This 2026 roofing project was completed in Old Lake Highlands, in the 75218 ZIP code not far from Peavy Road and Hexter Elementary. The homeowner’s roof had reached the point where replacement was becoming necessary simply because of age. A stormand a fallen tree ultimately accelerated that decision.
Tree limbs had punctured several areas of the existing roof, leaving openings that needed immediate attention. We initially performed temporary repairs to keep the house protected while the homeowner prepared for a complete roof replacement.
When a Roof Repair Becomes a Roof Replacement
Not every damaged roof needs to be replaced. In this case, however, the storm damage was occurring on a roof that was already well into its service life.
The tree damage was the catalyst rather than the underlying reason for replacement. Once a roof reaches a certain age, repairs become less attractive for several reasons. Shingles become more brittle, matching existing material becomes increasingly difficult, and fixing one damaged area does nothing to reset the age of the rest of the roof.
The temporary repairs accomplished what they were intended to do: protect the house until the full replacement could be scheduled.
Repairing Damaged Roof Decking
Once the old shingles and underlayment were removed, we were able to inspect the roof deck directly and replace damaged sheathing where necessary.
We generally have additional decking delivered with a roofing project when there is reason to believe repairs may be needed. Until an old roof is removed, there is no way to know precisely what will be found underneath it.
Having extra OSB on the job is inexpensive compared with stopping an entire roofing crew while someone drives to a supplier for another sheet of decking. Material that isn’t needed does not have to be installed, but having it available keeps the project moving when deterioration is uncovered.
Owens Corning Duration Class 3 Shingles
The new roof was installed with Owens Corning Duration Class 3 impact-resistant architectural shingles.
The roofing system also included synthetic underlayment, Owens Corning WeatherLock ice-and-water protection, manufacturer-specific starter shingles, new 2-inch-by-2-inch drip edge, and Owens Corning RIZERidge hip and ridge shingles.
The detached garage was reroofed as part of the project as well. It previously had no ridge ventilation, so ridge vent was added during the replacement to improve attic ventilation.
Desert Tan Becomes Desert Rose
One of the more interesting details on this project involved the shingle color.
The homeowner selected what had historically been known as Owens Corning Desert Tan. Our paperwork and older Owens Corning literature also identified the color as Desert Tan. By the time the shingles arrived for this project, however, the bundles were labeled Desert Rose.
This is a good example of something homeowners don’t always realize about roofing products: shingle manufacturers periodically update product lines and color blends. A color may retain much of the appearance of an older color while receiving a new name and subtle changes to the granule blend.
Desert Rose is very close to the older Desert Tan, and on a complete roof replacement the difference was subtle enough that it worked well for this home.
That same change could matter much more on a roof repair.
If a homeowner has an older Desert Tan roof and needs only a small section repaired, today’s Desert Rose shingles should not automatically be assumed to be an exact match. Even relatively small differences in granule color and distribution can become noticeable when new shingles are installed directly beside shingles that have also been weathering in the Dallas sun for years.
This is one reason we are careful about promising an exact color match when repairing an older roof. The name on an old invoice or roofing estimate does not necessarily mean that today’s version of that color will look identical.
A New Roof for an Old Lake Highlands Home
Old Lake Highlands has a large inventory of established homes where roofing projects frequently involve more than simply removing shingles and putting new ones back.
Older decking, previous repairs, ventilation and discontinued or updated roofing products can all become part of the project once the existing roof is opened up.
At this home near Peavy Road and Hexter Elementary, temporary repairs first addressed the immediate tree damage. The aging roof was then replaced, deteriorated decking was repaired as needed, ventilation was improved on the detached garage, and the home received a new Owens Corning Duration Class 3 roofing system in Desert Rose.
Bert Roofing has been working on homes throughout East Dallas and the Lake Highlands area since 1988.
