Couldn’t agree more about caulk and roof cement—they’re just band-aids. If you want a long-term fix, here’s what I’d do: first, strip back to the sheathing and check for rot or water damage. Replace anything sketchy. Next, install quality ice & water shield in all valleys and around penetrations. Go with metal flashing that’s pre-bent if you don’t want to wrestle with coil stock—saves your hands and time. Top it off with architectural shingles or standing seam metal if budget allows. It’s not cheap, but you won’t be up there patching every year.
Top it off with architectural shingles or standing seam metal if budget allows.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve seen a few jobs where stripping everything back actually caused more headaches than it solved. Sometimes, especially on older homes, disturbing the original sheathing opens up a can of worms—think hidden framing issues or even lead paint dust. I’ve had luck overlaying new underlayment and shingles right over the old deck (after checking for soft spots, of course). Not always the textbook answer, but it’s saved a few budgets and timelines for me. Just depends how much risk you’re willing to take on.
Need Advice On Replacing An Old Leaky Roof
That’s a fair point about not always stripping everything back. I’ve heard stories where folks ended up with way more demo and repair than they bargained for, especially on houses from the 50s or earlier. But I keep wondering—if you just overlay new shingles, does it ever cause ventilation or moisture issues down the line? I’m trying to avoid any surprises a few years from now...
NEED ADVICE ON REPLACING AN OLD LEAKY ROOF
Had to make this call on my 1948 place a few years ago. I’ll be honest—stacking new shingles over old sounded tempting, but I ran into hidden rot and trapped moisture when I finally stripped it down. The old layers just held everything in. If you’re worried about ventilation or future headaches, it’s usually safer to pull everything off and check the decking. It’s more work up front, but my attic’s been dry ever since. Just my two cents...
NEED ADVICE ON REPLACING AN OLD LEAKY ROOF
You nailed it about stripping down to the decking. I’ve seen too many jobs where folks just shingle over the old stuff, only to find out later there’s soft spots or mold hiding underneath. It’s a pain, but getting down to bare wood lets you spot those issues early. Last year, I found a whole corner rotted out on a client’s 50s ranch—would’ve been a nightmare if we’d just covered it up. Definitely worth the extra effort upfront.
