Roof failures are typically described as a ‘leak’. Water ‘appearing’ in your ceiling as a dark stain or a dank smelling area of your attic. Curling shingles at the edge of your roof as if they were the pages of a paperback left outside in the rain. (I was in this position a few years ago when water started leaking through my kitchen ceiling and forming a large brown patch on the drywall).
Before any work can begin, hopefully, the fact that you are replacing a roof that obviously failed, will help alleviate a lot of the confusion and uncertainty that most homeowners have with the process of installing a new roof. The following will hopefully explain the process in enough detail for you to have a general understanding of the steps that are required to ensure that your new roof is installed properly.
Before a single shingle goes up
Most homeowners don’t realize that a roof is more than just shingles on top of your house. The visible parts of a roof such as the shingles, the ridge cap, and the color of the roof are the least important parts of the roof. The majority of a roof is comprised of hidden components that are typically installed on the ground and then flown up to the roof and installed. These hidden components are what hold the roof together and make up a good roof or a bad roof.
The roof inspection will determine the health of your roof’s decking and all the flashing around items such as chimneys, vents, etc. A roof that has been severely damaged from a storm or has collapsed will require an inspection of the supporting structure of the roof to determine if there is any damage. We found a section of the decking to be rotten prior to our quote for replacing the roof on this home. That section of the decking was removed and replaced before we started installing the new roof. The repair of the damaged decking could cost as much as several hundred dollars. It would be wise to budget this amount for any repairs the roofer may find prior to signing a contract with them.
The preparation for the roof installation typically starts with an inspection of the property. The roofer will look at the roof for any missing or damaged shingles. They check for any roof leaks, and will check the condition of the gutters and downspouts. Additionally, they check the decking for any damage. If there is any damaged decking, it must be replaced prior to the installation of the new roof. This is a major component of the roof and must be in good shape in order to support the weight of the new shingles. The inspection for damage is an important part of the process, as some roofers may inspect the roof and not charge for their time. However, they may charge for the repair of any damage found. Other roofers may charge for the inspection, and then charge even more for the repair of any damage. It is not uncommon for the cost of the repair to be higher than the cost of the new roof. It is highly recommended that homeowners receive quotes from several contractors, and that they check each contractors references. The homeowner should ask each contractor to describe in detail the work that will be performed in order to install the new roof. They should also ask for a written estimate that includes a complete description of the work to be done, as well as the cost of the materials and labor. The written estimate should also include the beginning and ending date for the installation, as well as any payment terms. It is also highly recommended that homeowners receive references from recent customers, and that they contact each
Day one: the tear-off
Tear-off of old shingles. Remove and haul away. Inspect the decking for water damage or rot. Repair any damaged decking as required before installing new underlayment. Most reputable contractors perform a complete tear-off of old roofing materials. Many contractors initially suggest roofing over to save time and money in the short term; however, as with many things, added weight on a home, plus the moisture trapped in the old roofing material, can create problems down the road.
This work is extremely noisy. The removal of shingle waste from roofs and its dumping into the dump trailers on your drive can be very loud. Remember, most homes are not set up to cope with such activity and the crews will be working long hours in the hot sun. It is essential that you talk to your contractor in advance about the hours of work that he plans to undertake and that you get assurances that he will endeavor to keep the noise to a minimum. As the work is taking place in your back yard and is likely to be ongoing for a number of days, it is also a good idea to establish with your contractor what hours of the day he intends to work and whether he will be leaving your premises at the end of each day. This will enable you to plan your work from home in advance and will assist in avoiding any misunderstandings with your contractor and his crew.
Your roofer will start to prepare your roof for installation once he or she has torn off all of the old shingles. This roofer will be making his or her way throughout your roof from side to side checking for any damage or signs of rot within your roof’s decking. Your roofer will also be checking the flashing around any vents, chimneys or skylights to make sure they are in working order. Often times some of the decking will need to be torn out before he or she starts laying down the underlayment. It is best to use a synthetic underlayment as it is the best for a roof as it doesn’t get as heavy when it is wet as felt underlayment does. It also won’t buckle in the rain like felt underlayment does.
