You’ve heard a treatment can buy a roof more years. Now you’re in the driveway, squinting up at yours, wondering if it’s too far gone.
The short answer: a roof is a candidate if it’s asphalt shingle, old enough to need it and still sound. The checklist below is the long answer. It’s the same one Chris works through on roofs in Spring, The Woodlands and the towns around them.
The yes or no checklist
Answer each question. A yes moves you down the list. A no tells you what happens instead.
You can answer these yourself
- Is it an asphalt shingle roof? Yes: keep going. No: tile, metal, slate and wood roofs aren’t candidates. The treatment is made for asphalt.
- Is the roof at least five years old? Yes: keep going. No: wait. Bright Green Roof says to start at the five-year mark.
- Is it 20 years old or younger? Yes: keep going. No: it can still qualify if it’s in good shape. Chris just looks closer.
- Is it free of leaks? Yes: keep going. No: get the leak fixed first. A treatment won’t stop it.
Chris answers these on the roof
- Are most of the granules still there? Yes: keep going. No: one cost guide puts the line at about 40% gone, and past that a new roof is usually the better call.
- Do the shingles lie flat, or only lift at the edges? Yes: keep going. No: tabs curled up hard or cracked through are past saving.
- Is the mat covered everywhere? Yes: keep going. No: bald spots where the base layer shows mean those shingles are done.
- Is it free of hail bruising across the slopes? Yes: keep going. No: call your insurance agent and a roofer first.
- Does the decking feel solid? Yes: you’re likely a candidate. No: soft spots mean trouble under the shingles, and that’s a roofer’s job.
Nine yeses? Book the inspection to confirm it. A no on question 3 only means a closer look. Any other no means a treatment isn’t the next step, and Chris will tell you what is.
Where the age rules come from
The age questions come from the people who make the product. Bright Green Roof says to start at the five-year mark and to treat shingles that are 10 years or older. Another Bright Green Roof dealer spells out the limits in its frequently asked questions. It doesn’t treat roofs newer than five years. Roofs older than 20 can still be treated if they’re in good condition. It also says the treatment will not cure an existing leak.
One more rule from Bright Green Roof: a roof can take the treatment up to three times over its life. So a yes today doesn’t have to be the last yes.
Who we turn away, and why
Saying no is part of the job. These are the roofs that hear it.
- The leaking roof. Water’s already coming in. A roofer has to fix that first.
- The bald roof. Where the mat shows, the granules are gone for good. A treatment can’t put them back.
- The hail-beaten roof. Bruising across the slopes is storm damage. That’s a talk with your insurance agent and a roofer.
- The brand-new roof. Under five years, it doesn’t need us yet. Call us around year five.
- The roof that isn’t shingles. Tile, metal, slate and wood have no asphalt to treat.
Treating any of those would take your money and give you nothing back. If a company offers to treat a roof that leaks or has bald spots, walk away. When we say no, it costs you nothing, and you get the photos that show why. That’s the Straight Answer Promise.
Photos you can take before you call
Stay off the roof. Chris does the climbing. You can take these from the ground, and they help him know what he’s walking into.
- Every side of the roof. Stand back far enough to see each slope, then zoom in with your phone.
- The bottom of each downspout. Dark grit piled where the water comes out is granules.
- The lowest row of shingles. Lifting corners and curled edges show up best along the gutter line.
- Your ceilings. A brown ring on the drywall can mean a leak.
- Your paperwork. A receipt for the last roof, or the inspection report from when you bought the house, tells us the roof’s age. Add your shingle warranty if you have one.
Text them to (281) 466-7436 when you book. They don’t replace the inspection. They just make the first conversation a better one.
What only the inspection can tell you
Some of the checklist can’t be answered from the driveway. Whether the shingles still bend. How thin the granules are up close. Whether the decking is solid. Whether the pipe boots and flashing are holding.
That’s what the free roof inspection is for. Chris checks those things on the roof and photographs every slope. Then you get the photos and his answer. It’s a price per square foot, a no, or “it’s fine, call me in a year.”
Want more before you book? The signs your roof is aging page shows what each warning looks like. If your roof has 3-tab shingles, the thinner single-layer kind, read how we judge 3-tab shingle roofs. To weigh your options, compare rejuvenation and replacement side by side, or read about our roof rejuvenation service.
Ready to find out? Book the free inspection, or call or text (281) 466-7436.
Common questions
Can you treat a roof that’s more than 20 years old?
Sometimes. Age alone doesn’t rule a roof out. A Bright Green Roof dealer says roofs older than 20 years can still be treated if they’re in good condition. We work the same way. On an older roof, Chris looks harder at the granules, how the shingles bend and the decking. If they hold up, it’s a candidate. If not, he’ll tell you, with photos.
My roof is only three years old. Should I treat it now?
Not yet. Bright Green Roof says to start at the five-year mark, so a three-year-old roof should wait. Use the time to keep the roof and gutters clear of pine needles. The C&D Annual Roof Checkup does that once a year, sends you photos and tells you when your roof reaches the five-year window.
What if my roof passes everything except one leak?
Then the leak comes first. A treatment won’t stop water that’s already coming in. Chris marks the spot in the photos. It might be a pipe boot, the flashing or a missing shingle. He’ll point you to a roofer for the repair. Once it’s fixed and dry, run the checklist again. A roof that passes everything else can be treated after the repair.
Will you treat my roof anyway if I ask?
No. If your roof fails the checklist, a treatment would take your money and give you nothing back. Chris will show you why in the photos and tell you what the roof needs instead, even when that’s a roofer and not us. A roof that isn’t a candidate today might still be fine for years. If so, he’ll say that too.