What Is A Shingle Roof 4 Facts To Know About Shingle Roofing
When you picture the word roof in your minds eye, one image likely comes to mind: a darkish gray roofing installation made up of flat, rectangular pieces. Is this what you saw? If so, it makes perfect sense! According to Consumer Reports, asphalt shingle roofs, just like the one you pictured, are by far the most common type of roofing in the United States.
You may be able to instantly picture a shingle roof, but how much do you really know about this popular roofing style? If you want to get beyond the basics of shingle roofinga great idea for anyone looking to replace a roofread on!
The Guide With All The Information You Need For A Roof Replacement
Now you know how often the 5 most popular roofing materials need to be replaced. After reading this article, you should know if it’s near the time or the right time to replace your roof.
If it is, there’s a lot you need to learn about going through the roof replacement process. You need to choose the right roofing material, know how much your replacement will cost, how to hire a great roofing contractor, and so much more.
Wouldn’t it be great if all this information was in one place? If you answered yes, then we have the guide for you.
With The Complete Guide to Purchasing a Roof, you’ll become one of the most informed homeowners in the roofing industry. Don’t go into the roof replacement blind, get your free guide now.
Since 1990, the team at Bill Ragan Roofing has been proud to offer Nashville and surrounding areas high-quality roofing services. We strive to give you and everyone we work with an experience rare in the roofing industry based on honesty, education, and strong workmanship.
Heres Your Complete Guide to Purchasing a Roof to learn what you need to know about your upcoming roof replacement and to make all the right decisions.
Dealing With A Mossy Roof
Q: What, if anything, should I do about all the moss that’s growing on my roof? Dorothy Plummer, Dingmans Ferry, PA.
A: Tom Silva replies: Moss holds moisture against shingles, shortening their life. It also catches debristwigs, leaves, dirtthat makes the moisture problem worse. But before removing the moss, grab a pair of binoculars and take a good look at your roof. If you see shingles with surface cracks, small blisters, curled-up edges, or areas where the surface granules have worn off, you probably need new roofing. But if the shingles are in good shape, here’s how to get rid of the moss.
First, take these precautions: Spray water on all the plants under the section of the roof you will be working on or cover them with plastic tarps. The 50-50 mix of water and bleach that’s used to kill moss can also kill or damage any foundation plantings it drips on. Also, because the roof will become very slippery when you spray the moss with the bleach mixture, stay off the roof and on a ladder during the entire process. An extension ladder with a roof standoff provides a secure platform.
Apply the bleach solution with a pump sprayer until the moss is saturated, then wait 15 minutes or so to rinse the roof thoroughly. If your foundation plants aren’t covered, rinse them, too. Now wait a week or two for the moss to dry up. If you can, get on the roof to brush it off. If not, the dead moss will eventually wash away.
Also Check: How Long Does A Composition Shingle Roof Last
Can You Roof A House Yourself
Make no bones about itroofing is hard work. Theres no hiding from the elements. You cant be afraid of heights and you need to be pretty fit. Before committing to this how to roof a house project, try this: Get out a ladder and climb up onto your roof. If you cant walk around on it comfortably, hire a pro. If you passed this first test, go to the lumberyard or home center and throw a bundle of shingles onto your shoulder. Imagine yourself carrying that load up a laddermany, many times.
If youre still feeling positive about this how to roof a house at this point, why not give it a shot? You can skip a lot of heavy lifting by having your roofing supplier hoist the shingles onto the roof. Be sure you spread the load evenly across the length of the roofs peak. However, dont have the shingles delivered to the roof if you still have two layers of old shingles to tear offit could be too much weight for your trusses.
After youve obtained a permit and safely stripped the roof clean, nail drip edge flashing flush along the eave.
Cover the rest of the roof with No. 15 asphalt-saturated felt underlayment . Each layer overlaps the lower one by at least 2 in. Follow this step by nailing drip edge along rakes , on top of the underlayment. As you did with the flashing, always lap upper pieces over lower pieces. The felt keeps the roof deck dry before shingles go on, protects against wind-driven rain as shingles fail and increases fire resistance.
How Shingles Work & Why Do Most American Homes Use It:
Shingles are made up of various material such as wood, slate, flagstone, cement, fiber, plastic or asphalt. Shingles are flat or rectangular elements laid in course from the bottom edge of the roof up, each course overlaps the joints below.
The different types of shingle are:
- Asphalt shingles:
Asphalt shingles are primarily composed of asphalt. Asphalt shingles are mostly used on residential roof or steep slope exteriors. These are available in different colors, designs, styles, shapes and sizes.
- Organic shingles:
Organic shingles are made from paper, recycled cardboard, wood chip and rags. These shingles are not durable compared to fiberglass and are not so popular anymore.
- Fiberglass shingles:
Fiberglass shingles are more durable and reliable. One of the most obvious benefits of fiberglass is that it’s more fire resistant.
