Under about 15 years
Repair it
Fix the spot and keep the rest of the roof when:
- The damage is isolated, not spread across the roof
- The deck under it is sound, with no soft spots
- The roof is under about 15 years old
Repair or replace
Repair or Replace a Roof: The Signs That Decide It
The roof's age, how much of it is damaged and whether the deck under it is still sound decide whether a repair will hold or the roof is done. These are the signs we read when we walk a roof, so you know which one yours needs before you spend on it.
Monday to Saturday, from first thing in the morning until six in the evening. Calls outside those hours go to voicemail and we return them the next working morning.
Patch It or Replace It?
One call sets a time to look at your roof, the deck and the attic, and tell you plainly which one it needs.
(208) 858-8078 Call for a Free Estimate- Licensed and insured
- No surprise charges
The verdict
Repair or Replace: The Short Answer
Isolated damage on a roof under about 15 years old with a sound deck can usually be repaired, while a roof over about 20 years old with several failure points, or with repairs that did not hold, may need replacing.
Not sure which?
Between the two
Have it looked at
When the age falls in between, or nobody can see where the damage ends, three things on the roof settle it:
- How far the damage has spread
- Whether the "decking" is soft or sagging
- Whether the earlier repairs held
Free and no-obligation, whichever way it goes.
Over about 20 years
Replace it
A new roof is the better spend when you see:
- The roof is over about 20 years old
- Several failure points at once
- Repairs that did not hold
How Much of the Roof Is Damaged
Damage across less than about 20 percent of the roof surface can usually be handled with targeted repairs, not a new roof.
We measure damage the way roofs are priced, by the "square", so the share of your roof that is damaged is something we can show you rather than a guess.
20%of the roof surface is the line
Under it: targeted repairs
Past it: weigh the age and the deck
- One square
- 100 square feet of roof surface
- A typical home
- About 20 squares of roofing
When Repairs Cost Too Much
When a repair would cost more than half of a replacement, or repairs keep coming back on an aging deck, replacement should get a serious look.
Here is how the two sides of that line compare:
| What to weigh | Repair still fits | Replacement deserves a look |
|---|---|---|
| Repair cost | Under half of a new roof | Over half of a new roof |
| Past repairs | None yet, or they held | They keep coming back |
| The deck | Sound | Aging |
| Five years out | One fix that held | Repeat repairs that usually cost more than a new roof would have |
The underlayment, ice barriers, flashing and ventilation a new roof gets are each set out in the International Residential Code roof assemblies chapter.
roof replacementWarning signs
Signs a Roof Is Near the End
A sagging deck, daylight through the roof boards, heavy granule loss and leaks that keep coming back are the signs a roof is near the end of its life.
Here is what each one looks like and what it points to:
- SaggingA dip in the roof line or between the rafters points to moisture damage in the deck, a failed rafter or trusses overloaded by snow.
- Daylight through the boardsLight showing through the deck from the attic means the roof has openings that water can find too.
- Heavy granule lossGrit in the gutters and bald shingles are "granule loss": the mineral surface that shields the shingles from the sun is wearing away.
- Repeated leaksA leak that comes back after a repair, or new ones in other places, points past one spot to the roof as a whole.
Any of these, or a leak, ice buildup (an "ice dam") or damaged shingles, calls for an inspection right away.
Call for a Free EstimateTiming
Other Things That Bear on the Decision
Plans for solar panels and plans to sell the house both change when a replacement makes sense.
Selling soon puts the roof in front of buyers, and homeowners can recoup up to 80 percent of a new roof's cost when they sell. Staying for the long haul puts the weight back on the age, the damage and the deck, and on the material: metal costs more up front but outlasts asphalt by decades, which favors it for owners who are staying.
Solar Panels on an Old Roof
Putting solar panels on a roof that is close to replacement is an expensive mistake. When that roof is replaced, the panels have to come off and go back on, which adds thousands of dollars to the job and can void some panel warranties.
If panels are in your plans, have the roof looked at before they go up.
From a neighbor
What a neighbor said, and what we hold to
Whichever way your roof goes, here is one homeowner's own words and the promises we keep on every job:
- Free, no-obligation estimates.
- We answer the phone or call back the same working day.
- We quote the whole job before we start, with no surprise charges after.
Michael did a great job for us. Met him randomly because he bought something from me on FB Marketplace, and then we got talking. Soon enough we were walking around on my roof and he gave me a very competitive quote. He was super professional and the roof is done right. I feel lucky to have found him!
Patch or new roof
Not sure which one your roof needs?
Call and we will look at the roof, the deck and the attic, tell you whether a repair will hold, and quote the whole job before we start.
Monday to Saturday, from first thing in the morning until six in the evening. Calls outside those hours go to voicemail and we return them the next working morning.