On this episode In the House, Jim talks to a show listener with an aging roof. Is it better to roof over - lay new shingles over the existing ones - or tear it all off and replace the entire roof?
Keith: ...I would like to know if just recovering my roof is more cost effective in the long run, or if it's best just to go ahead and strip off the old shingles at this point. They're 23 years old, and there's some wear. Some of the granules are missing in places, but the roof is overall sound.
Jim: Right, so no leaks that you can spot or anything like that?
Keith: Right. All leaks that occurred over the years were addressed. There were some flashing issues, but overall, integrity is sound. I guess I'm looking at it from a cost perspective.
Jim: It is legal; you are allowed to shingle over a roof in the state of Florida. In my opinion, it's one of those things that falls under "everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial". It is permissible; there are codes that allow it, but I personally just don't think it's worth it - especially at the age of your roof. I know you said it's good and sound, but if there's any wood rot around any of the pipe jacks or any of the protrusions, that problem's still going to be there when your cover it up...
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