Need Advice On Replacing An Old Leaky Roof
That’s spot on—patching only delayed things for us, and when we finally pulled the old shingles, the decking was worse than we thought. It’s tough to justify the upfront cost, but catching it early saved us from even pricier repairs down the line.
“patching only delayed things for us, and when we finally pulled the old shingles, the decking was worse than we thought.”
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve had a different experience. My last place had a leaky spot over the porch, and patching actually held up for a few years. Maybe I got lucky, or maybe it depends on how bad the leak is and how old the roof’s gotten. Full replacement is ideal, sure, but sometimes the budget just isn’t there. I guess it’s a bit of a gamble either way.
“patching actually held up for a few years. Maybe I got lucky, or maybe it depends on how bad the leak is and how old the roof’s gotten.”
That’s fair—sometimes patching buys you time, especially if the leak’s minor and you’re not dealing with ancient shingles. But if you’re seeing multiple leaks or sagging, I’d lean toward replacement. Did you ever check what was going on underneath when you finally replaced yours? Sometimes it’s what you can’t see that gets expensive fast.
Honestly, when we finally tore off the old shingles on one of my projects, the decking underneath looked like Swiss cheese—way worse than we thought. Patching hid the problem for a while, but the rot was sneaky. Sometimes you just can’t tell until you open it up.
Patching hid the problem for a while, but the rot was sneaky. Sometimes you just can’t tell until you open it up.
That’s exactly what worries me with older roofs—patch jobs can mask a lot more than they fix. When you opened everything up, did you find the rot concentrated in one area, or was it more widespread? I’m curious if the original leaks were just in a small spot, or if water was traveling under the shingles and causing damage in places you wouldn’t expect.
Also, did you end up replacing the decking entirely, or were you able to salvage some of it? I’ve seen cases where only a few sheets needed swapping, but in others, it was basically a full tear-off down to the rafters. Makes me wonder if there are any reliable signs (short of demolition) that hint at hidden rot, or if it’s just a gamble every time.
