Can you Roof Over Existing Shingles? To put it quite simply, the answer is yes and no, for several reasons. A “re-roof” as it is sometimes called is performed by homeowners to save money. There are several people who are for it but there are also those who frown against the practice, particularly roofing contractors. They take the job they do seriously and perform it to the best of their ability. A lot of them believe that roofing over existing shingles is entirely unprofessional and a lazy way of doing things.
It is also true that one layer of shingles puts around 300 to 400 pounds of pressure on the roof of a house. Some people think that adding a layer on top of that is unwise and will only cause further damage. You can, by all means, re-roof over existing shingles if you choose, but if there is damage like leaks or holes, it is likely the re-roof is not going to do any good. You may just find yourself repairing the same problem again very shortly after the repair. Be warned also that performing such a procedure may void any warranties that came with the house when you moved in.
There are people who are all for performing the procedure and don’t see anything wrong with placing new shingles over already existing ones. They claim there are many benefits to the procedure such as the obvious fact that they are saving tons of money by doing it themselves. They also by adding this layer of shingles on top of the previous layer, they are actually adding to the foundation of the roof and making it stronger. They are changing the outward appearance of the old and dingy shingles by replacing them with new and fresh ones. They are performing the job quickly and saving themselves valuable time, effort, and cash.
Still though this performance is mainly for people who do not air on the side of caution. The things that can go wrong during a project like this is in the middle of the project, the weather could all of a sudden change and what was once a sunny, bright day prime for completing a risky construction project is now a rainy day. This is a huge problem if the shingles are already pulled away, the rain is now destroying things like the insulation. What was once a small job is now a huge job and there are now things that are going to need to be fixed by a licensed professional anyway. It is easier to just hire a professional in the first place and get the roof fixed the right way instead of taking the easy way out and putting new shingles on top of old shingles. At least at the end of the day, you won’t have to worry about the problem anymore. The job could be complete and you can sleep soundly at night not worrying about a repeat roofing project or about your roof caving in from having too much pressure on top.