Photo by Don Simkovich
Your home is a major financial commitment so when it comes to spending money on it, you want to make sure that all the costs are important, like your roof, and it’s money spent well.
So it’s no surprise that the number one question that Thomas Garvey gets asked about roofs is repeated over and over. He’s a contractor who’s local to greater Monrovia including Arcadia as well as all cities in the San Gabriel Valley like Temple City and Alhambra.
Read through that and other questions if you’re concerned about your roof’s condition.
The Big Roofing Question Homeowners Ask
Do I need a new roof, or can I get my roof repaired?
Installing or repairing a roof is your money and you want to make sure that it’s spent well.
The best way to start the answer is to:
- Look at the condition of your roof
- Know the age of your roof
- See if there are leaky spots in the attic
- See if there are interior leaks in the house
- Know the condition of the underlayment
Follow this rule of thumb:
The older your roof and the worse condition that your shingles are in, then the more likely you need a new roof.
Know the condition of your shingles by seeing if there are places where there are fewer granules and then look in your gutters to see if granules have collected there.
The more granules you’re missing, then the more the shingles are degrading. And the sun in cities throughout the San Gabriel Valley will beat down, degrade shingles, and allow the rain to get in to seams and the underlayment.
If you have a tile roof, then look at the condition of the tiles—and the underlayment. It’s the underlayment that protects the house from leaks.
An older underlayment that crumbles at the touch of the finger is old and needs replacing. It’s only a matter of time that leaks begin occurring.
Roof repairs that can stop leaks
Even if you have an older roof then it’s possible there are places to make repairs and stop or slow down leaks. You may have seams where one part of the roof meets another part. It’s possible that shingles can be repaired.
Check the flashing around vents and other protrusions like skylights and chimneys.
Replacing drip edge can correct pooling and leaking on a low slope portion of a roof.
Your budget and plans
Here’s another guideline:
The longer that you plan to live in your home—and the older your roof—then it’s a better move financially to install a new roof sooner than later.
One reason is that plenty of roofing materials for low slope roofs, the underlayment, and asphalt shingles or tile are designed to last up to 50 years or longer.
So if you’ve lived in your home for several years and your existing roof is already 20 years old then pay to have a new roof installed now before labor and materials costs increase. Plus, you’ll have the peace of mind knowing that your roof will last for about the next 50 years.
Benefits of a new roof
An older roof isn’t using today’s advanced materials and that means your home isn’t as energy efficient as it could be.
Garvey Roofing can install a decking, underlayment and either shingle or tile combination to reflect a maximum amount of the sun’s harmful rays.
This will reduce attic temperatures significantly and let your air conditioning and heating operate efficiently and reduce your utility costs.
About Garvey Roofing
Thomas Garvey got his start in roofing as a teenager and has run Garvey Roofing for over 30 years—serving cities in and around the San Gabriel Valley from La Canada-Flintridge to Bradbury and Azusa.
And from Pasadena to Rowland Heights—and all cities in between.
Garvey Roofing holds four roofing licenses and installs roofs for all seasons.
Contact them to share your needs.
Estimates are free while labor and materials are guaranteed—a unique claim in the roofing industry.
Also read
How to Know if a Commercial Roof Needs Repairing or Replacing