- Wood shingles:
Wood shingles are the most stylish shingles and the cheapest. Wood shingles have uniform ends and a smooth front and back. Wood shingles are also organic, eco-friendly and durable.
- Slate shingles:
Slate shingles are created from slate- a natural rock. Slate is mined and cut to become a slate shingle. They are good in resisting water absorption. Slate shingles are reliable and not easily damaged.
- Solar shingles:
Solar shingles are protective and produce energy through the sun. They can save a lot of money on electricity costs by harnessing the suns power.
Also Check: How To Install Metal Roofing Over Asphalt Shingles
How Long Does An Asphalt Roof Last
There are 3 different types of asphalt shingles: 3-tab, architectural, and luxury. All three have different lifespans specified by the manufacturer of the asphalt shingles.
3-tab shingles have a lifespan of 25 years and live the shortest of the three types. Architectural and luxury shingles both have a lifespan of 30 years, but luxury shingles have the possibility to go over 30 years.
You should realistically get around 80-85% of the life span out of the asphalt shingles. This means you can expect to get around 20 years out of your 3-tab shingle roof and around 25 years out of your architectural shingles.
On the other hand, luxury shingles are thicker and should get up to around 30 years. In perfect conditions, you can stretch that number even further.
How Do Your Shingles Work
While asphalt shingles were popular because they were easy to produce, inexpensive, and simple to install, they also worked well and continue to do so today. If its raining on your roof right now, how are your shingles ensuring that you stay dry?
Your asphalt shingles are nailed to the roof, and theyre also nailed to each other. This helps prevent them from lifting up during a wind storm. Adhesive that comes on the shingles also attaches them, providing extra reassurance that the shingles will not fly off the roof. This adhesive is heat-activated. The shingles overlap so that water doesnt move into the cracks between them. Overall, your roof is designed to be a system that has multiple layers of protection to avoid water ingress.
What happens to a drop of water when it lands on your roof? Depending on where it lands, it may sit on your flashing around your chimney or be right next to the gutter. It follows gravity downward, moving around the small bits of debris on your asphalt shingles and gradually eroding them.
Sometimes water moves towards the edge of the shingle, and if the shingles are starting to lift, it could move under them and move into the underlayment and roofing deck. If the shingles are tightly-fitted and overlap well, it will run over the top to the edge of the roof, where it will either drop into the gutter or move onto a gutter cover and into the gutter.
to learn more about gutters and gutter guards.
Recommended Reading: How Do You Get Rid Of Moss On A Roof
Tear Off The Old Shingles
Its impossible to properly install new flashing and underlayment if you dont tear off the old roof beforehand. When tearing off the existing shingles, be sure to remove all the old nails or pound them flat. Protruding nails will tear holes in your new shingles. If you have movable items near your house and youre worried they might get damaged, relocate them. Invest in a few large tarps to protect your plants and landscaping and to catch the thousands of nails that will rain down off the roof. It can be downright impossible to remove old self-stick ice-and-water underlayment, but its OK if you have to leave it in place. And if at all possible, have the rented trash bin parked close to the house so you can toss in the old shingles right from the roof.
When We Shingled My Cousins Cottage My Uncle Said In The Old Days They Had To Remove The Tape Off Each Shingle To Expose The Sealant Does That Have To Be Done On Current Shingles
This is absolutely not required. Its amazing how this notion still survives. However, there are a few reasons why some people think the release tape on the back of the shingle needs to be peeled off. For one thing, the asphalt under the release film looks shiny. Many people assume its an adhesive strip but that shiny asphalt is merely the shingles coating asphalt.
Originally, asphalt shingles did not have a sealant strip, and they were manually sealed with adhesives after installation. Self-sealing shingles were introduced in the late 1950s. The early versions actually had a tape or film covering the sealant and that film had to be removed. Heres an excerpt from a self-sealing shingle patent from around 1961:
if the tape is applied overlying the adhesive stripe on the upper surface, it is necessary to pull off the tape at the time the shingles are being applied, to expose the solar-heat-softening adhesive so that it can function to seal the tabs.
Shortly after introducing self-sealing shingles, manufacturers determined that the release film could be placed on the back of the shingle and, in that location, would not need to be removed. This accelerated shingle installation. See this industry bulletin for additional information.
Read Also: A And K Roofing Pueblo Co
How Long Does A Slate Roof Last
Like a cedar shake roof, a slate roof is made primarily out of natural materials.
As long as your slate roof is properly installed and flashed properly, itll be the last roof you ever put on your home. Its hard to put an exact number on a slate roofs lifespan, but theres no reason it shouldnt last around 75 years or even close to 100.
We even like to say your grandkids wont have to worry about it. If youre looking for a forever material that wont need to be replaced in your lifetime, a slate roof is a great option.
Just like a cedar shake roof, theres no manufacturer warranty on the slate materials themselves if they fail prematurely.
Two Roofs Are Not Better Than One
Q: I have an old tract house with composition roof shingles. I need to re-roof but the roof has two layers of shingles on it already. Do I have to have them taken off? Also, which rate or weight of composition shingles is best to use?
