Tearing Off vs. Overlaying Shingles 

Unfortunately, your home’s roof won’t last forever. If it’s nearing time to call a premier roofing company in Overland Park or Johnson County to come out and replace your roof, you may be wondering whether your should get your roof completely redone or be fine with just shingling over your current roof. But what is the difference between tearing vs. overlaying shingles? There are pros and cons to both options, which we, as one of the your roofing companies in KC, are going to discuss in this article. 

Tearing Off 

Pros: 

• Brand New Roof– The most beneficial part of tearing off your roof and replacing it is getting a brand new roof. New shingles, new sheathing, new flashing, new everything!  

• Inspection– A significant advantage, and the main reason roofing contractors in Overland Park suggest tearing off a roof instead of overlaying it, is that a complete inspection will be done. For example, your sheathing may be decaying, but you wouldn’t know if you just shingled over it. 
• Peace of Mind– There’s nothing better than the feeling of safety, and having a new roof should undoubtedly offer you a strong peace of mind in knowing your roof will protect your home for years to come.  
• Better Resale Value– Tearing off your roof will add to your home’s resale value tremendously! Roofing companies in Overland Park will tell you that it is a huge selling point to potential homebuyers. 

Cons: 

• More Expensive– When deciding to tear your roof instead of overlay it, you can expect it to be more expensive.  
• Labor time– Due to completely tearing off the current roof and replacing it with a new one, the labor time will be much longer than overlaying. 

Overlaying 

Pros: 

• Less Expensive– If you are looking for a cheap alternative to roof replacement by roofing companies in Overland Park, then overlaying is your best answer. Because of less labor time, overlaying will save you a significant amount of money. 
• Less Time– Not only does overlaying require less labor, but it also takes much less time to complete than tearing off the roof.   

Cons: 

• No Full Inspection– Because existing shingles aren’t removed in the process of overlaying, a full inspection won’t be completed. Overlaying is simply band-aiding over an old roof and not inspecting or treating the damage that may be underneath. 
• Shorter Lifespan– By not knowing of any possible damage occurring under the existing shingles, you are risking the possibility of needing repair by roofing contractors in Overland Park in a few years.   
• More Weight- Two layers of shingles on your roof will require a supportive roofing structure to handle the weight. Most of this weight feeds down into the roof’s valleys, which may or may not be able to handle it.  

The your roofing companies in Johnson County and Overland Park strongly suggest replacing your roof entirely rather than just overlaying it. Obviously, every roof is in different condition, and some may be just fine with overlaying existing shingles, but it is still a gamble. If you are looking for a quality roof and one you can depend on keeping you and your home safe, then tearing off your roof is recommended.