Repair or Replace? How to Decide on a 20-Year-Old Roof

Shingle roof replacement with all new plywood decking by Crown Roofing and Repairs Inc

A roof around 20 years old is in a gray zone: sometimes a repair buys many more years, sometimes it’s money spent on a roof that’s about to fail anyway.

Signs a repair makes sense

  • The damage is in one area, like a single leak or storm damage
  • The rest of the roof is in good shape
  • The roof type normally lasts much longer, like tile

Signs it’s time to replace

  • Leaks in more than one place
  • Widespread curling, cracking or granule loss on shingles
  • Soft or rotted decking
  • Repeated repairs in the last few years

Do the math

If repairs would cost a meaningful share of a new roof and the roof only has a few years left, replacement is often the better value, and it comes with a fresh warranty.

Get an honest opinion

We’ll tell you which way we’d go if it were our own roof, and we’re happy to do the repair if that’s the smarter spend.

What happens to the decking

On older roofs, the wood decking under the shingles or tile is often soft or rotted in spots, especially near valleys and edges. On a replacement, we replace bad decking before the new roof goes on. On some jobs, that means replacing all of the plywood. Either way, we tell you the price per sheet up front, so there are no surprises.

Shingle roof replacement with all new plywood decking by Crown Roofing and Repairs Inc
Shingle roof replacement with all new plywood decking
Roof leak repair in the San Fernando Valley by Crown Roofing and Repairs Inc
Roof leak repair in the San Fernando Valley

Questions about your roof? Call Crown Roofing and Repairs at (818) 350-2740 for a free estimate anywhere in the San Fernando Valley. Licensed C-39, CSLB #C39-1156638.