If you're looking for a way to reduce the cost of fixing the roof on your home, you may be considering having the roof re-roofed over the existing materials. Here, you'll learn a little about re-roofing. Hopefully, the information included below will help you come to the best decision for your home.

Has the roof been re-roofed in the past?

If this isn't the first time that the roofing has been covered with new materials, you shouldn't even be considering it again. When you pile on too many building materials on the roof, bad things can begin to happen. Not only can leaks occur, but the multiple layers of shingles will make it very hard for firefighters to break through the roof to ventilate any fires that should occur. Re-roofing should never be done more than once without removing all of the old materials.

Do you have weak spots in the roofing?

If there are weak spots in the roofing, there are water damaged areas that will need to be replaced. Anytime there is damage like this, the roofing should be completely redone. This is because when there is one bad spot, chances are pretty good that there are others just waiting to be found.

Instead of covering up the old shingles and hoping that stops the leaks, the shingles must be removed, the sub-roofing replaced and all of the joists inspected for damage. If you continue to pile on more shingles, the moisture will continue to rot the wood, and eventually, serious issues will arise that will be even more costly to repair than replacing the shingles on the roof before it happens.

Do you have dimensional shingles on your home?

If your home is roofed with dimensional shingles, re-roofing will not likely be an option for you. Dimensional shingles aren't flat, so they do not layer up very well. When you place one on top of the next, they need to lay completely flat, but with the raised areas of the dimensional shingles, this will not be possible. This will leave the shingles susceptible to wind damage and water seepage.

Talk with your roofing professional to learn more about re-roofing your home. He or she will be able to inform you of the best course of action to take. You may be able to get a re-roofing job done at less of a cost, but it may not be the best option for your home – the roofers will help you decide.