Every long-term homeowner must make this decision at some point. When the roof starts looking shabby or there are some other issues, like leaks in the roof or just moss or mold growing on the roof, or broke gutters: Do you paint or replace the roof?

Even if you’re the person that does things around the house yourself and even if you’re a hardened DIY person, where roofing is concerned, you’re probably better off leaving things to the professionals.

Roof Painting

Unless there is underlying damage to the roof, painting, if done well, is an excellent option to extend the life of your roof and to deal with any issues that may exist. Provided that any areas of potential leaks, rust prevention, repairs and thorough cleaning are dealt with professionally, roof painting will extend the life, possibly sufficiently to last your stay in the property. Often there is as much effort and know-how required in the pre-painting preparation process as there is in the application of the paint. This can be a time-consuming and expensive process that should not be taken lightly.

Who should quote on the roof painting

It’s best to get a quote from a provider that has expertise in both painting and re-roofing. If the roof is damaged beyond the repair and repaint stage, then a repaint may look great for a few months or even years, but it will do little to protect the roof and home in the long term. We come across roofs that should have been replaced, where the owner was convinced that a repaint would be sufficient. You want to be sure that the cost of repainting is worthwhile, rather than a temporary stopgap.

Guarantees on the roofing paint

Every roof painter should give a guarantee on both the workmanship as well as the roofing paint that is being used. While longevity of the roof paint may depend on the condition of the roof, a guarantee should nevertheless be offered.

Benefits of painting your roof

• Extends the life of the roof and save money on repairs.
• Street appeal and possibly a higher sale price or faster sale of the property. The quality of the roof is definitely an area that potential purchasers will look at.
• Prevents damaging growth of lichen, algae and moss.
• The right roof paint can aid in reflecting heat and keep the house cooler.
• Keeps the underlying roof structure in good condition by preventing leaks into the roof space.

When should you consider replacing your roof?

When the roof is in a condition where repairs and maintenance are no longer cost effective, the roof needs to be replaced. How do you decide that? Our recommendation is to get a trusted professional inspect your roof and to advise. A good roofing company will point our areas of concern along with options and cost of remedy. Based on the repair cost of the entire roof and the estimated life of the repairs vs. the cost of roof replacement, you can make a considered decision on roof painting vs. roof replacement.

The benefits of replacing the roof

• • Depending on the roof structure you can choose the roof type. e.g.  it may be possible to replace decramastic roof tile with a long-run iron roof.
  • The roof will last a long time
  • Deal with all issues at once, e.g. rust, leaks, flaking paint, cleaning, colour.
  • A roof replacement will improve the value of your home, potentially to a significant amount.
  • You can install more energy efficiency e.g. insulation or roof type.

There are some points that need to be considered. In the short term, re-roofing is more costly than painting your roof however, in the long term it may actually be significantly cheaper. There are factors that influence your decision, like how long you plan to own the property, the impact on the occupants.

Which roofing company should you work with?

To decide, It’s worthwhile to get a number of quotes, and definitely get some references. Reputable roofing companies will share those willingly and you can get an idea of the company’s professionalism, not only on the final result, but also on other important factors like punctuality, cleanliness, communication and flexibility to accommodate your needs. All of these are important.

Remember that the roof is one of the most important parts of your home and you want to work with a team that has your best interests at heart. Any improper repairs or incompetence can leave you with costly remediation bills. Consider other factors like professionalism when it comes to safety of the staff working on the roof.

So should you repaint your roof or replace your roof?

The answer is best given by a professional company and someone who spends time to thoroughly inspect your roof and takes the time to give you detailed feed back and sensible options. Whether you decide to paint or to replace your roof, get more than one opinion, some quotes and get references. Ask about the products that your roofing company uses and ensure that the quality of the products is a good as the quality of the company doing the work.

Your roof is the protection for your home, and it’s important that you keep up with how well it’s aging. Over time, your roof will deteriorate and require more maintenance than in the past. By understanding what you can do to prolong the life of your roof, you’ll be able to keep it in good shape for even longer.

