Is "Roof Rejuvenation" worth it?

Roof Rejuvenation is a hot product in the roofing world right now. Many call is "snake oil" or a scam. Some think it is one of the best ways to move the roofing industry foward. As with most things the answer may lie in between.

What even is roof rejuvenation? It's important to know that there are MANY products in these cateogries out there and each have different advantages and disadvantages. The most common one is RoofMaxx, ShingleSheild, and GoNano. Generally speaking they apply some sort of concoction to the roof that is designed to protect the shingles from the environment or restore some of the aging that has occurred. For example, RoofMaxx "rehydrates" the shingles with oils that help give it more flexibility as shingles tend to get very brittle as they dry out and age.

They boast strong claims such as adding years to roof life and restoring curb appeal. It's important to note most are two step processes. They first softwash the roof to restore curb appeal, and then apply the solution for its claimed added benefits. Our company for context does not offer the second option but focuses only on the first.

There are two main considerations homeowners must consider before purchasing these expensive products.

1. The Cost May Not Be Recuperable. Most of these products boast a minimum of 5 years added to the life of your roof. Yet keep in mind these treatments often cost between $3,000-$5,000. What homeowner's may not know is that the cost of roofing materials from major manufacturers such as GAF, Owens Corning, and Certainteed tends to go up 2-4% multiple times per year. The cost for a homeowners that translates to is roughly $800-$1000 per year in roofing cost. So if you spent $3,500 for a roof treatment and you did get 5 more years (assuming that is true) the cost of your roof replacement also went up up to $5,000 in that time. This doesn't account for any late-stage roof repair costs that come up as most companies do not offer any roof warranties or leak warranties.

2. It may not stop leaks. It's important to understand that your roof is more than just shingles. It's a whole roofing system. From the roof decking material and installation, to the underlayment, ice & water shield, flashing, roofing nails, caulking that deteriorates over time, ventilation, pipe boots, vents and chimneys, starter shingles, drip edge, and the field shingles. And something as simple as one nail that becomes rusted and leaves a hole can create a leak. Consider that roof rejuvenation products typically only address one of those parts, the shingles. If a shingle is brittle but loose, the wind and the nails underneath do not care that it becomes less brittle. Keeping more granules does not inherently do anything to stop most common leak issues. Some are better than others in this area and do more to address common leak issues. But know that from a roofers perspective, simply having old shingles does not mean leaks or issues. The shingles are only the first line of defense.

So what should you do?

• Find a talk to a trusted roofer about these products and if they think the cost is worth it for your roof. Don't only consider the word of those selling these products that do not have to have any roofing background to have a franchise.

• Consider just a roof wash and tune up. This takes care of most issues.

• Know that replacing your roof is inevitable and it may not be worth the money to stop that from happening.

• Know that is it not bad to want to protect your roof and if you have a realistic expectation of these products they certainly don't hurt your roof!