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Can I roof over the top of my
existing roof?
Yes, you can. But there are some things you need
to know. Please call us to get some needed
information.
I hate the
color of my shingles. Can I paint them?
Yes, you can but it's not advisable. Shingles
lose their granules over time. What you can easily
wind up with is a splotchy looking roof. Keep them
painted every few years, though and you'll be okay.
Another thing, shingles are made so that there are
variations in coloring. With a painted roof, there
will be no variations. It will be all one color.
Some
people are telling me to use organic shingles, and
others are telling me fiber glass shingles. What's
the difference and which do I use?
What you choose to use is up to you. Most
roofers in the northern parts of the country prefer
the organic shingles, while the southern parts
prefer the fiber glass shingles. The fiber glass
shingles are easier to work with and the organic
shingles have more asphalt and are heavier and more
expensive to manufacture.
The
roofer didn't remove the little plastic strip from
the back of my shingles. Should this have been
removed?
No, it does not need to be removed. That
particular brand of shingle is designed so that the
sealant seals right through the strip. The strip is
there to help keep the shingles from sticking
together before the are installed.
I
did some repairs to my roof and noticed there is no
roofing felt under them. Is this the correct way to
install shingles?
No, it is not. Unless it's an overlay (recover),
there should be felt underlayment separating the
roofing materials and the deck. Many home builders
install roofs this way so that they can save money.
It is frowned upon by the National Roofing
Contractor's Association, the Asphalt Roofing
Manufacturer's Association, and any roofer with
integrity.
Underlayment provides a vapor barrier between
the roof deck and the shingles, is a secondary
waterproofing element of the roof, and prevents the
wood deck from leaching oils from the asphalt
shingles.
If you want some installation instructions
proving that it's required, visit the following
pages of three popular material manufacturers. You
need Adobe Acrobat Viewer to view the files.
http://www.gaf.com/Products/Residential/timber_e.pdf
http://www.certainteed.com/pro/roofing/ctroof/pdfs/hall_appl.pdf
http://www.tamko.com/pdf/wrapper/heritage3040.pdf
What's
the minimum slope I need to install asphalt
shingles?
Don't go lower than 2:12 which means two inches
of vertical rise for every twelve inches of
horizontal run. Anything between 2:12 and 4:12, you
should consider installing two layers of #15 felt
underlayment, reducing the exposure of the shingle
- the exposure being the part of the shingle that
remains visible after installation, or both. In
lieu of both of these, you may want to install a
self-adhering ice and water underlayment over the
entire deck surface.
What
kind of felt underlayment should I use?
Felt paper is a vapor barrier plus keeps the
oils in the shingles from leaching out and into the
wood substrate (i.e. plywood or OSB roof deck), so
#15, 20, or 30 will work for any shingle roof. The
type I recommend depends on roof slope.
For slopes less than 4/12, I recommend 2 layers
of #15. Helps reduce the possibility of leaks. The
felt overlaps in "shingle fashion". Go here: Felt
Underlayment Page
Slopes 4/12 to 6/12 I recommend one layer of #15
or #20. Visit above site.
Slopes greater than 6/12 I recommend one layer
of #30. The steeper the slope, the easier it is to
slip and tear the felt. #30 is heavier so on
steeper slopes, you don't slip and tear it as
easily.
Where
do I go for information on roof framing?
Or you can buy a book on Roof Framing at
Amazon.com. Just simply enter search keywords
"roof framing".
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