One of the most important things you can do to prevenmt issues with your roof is to have it professionally inspected. This will allow you to get an idea of exactly what type of condition your roof is in and where there may be any problems that need attention.

Steps you can take to prolong the life of your roof

• Keep your roof clean and free of any vegetation. If there are trees overhanging your roof or even close to the roof then consider trimming those back. Leaf litter in gutters will quickly lead to rust in the gutters or worse, blocked gutters that can lead to water damage to the roof cavity and walls.
• Regularly check your gutters to make sure that they are free of debris.
• Ensure that you avoid standing water on the roof or in the gutters as this can cause leaks or even rot in older roofs.
• Get a moss and mould treatment done every few years or as soon as you see the first signs of moss, mould or lichen on your roof.
• In metal roofs, look for bent metal tiles (decramastic roof tiles) where water can pool. Make sure that those areas are replaced.
• Seals around chimneys and posts need to be checked and renewed regularly. Any water penetration around items penetrating through the roof will quickly damage the underlying roof structure.
• Discolouration of part of the ceiling may indicate that there is a leak in the roof.
• Check for cracked tiles or cracked pointing in concrete tile roofs or tears and areas of perforation in membrane roofs

Prevent having to re-roof

If your roof is still in reasonable condition, then it may be able to be painted. That is considerably cheaper than replacing the roof and will significantly prolong the life of the roof. Be sure that the roof painter does not just paint over any existing issues but takes care to inspect and remedy any areas prior to painting. Working with a reputable company like HomeSmart Roofing can save you much frustration.

Over time, mould, mildew, lichen, and dirt will collect on your roof and that will lead to slow damage occurring. Frequently, that damage is hidden by the growth that causes it in the first place. The first step in maintaining your roof is to ensure that it is regularly cleaned, especially if you see signs of growth on it.
Gutters collect leaf-litter and other debris. That can block the flow of water and is a breeding ground for rodents and insects. Not keeping the gutters clean can quickly result in unexpected costs.

Does cleaning your roof prevent roof painting or roof replacement

In many cases, what’s underneath all that “gunk” is still in good conditions and your roof may actually be OK. At some stage every roof will need more attention than just a good clean, but regular cleaning will extend the life of the roof.
Most roof cleaning companies will do a roof inspection as part of the cleaning process. The results of that will determine whether areas of your roof that need attention can be repaired or whether the roof has to be replaced.

Roof Reflectivity

One often forgotten benefit of keeping your roof clean is to maintain its reflectivity, i.e. the amount of sunlight it reflects. This is probably more relevant to light coloured roofs like membrane roofs, but some of this applies to all reflective roofs even if they are dark in colour. Generally, with dirt and dust settling on the roof, it’s surface absorbs more sunlight and therefore becomes hotter. That hotter surface will break down the paint surface faster than a cooler surface. On membrane this may require expensive re-roofing. Keeping your roof reflective will keep your home cooler in summer.

Cleaning Gutters

An integral part of the roof are the gutters and down-pipes. It is obvious that these should be kept clean and clear of blockages. Blocked gutters, spouting and downpipescan cause water to flow into the ceiling space causing serious damage to the roof structure, and can even cause damage to foundations, floorboards and walls if water seeps to areas that would usually are protected by the roof overhang and gutters that are designed to keep water away from these areas.

How we clean Roofs and Gutters

We do not use the same cleaning and treatment process for each roof and will discuss the details with our clients beforehand. Generally it will involve all or some of these steps:

• A soft clean to get rid of initial grime
• A thorough inspection to check for areas that require repair
• A pressure wash if appropriate
• Depending on arrangement, a treatment that prevents the growth of moss, mould and lichen.
• An inspection and clean of gutters and downpipes.

Every cleaning treatment should include a thorough inspection and advice on what is required to prolong the life of your roof.
Our advice is to get your roof and gutters cleaned frequently, even every year. That will prolong the life of your roof and is likely to save money in the long run.

Give us a call for a quote and for advice.