Repair or Replace a Roof in Central New York

Start with age and history

Asphalt shingle roofs often last around two decades in this climate, though the range is wide. Ventilation, exposure, the product used and how many hard winters the roof has seen all change the number. Syracuse's snow season is long, with well over 100 inches in a typical year according to NOAA normals (NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals), and each freeze-thaw cycle works on shingles, sealant and flashing. If you do not know the roof's age, the house's purchase records or past permits can help, and a roof inspection can estimate it.

Signs a repair is enough

• Damage is limited to one area: a few shingles after a storm, a cracked pipe boot, loose flashing at one chimney.
• The rest of the shingles are flexible, flat and still have most of their granules.
• The decking feels solid and the attic is dry.
• Matching shingles are available, or the repair sits on a slope where an exact match matters less.

Signs replacement makes more sense

• Shingles are curling, cracking or bald across many slopes.
• Leaks show up in new places every season.
• There has been ice dam damage at the eaves in more than one winter, and there is little or no ice and water barrier under the shingles.
• Soft decking in several places, or sagging lines on the roof.
• Repairs are adding up year after year on the same roof.

The winter question

Timing matters more here than in many places. A repair in early fall on a roof with a few years left can make sense to get through one more winter, with a replacement planned for the next warm season. A roof that is failing in several places heading into November may not make it through the lake-effect season, which the National Weather Service Binghamton office tracks each year (National Weather Service Binghamton (forecast office for Onondaga County)). Waiting for spring with an open problem can turn a roofing job into an interior repair too.

Comparing the two in writing

Ask for both options in writing when the choice is close: the repair scope with what it fixes and what it does not, and the replacement scope with layers off, decking allowance, ice barrier coverage, flashing, vents and cleanup. The New York State Attorney General's home improvement guidance (New York State Attorney General) and the FTC's tips on hiring a contractor (FTC consumer advice) both encourage written contracts and more than one estimate for large jobs. See what shapes a roofing estimate.

Related pages: roof repair, roof replacement, roof inspections, and what shapes an estimate.

Sources: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; National Weather Service Binghamton (forecast office for Onondaga County); New York State Attorney General; FTC consumer advice.