Can You Roof Over Existing Shingles in Florida?
Between the high heat and hurricanes and the humidity and chillier temps at night, your Florida home goes through a battery of changes.
The one structure that is intended to protect your home (and your biggest investment!) is the roof.
When your roof needs an overhaul, you might be wondering if you can save money by re-shingling over the top of the old shingles.
While it is possible to re-shingle over the old roof shingles, there are situations inFlorida where it is forbidden.
In fact, we see a lot of roofs where people ignored what the state and local building codes say and just “over-roofed” anyway.
That is a very costly mistake for several reasons.
It’s always best to follow what building code regulations and rules say about re-shingling over an existing roof.
Re-shingling Over a Badly Damaged Roof Is a No-No in Florida
You cannot, in the state of Florida, put a layer of new shingles over a badly damaged roof.
Once you understand the multiple reasons why, you can easily see how homeowners that do this are fined by their municipalities for it.
Those reasons include:
- Heavy water damage where water damage under the roof and in the attic will grow worse under new roofing materials because the rot and mold destroys the supporting structure under the new shingles.
- Holes and blisters that cause the new shingles to buckle and expose your home to more water damage.
- Too many existing layers of roofing material are already causing your roof to buckle under the weight, making your home unsafe and/or uninhabitable.
These are all safety issues for your home that prevent roofing companies like ours from over-shingling.
You cannot, in the state of Florida, put a layer of new shingles over a badly damaged roof. Once you understand the multiple reasons why, you can easily see how homeowners that do this are fined by their municipalities for it.
Other Situations Where Adding Another Layer of Shingles Is Forbidden in Florida
Along with safety and structural issues, there are other situations where the existing roof must be removed.
These reasons include the types of materials of the existing roof.
If your current roof is composed of:
- slate
- gravel
- asphalt mixed with asbestos (common with roofs that are very old and should have been replaced a long time ago)
- Rotting wood shingle
- terra cotta shingleIt all has to be removed.
New shingles cannot go over the tops of these types of shingles and still create a safe roof that effectively protects your home.
It’s not often the best idea to go with the fastest, “easiest” and cheapest way to do large home repairs.
At True Roofers, we offer emergency roof services for properties in Wesley Chapel, Florida, including Lakeland and Plant City. Call us today at (813) 800-1800 and let us know how we can help. Our team is available 24/7 to cater to your roofing needs.
