Can I cover asphalt shingles with new metal roofing?

You’ve researched or spoken with a contractor to learn more about upgrading your existing asphalt roof to a new metal roof, but you’re on a tight budget. You may have heard of installing a metal roof over an existing asphalt roof but you’re just not sure. Many homeowners have considered abandoning shingles in favor of the advantages of metal roofing. Unfortunately, many homeowners are unaware that putting metal roofing over shingles is a feasible strategy for future roofing projects.

 

Installing metal roofing directly over your existing shingles is an eco-friendly option that can provide your home with an extra layer of protection and a better structure to the roof. Furthermore, it saves money on metal roofing and new roofing installations because there is no teardown of the previous roof required.

How to install metal roofing over shingles.

Before even starting the process of putting metal roofing over shingles, you must contact your local building officials to verify that it is permitted. In most areas, a re-roof over one layer of shingles is permitted, but some allow a re-roof over two layers of shingles. It’s important to figure out this immediately before you invest a lot of your precious time researching a new roofer or investing a lot of money in a roof that you cannot have installed on your home. 

Before installing a metal roof over asphalt shingles, your roof must be checked for any major problems. The following issues should be addressed before installing a metal roof over asphalt shingles: leaks, mold, damaged or weak structure, rot, and broken or ripped shingles. 

Once these problems have been resolved, the metal roofing can be put in place. For this type of installation, a new underlayment may be installed prior to working on the metal roof. After this, the metal roof is installed. Furring strips are typically used to fasten the new roofing to the shingles. The roofing will be finished off with edging once it is on.

The Risk Of Roofing Over Your Old Asphalt Roof

No Opportunity To Inspect Your Roof’s Decking.
A rotten decking can lead to expensive issues down the road if your contractor cannot test its integrity or inspect for rotten boards. Everyone is on a budget, but if you’re installing a metal roof, you may as well scrap your old asphalt roof to avoid this issue. Roof Leaks Will Be Harder To Track.
Putting a metal roof over your asphalt roof without addressing the issue is a bad idea. Once a leak occurs and water gets beneath your metal panels, it will flow down and across your old asphalt shingle roof. Once it accumulates below the shingles and on the decking, it will eventually cause the deck to rot away. The real issue is that the water can go several paths on its way to the decking, making it hard to trace. Critical Roofing Materials Won’t Be Replaced.
Your roof system’s last line of defense against moisture is the underlayment. When you roof over an asphalt roof with a metal roof, you must utilize the underlayment from your old roof. The underlayment is one of the vital materials. You will also not get the proper kind of underlayment for your metal roof in addition to that. It’s already a smart move to invest in a metal roof, but if you’re already planning to do so, I suggest starting from scratch with clean decking.

Is it a good idea to cover your asphalt shingles with a metal roof?

It is possible to put a metal roof over a shingle roof, but you must ensure that the plywood beneath your shingle roof is in decent enough shape to support a new metal roof. Choosing to do so can save you a lot of money, but it could also cost you more down the road if potential issues cant be found until it’s too late. Are you willing to gamble future costs to save money in the short term?

With over 36 years in business as one of the best commercial and residential roofing contractors, and 80 plus industry awards, we know Royalty Roofing is the best contractor for the job. If you’re interested in learning more contact us at (812) 523-8392 or send us a message.

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