The actual installation: layers, not just shingles
A good shingle roof installation is more than just a bunch of layers of shingles. It is a layered system of roof components that are designed to work in conjunction with one another to provide a barrier to the elements.
- Drip edge gets installed along the eaves first. This metal strip directs water away from the fascia and into the gutters rather than letting it wick back into the wood.
- Ice and water shield goes along the lower edges and around any roof penetrations. It’s a self-sealing membrane that protects the most vulnerable spots, the places where water naturally wants to collect and linger.
- Underlayment covers the rest of the deck as a secondary moisture barrier.
- Starter strip shingles are nailed along the bottom edge before the field shingles begin. They seal that first course against wind lift, which is where a lot of storm damage originates.
- Field shingles get installed in overlapping rows up the slope, with nails placed in specific zones depending on the shingle manufacturer’s specifications. The placement matters more than most people realize.
- Ridge cap shingles finish the peak. And this isn’t just cosmetic. It protects the most exposed seam on the entire roof, the one that catches the full brunt of wind from every direction.
The areas of your roof that require flashing are around chimneys, skylights, vent pipes, and in the roof’s valleys. The best roof installers in the business can develop leaks around these sections. Sometimes these leaks can be hiding and not noticeable until quite a bit of water damage has occurred. It is very important to have your flashing done 100% perfect or you will encounter problems with your roof. Even the absolute best flashing can fail if it was not properly installed.
A brief, slightly uncomfortable detour
Roofing failures are almost always due to problems in the details of the installation, (i.e. bad flashing around chimneys, etc., nails not shot into roof deck at proper angle, bad underlayment, etc.) and not from failure of roofing material itself. Thus, when shopping for a new roof, the lowest priced is not necessarily your best deal in the long run.
Worth sitting with that before you sign anything.
Roofing Mistakes to Avoid
- Nailing too high on the shingle, which dramatically reduces wind resistance and is almost invisible until the first serious storm
- Skipping the ice and water shield to shave costs in climates where freeze-thaw cycles make it genuinely necessary
- Leaving damaged decking in place because it “seems okay,” a phrase that should set off alarm bells every time
- Using mismatched shingle lots from different production runs, which causes visible color variation once everything weathers and settles
Mistakes made by roofers. These are errors that can happen to anyone. Whether you are a skilled roofer or a beginner, mistakes can occur. But the good news is that most of these mistakes can be avoided. By hiring a qualified roofer, you can ensure that your roof is installed correctly. To find a qualified roofer, ask for references from recent customers. Be sure to ask them about their experience with the roof and also ask to see photos of the work that was done. A reputable roofer will be happy to provide you with this information.
What to ask before the crew leaves
Once the roof has been completed, inspect for any stray nails or shingles in your yard. Also make sure that the contractor has removed all of the old material. Take a good walk around your new roof with your contractor and point out any imperfections. Make sure that your contractor is providing a warranty for the roof and ask him to explain the difference between the manufacturer’s warranty for the roofing material and the contractor’s warranty for the labor to install the roof. The manufacturer’s warranty will cover any defects with the roofing material. The contractor’s warranty will cover any work that was performed improperly.
There are two warranties to consider: 1) the manufacturer warranty on roofing materials and 2) the contractor warranty on work performed. Common for roofing contractors to offer a warranty on work performed for a limited time, usually 5-10 years. Roofing materials typically carry a longer warranty, 25-35 years or more. The difference between the two is that if there is a failure due to a defect in the roofing materials (a manufacturer defect), then the manufacturer is responsible for repair. A failure due to poor workmanship by the roofing contractor would be the responsibility of the contractor.
After all of that work, a well-put together roof should last 25 to 30 years or more. They should be quiet, there should be no leaks, and no ceiling stains or attic dampness. With all of that, there should be no reason to wake up in the middle of the night to a loud thunderstorm pounding against your roof. Hopefully after reading this, that will be the case for a long time. See more