During a roof replacement project in San Mateo, the contractor uses only new materials. The finished rooftop should last for 20 to 25 years. During a roofing restoration, the contractor reuses some of the old materials. The completed structure should last for up to 15 years.

The process of restoring a roof is not that same as repairing any part of that same rooftop structure.

The process of carrying out a repair operation could be likened to the act of putting a patch on a wound. The operation that allows for restoration of the roofing functions like a facelift: The role of the cosmetic or plastic surgeon gets taken over by the professional roofer.

Principle benefits of restoration

It is less expensive than a roof replacement and improves the roof’s health. It is like a pill that treats the body part that is ill or damaged.

It is an environmentally friendly way to correct damaged roofing. Anyone that advocates for sustainability should give serious thought to restoring an older rooftop, instead of replacing it.

Situations in which restoration serves a set purpose, while a replacement would call for an unnecessary employment of resources

• A setting in which a home’s roof has suffered the damaging effects of fire
• A setting in which a home’s rooftop has been damaged by high winds, possibly hurricane-force winds
• A situation in which the roof on a home has been damaged by hail
• A situation in which the rooftop on a home has suffered the damaging effects of prolonged exposure to water.

A location where a given building’s roofing has been protecting that same edifice for at least 20 years. A landmark building might exist in such a location. A restoration would allow that same building to get a roof that would last another 15 years, but one that would not destroy the general appearance of that landmark sight.

A neighborhood where many homeowners have placed roofing of a specific color on their family’s dwelling: Another homeowner wants to sell his or her property, and thinks it would be best to have a roof that blends in with the newer ones.

The above paragraph might describe a neighborhood where a fire’s flames jumped onto some of the homes, but not all of them. The restored roofs all have a similar hue. The one rooftop that the flames did not touch sits on a house that is going up for sale. The owner wants to make it more appealing.

A leader in the environmental movement has purchased an older home. He wants to restore the home’s roofing, so that neighbors can see the benefits of a restoration. The money saved can be used to support a good cause.