Irene, Riverside, Calif.
A:Tom Silva replies: Yes, you need to strip the shingles. I don’t like to shingle over any old shingles, but one layer is acceptable. Two is not. A single layer looks better, lasts longer, and won’t put any unnecessary extra weight on the roof.
As to which shingles to use, the longer the warranty, the heavier the shingle and the greater the cost. You want to look for the best warranty you can afford.
Also Check: Why Do Business Buildings Have Flat Roofs
Solar Panels Vs Solar Shingles
Solar shingles are smaller than solar panels because their size is meant to resemble that of traditional roofing shingles. They also attach to the roof differently: Rather than resting atop special racks mounted on the existing roof, solar shingles are meant to integrate with the roof more seamlessly.
Solar panels and solar shingles have similar expected life spans of about 20 to 30 years, and because many solar shingles use similar materials as those in larger panels, their conversion efficiency may be comparable, too. The main differences tend to be aesthetics and price, with solar shingles typically offering a more streamlined look at a higher cost, although that price can vary widely.
Stick The Bottom Part Of The Underlayment To The Roof Of The House
Install the second course just like the first, using the guidelines on the underlayment to get the correct overlap. When an ice dam forms on a roof , ice and water can work their way up under the shingles and leak back into the house. Also, strong winds can blow rainwater under shingles. Self-stick roofing underlayment can prevent this because it sticks to the roof decking to seal out water. It also seals around nails, which keeps water from leaking through nail holes.
Rolls of self-stick underlayment have a plastic backing so the material won’t stick to itself. The backing is separated down the middle. Line up the lower edge of the roll with the outside of the drip edge. Peel back part of the uppermost backing on the roll, and nail the top corner of the underlayment to the decking. Start pulling the roll across the decking using the backing, making sure the material is lying as flat and as straight as possible as you pull.
You’ll be able to roll out long sections at a time if you have a low-pitched roof, but the underlayment may slip off the eaves on steeper roofs, so roll out no more than 10 ft. there . It’s important to make sure all your underlayment lies flat before you fasten it to the decking. Ripples and lumps can telegraph through the shingles and may be noticeable from the ground.
Also Check: When To Remove Moss From Roof
Our Palm Harbor Clearwater Roofing Company Services
Done Rite Roofing company offers a wide range of services and products. We are a recognized residential roofing company in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and commercial roofing company in Clearwater and Pinellas county, working with a wide range of clients from homeowners to businesses and everything in between. Our professionals work throughout the Tampa Bay area, providing Clearwater roofing contractor and St Petersburg roofing contractor services as well.
Call us today for a free estimate on any sized project. We are a unique Tampa bay roofing contractor in that we offer our own easy financing options combined with rapid response and 24-hour emergency repair services. Fill out our contact form to find out more about all of our services.
When you need your roofing project done right, call Done Rite Roofing!
Three Lies You’ve Been Told About Your Roof Shingles
In the roofing industry, homeowners are told a lot of things about shingles that just arenât true. The three major lies you hear about shingles are:
Weâre going to debunk these myths, and provide a few viable solutions for the best possible roof care.
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My Roofer Used A Nail Gun To Install My New Shingles Is That Just As Good As Hand
This is another good question that is often asked. In the early days of pneumatic shingle attachment, staples were used. Staples were more prone to crooked or cocked installation, and therefore could result in a roof system with reduced wind resistance. Pneumatic equipment subsequently received a bit of a bad rep. However, current equipment uses essentially the same roofing nail geometry as hand-nailed nails. As long as the contractor takes care to ensure that the nails are in the correct location on the shingle and that theyre installed flush with the shingle surface and not over-driven, either method can provide a suitably finished roof.
How Solar Roof Tiles Work
- Posted on
Todays blog is a guest entry about solar roof tiles and solar panels from RoofingVancouverBC. Solar power is a popular topic among our readers and customers. This article explores how solar roofing works and why it is beneficial to homeowners.
As the costs of electricity become higher and people become more environmentally conscious, living off grid becomes more and more appealing.
Chances are, youve probably thought of getting your own solar-powered home. If youve ever wondered how all of this works and what exactly it can do for you, then read on to find more.
Not all solar panels are created equal
First, there are a few key basics that youll need to know.
Solar shingles fall under photovoltaic products, which are tools and/or products that produce most, if not all, of their energy from sunlight. This category includes phones, streetlights, calculators, cars, and homes.
Solar shingles and solar panels are not the same thing either. While theyre both PV products and can be used in any home, solar panels are what the name implies: theyre panels. These are the PV products that most people are familiar with, and are used in many areas such as farming or solar windmills. Solar shingles are exactly what the name implies as well theyre not the large structures that are most solar panels, but the size and shape of your regular roof shingle. This key difference has a couple of benefits.
The science of PV
Why use solar shingles anyway?
What about cloudy days?
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