Have you recently found a leak in your attic or water spots on your ceiling? Or maybe you’ve noticed debris on your roof or even shingles laying in your yard. These are all signs that your roof has been damaged. When you’re faced with roof damage, how do you know if it’s best to have the roof repaired or to replace it? There are a few main things to take into consideration.

1. Age of Your Roof

The first thing you’ll want to consider is how old your roof is.Depending on the quality of your roof, it may or may not have much life left.A lower end, three-tab shingle roof will typically last 15-20 years while a higher end, architectural shingle roof can last up to 40 years.If you aren’t sure how old your roof is, a roofing contractor can inspect it and give you a good idea.Some more obvious signs of a roof that is nearing the end of its life are:

-Bald, buckling, or missing shingles
-Granule buildup in the gutters and downspouts
-Sagging roof
-Moss or algae covering the roof

So, how does this help determine if you should repair or replace your roof?A new roof is a significant investment and a repair is, obviously, much cheaper.If your roof is only a few years old, it’s more economical to repair it.If it’s nearing the end of its life, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to put money into a repair when you’ll have to replace it soon one way or another.Balancing the age of the roof with other factors will help you decide what to do.

2. Budget
One of the most obvious factors in deciding whether to repair or replace your roof is your budget.If a new roof isn’t in your budget you may have to settle for a repair for the time being.It’s still important to consider the age of the roof and how soon you’ll need to replace it.A roofing contractor will be able to help you determine the most cost effective way to handle the damage to the roof, and many contractors offer financing if a replacement becomes inevitable.Alternately, it’s always a good idea to check with your homeowner’s insurance.If the damage was caused by a storm or other event, the repair or replacement of the roof will often be covered or partially covered, depending on your policy.

3. How Long Will You Stay
Is this house your "forever" home?Are you planning on selling soon?Staying for five more years, then moving on?All of these are things to consider when deciding how to handle your roof damage.If you’re planning on staying in the home forever and the roof is nearing the end of its life, it makes sense to put the investment into your property and get yourself a new, sturdy, and safe roof.If the roof is in the middle of its life and you’re planning to sell in the next few years, it might make more sense to have it repaired and leave it for the next owner to replace when the time comes.You’ll also want to take into consideration how a new roof or lack thereof might affect the resale value of your property if you’re planning to sell.

With the advice of a contractor and taking all these things into consideration, you should be able to make an informed decision about whether your roof would be better repaired or replaced.