There are so many good reasons why metal roofing is a preferred roofing option for several homeowners across Australia. Metal roofing is strong, durable, energy-efficient and lightweight, just to mention a few essential benefits it can offer. Because of its lightweight design, metal roofing can be expediently installed over an existing shingle roof. This means metal roofing contractors have two options when it comes to re-roofing homes with shingle roofs. These options are either to tear off the existing roof and install the new one or install the new roof over the existing one.
Below are some reasons to consider installing a metal roof over an existing shingle roof:
- It eliminates the need to tear off the old roof. Removing an existing shingle roof is no easy task. It requires someone that can safely work at height and perform the job without causing unnecessary damage to the roof structure. Usually, you will have to pay your roofer extra for tearing off your existing roof prior to installation of the new one. As a result, your roof renewal will cost more in terms of labour hours than if the new roof were to be installed over the old one. Aside from avoiding roof removal costs, installing a metal roof over an existing shingle roof also eliminates the need to dump old shingles at the landfill. This helps reduce rubbish removal costs but also conserve the environment by minimising the amount of construction waste generated.
- It increases the thermal performance of the entire roof assembly. As long as homeowners choose the right colour for their metal roofs, they can enjoy significant energy savings. The energy efficiency of homes can further be enhanced by leaving old shingled in place when installing metal roofs. What happens is that the old shingles will provide further thermal resistance to the heat that may travel through the metal. Without the old shingles, some of the heat that moves through the metal will pass directly into the attic, thus adding to your air conditioning bills.
- It ensures there's a layer of protection from the elements while the re-roofing is ongoing. Aside from allowing you to spend a discretionary amount of money on your roof renewal and leading to household energy savings, installing a metal roof over an old shingle roof is also critical to help prevent likely issues, e.g. heavy rain, which may occur when old roofs have already been removed.
As long as an existing shingled roof hasn't been overly battered and there are no underlying roofing problems to be dealt with, it makes good sense to re-roof over the existing roof. Ultimately, you have the final say in that matter. Your metal roofing contractor will have no problem tearing off your old roof if you don't want them to install the new roof over it.
You don't realise how important your roof is until it fails. Last winter, I noticed that water was leaking through my roof and dripping into my home. I was in a bit of a panic while I searched for a bucket so I could stop the water from flooding my home. I called an emergency roofing service and they were great. The company sent a contractor out straight away and he soon climbed my roof and inspected the damage. After a short while, he climbed back down and explained that the roof needed to be rennovated. Since the work was completed, I haven't had any problems with my roof.