I need a new roof………I buy shingles and get some guy to put them on right?                     Wrong?

Uh, well  sorta of…actually NO!

Your roof is your first protection against the elements. Protecting you and what you hold dear.

Not all roofs are created equal and the quality of the shingle and the quality of the installation make all the difference in the world.

Very important here.. the quality and experience of the roofer can greatly impact your warranties.

Let’s start at the beginning…….the process.  The right way is to tear off everything on your roof; all shingles and underlayment and get down to the decking. Once the decking is cleaned off it should be thoroughly inspected for rotted wood, unevenness or any soft spots. These issues should be corrected before anything else. If it is necessary to remove and replace some of the decking ¾’ CDX  is what you want. CDX is not pressed wood but 3 layers of veneer glued together. Each layer is glued opposite to the grain of the layer below it.  This is what will hold the nails used to install your shingles. A soft decking will result in nail pops and loss of shingles and can be a source of future leaks.

Once the decking is sound, drip edge should be installed around the entire perimeter of the roof. 

The next is ice and water shield. These 2 items are code in much of the country. The ice and water shield especially where the winters produce snow and ice. This product prevents ice damming under your shingle.

Next is the underlayment. 15 or 30 lb felt. My thoughts are the heavier the shingle, the heavier the underlayment. Not everyone agrees with this thought.  If you are using a 3 tab shingle 15 lb felt is fine and it can be fine for most architectural shingles as well. If you are going to a faux slate or faux shake, I would recommend a heavier underlayment.

Once you have selected the shingles and the underlayment the next thing is to think about how your roof will breathe. Yes, breathe… otherwise heat builds up in your attic and shortens the life of your roof.

There needs to be an intake in the form of vented soffits gable vents or attic vent fans. Attic vent fans can come solar powered or hard wired. They can also come with a thermostat and humidistat. If the upstairs of your home is hot in the summer, this is a good option

Vented soffits and ridge vents (a protected vent along the ridge of the roof) allow for air in and hot air rises up and out through the ridge vent.

So now we have selected materials, know how the roof will breathe so what about installation?

The best manufacturers of roofing systems (all the components) are CertainTeed, Owens Corning and GAF. Tamko come in a distant 3^rd.

These manufacturers offer better warranties through more experienced installers. For instance CertainTeed Architectural shingle can come with a regular warranty, but with a 4 Star Certified Installer the warranty is much better for the same materials. Owens Corning does the same through its preferred contractors. They can offer a lifetime warranty with the first 50 years NON-Prorated.

Why is NON-Prorated important. With a regular warranty if your shingles or a portion thereof goes bad, the manufacturers will drop off the new shingles at the end of your driveway and it is up to you to remove the bad shingles, dispose of them and correctly install the new shingles on your roof.

Shingles generally come in strips 36’ wide by 12 ‘ high. On this strip is an area where the nails should go. Not above…not below, but directly on the nailing strip and there should be 4 nails into each strip of shingle. Any less than that can void the warranty and some installers will skimp on this to save time. If that is the case, I suggest you write your name on the back of each strip before it is installed so when the shingle blows off your neighbor will know where to return it.

Can I put new shingles over the old? Sure, but you will pay for it later. My personal opinion is that you would be crazy to do it. Now the roofing nails have to go through the new shingle, the old shingle, the underlayment and then into the decking. If you live in an area that can experience high winds (don’t we all) you have a greater chance of your roof coming off. The new roof will have a much shorter life span with 2 layers. As a contractor, I personally won’t install new over old. I cannot give a proper warranty with this installation. Let’s also mention here that if your roof fails and you have to re-roof, more than likely you will have to re-deck the whole roof. With that many nails in the decking it will look like a sieve. Now we have to find good wood to put the new nails into.

So check it all out. The right materials,  the right roofers.

Done right a new roof will last a lifetime. Not only will it look good, it will do good!

Sjaunna

Director of Operations

www.MarylandWDR.com