A metal roof is an excellent choice for your home. It's long-lasting with durable resistance. It also comes in many different options and has superior protection against high winds and other elements like snow due to its ability to shed snow easily. What's more, metal roofs are excellent at heat conduction, which can help improve your home's energy efficiency. However, your metal roof may require repairs or replacement over time. For instance, old age, curling, damaged or missing shingles, leaks, corrosion, rust, worn paint, punctures and tears, sagging, etc., are some of the common signs that your roof may need replacement. Replacing your roof can be expensive. Therefore, careful research and consideration are imperative before you commit to the replacement. For instance, you can choose to do a roof overlay or go for a complete tear-off. This guide will help you decide on the right replacement option.

Cost

Replacing your metal roof can be a major and costly investment. Therefore, it would be best to consider replacement costs when deciding between a tear-off and an overlay. As the name implies, a tear-off involves removing the old roof completely and replacing it with a new one. On the other hand, an overlay entails adding a new roof over the existing roof. With that in mind, tear-offs are typically more expensive. That's usually because they are more labour intensive than overlays. Therefore, if you are on a budget, a tear-off may not be the ideal option.

Quality And Durability

The quality of your roof also matters when making replacements. Generally, metal roofs are durable. However, the quality of installation can make all the difference. Typically, tearing off your old roof completely and installing a new one brings quality to your roofing system. Consequently, it increases the roof's lifespan. That's because tear-offs can uncover underlying problems like rot, leaks and other structural issues that would otherwise compromise your roof's longevity. In addition, tear-offs utilise new materials, ensuring quality.

Installation Time

How long do you want to live through the roof installation period? If time is of the essence, consider a roof overlay because tear-offs tend to be more time-consuming. While installation time will often depend on the roof size and weather interference, among other things, tear-offs won't be the right choice if you want to avoid living through the roof installation for an extended period. That's particularly true if you are paying for alternative housing.

Maintenance

It would also be helpful to think about maintenance when deciding between an overlay and a tear-off. Generally, overlays can be more complex to inspect and make repairs. For instance, tracking leaks can be quite a hassle. In addition, if the roof has issues like rot in the deck, it may go unnoticed until much later when the problem is already severe. 

Contact a local roofer to learn more about metal roof replacement.