor I talked to kept warning me about the hidden stuff you can’t see—like soft decking or trapped moisture. Your story about the ice damming and water damage is exactly what I’m worried about. I read that two layers can actually make it harder for heat to escape, which increases the risk of ice dams in colder climates. Plus, if there’s already any rot or mold under the first layer, you’d never know until it’s way worse.
The other thing that made me hesitate was warranty coverage. Some shingle manufacturers won’t honor their warranty if you install over an existing roof, or at least they shorten it. That alone made me pause.
But then again, tearing off the whole thing is a lot more expensive up front—not just labor but disposal fees too. One contractor mentioned that if your roof structure isn’t built for extra weight (especially with older homes), two layers might not even be up to code in some places.
I’m leaning toward the full tear-off even though it stings financially. At least then I’ll know exactly what’s going on underneath, and hopefully avoid surprises like rotted plywood or hidden leaks later on. It just seems like one of those situations where saving money now could end up costing more down the road... especially with how unpredictable weather can be lately.
Curious if anyone’s had luck with synthetic underlayment? I’ve heard it lasts longer than felt but haven’t seen much real-world feedback yet.
It just seems like one of those situations where saving money now could end up costing more down the road...
Man, that’s exactly what I keep telling myself, but my wallet doesn’t want to listen. I’m in a similar boat—18-year-old shingles, Midwest winters, and a couple of mystery stains on the ceiling that make me nervous. I almost went for the second layer too, but when I found out about the warranty thing and possible hidden rot, it felt like gambling with the house instead of just poker night. Haven’t tried synthetic underlayment yet, but my neighbor swears by it—says it’s lighter and doesn’t wrinkle up like felt did on his last roof. If only there was a “cheap but perfect” button for home repairs…
I hear you on the wallet vs. common sense battle. I tried to cheap out with a second layer years ago—regretted it when I found rotten decking underneath later. Midwest winters are brutal, and those stains are probably telling you something. Synthetic underlayment’s been solid for me, though. Not perfect, but better than felt in the cold.
Those stains are definitely a red flag, especially after a Midwest winter. I’ve seen too many jobs where a second layer just hid bigger problems—rot, mold, you name it. Synthetic underlayment’s a good call, though. It handles freeze-thaw cycles way better than felt in my experience. Sometimes the upfront cost of a tear-off pays for itself in peace of mind... and fewer headaches down the line.
I keep going back and forth on this. My place is about 25 years old, and the inspector flagged some weird stains in the attic after our first winter here. Part of me wants to just slap a new layer on and call it a day, but I keep hearing stories about hidden rot or mold under old shingles. Is it ever actually worth saving the money by skipping the tear-off, or does that just end up biting you later? I’m also curious if anyone’s had issues with warranties when they didn’t do a full removal.