Professional Roofing & Gutter Repairs

For most homeowners and business owners, a new roof is a pretty big expense, and not always one that's budgeted for. That's what makes the first question so important: does this roof really need replacing, or can it be repaired and give you a few more good years? Top Hat has been working on homes and businesses around Springdale since 1983, and the honest answer depends on what the roof is actually telling you.

Replacement or repair?

A full replacement isn't always necessary. In some situations it makes more sense to repair the roof so you can get a few more years out of it. In other situations you end up paying for repair after repair, and at that point a full replacement may actually be the more cost-effective choice. The best answer for your roof depends on three things:

• The type of damage, such as a lifted shingle, hail bruising, a failed flashing or a soft spot in the deck
• How much of the roof's surface is damaged, whether that's one slope, a few spots or the whole thing
• How old the roof is, and how much life the rest of it realistically has left

These work together. A single storm-torn corner on a roof that's otherwise in good shape is a repair. The same damage on a roof that's already shedding granules and curling at the edges is a different conversation, because you'd be patching one section of a roof that's wearing out everywhere else.

What we look at before we recommend anything

A good roof assessment starts on the roof, not at the kitchen table. Hail leaves marks you can only judge up close. Wind can lift the seal strip on a shingle without tearing it, so from the yard everything looks fine. Flashing around chimneys, skylights, vents and wall intersections is where most leaks begin, not out in the open field of the roof. Water also travels. The stain on your ceiling is often several feet away from where it came in, so tracing a leak means following the water back up through the roof, not just patching above the stain.

It also means looking underneath. If the deck is soft or rotted from a long-running leak, a repair on top of it won't hold, and that single fact can tip the decision toward replacement. We'd rather tell you that before the work than after the next rain.

When repairs start to stack up

Every roof gets repaired eventually. The warning sign is the pattern. If you've had the same area patched twice, if leaks keep showing up in new places, or if the repairs cost more each time while the roof gets older, you're not fixing a problem anymore. You're managing a decline. Add up what you've spent over a few years and compare it honestly to a new roof, and the numbers often make the decision for you.

When a roof does need replacing, we don't recommend roofing over existing shingles. A second layer adds weight, hides deck damage you can't see, can shorten the life of the new shingles, and makes the next replacement harder. Tearing off to the deck lets us see exactly what we're building on and fix it right. We are a TAMKO Pro Certified contractor, and we install to the manufacturer's guidelines.

Services you can trust

Let's face it: if the crew doing the work isn't highly trained and knowledgeable, and the repair or installation isn't done right, you'll still have problems. The best shingle in the world leaks when the flashing is wrong. A roof is a system. Underlayment, flashing, ventilation, fasteners, shingles or panels and the gutters at the eave all have to work together, and a weak link anywhere shows up as a leak somewhere else.

That's why we use quality roofing systems and shingles known for durability as well as good looks, and why the same experienced team that handles the roof also understands the gutters. Roof edges and gutters share the same water, so we treat them as one job. Qualifying roof and gutter replacements from Top Hat come with our 10 Year Edge-to-Edge Leak-Proof Warranty.

Start with an honest look

If you've got a leak, missing shingles, storm damage, or a roof you're just not sure about, the first step is a close look from someone who'll tell you what they see. Top Hat has served Springdale, Fayetteville, Rogers, Bentonville and the River Valley since 1983, and we'll give you straightforward advice on whether to repair or replace. Call us at (479) 751-0432 to set up an estimate.