Residential Roofing

At some point in time, almost every homeowner will need to have their roof replaced. Be prepared so when the when the time comes, you should know the necessary steps for replacing your roof to make sure it is done correctly. The replacement process is going to be the same no matter what type of roof you have.

To Prepare both the outside and the inside of your home, use these Roof Replacement Preparation Tips

Inside the home:

• If any damaged plywood is being replaced, it is a good idea to cover all of your furniture, bedding and clothing to prevent any falling debris from damaging your household items.

• If you store things in an attic, cover everything using an attic tarp. It would be best, if possible, to remove any items so you don’t need to be concerned about any possible damage.

Outside of the home

• Move anything that might be damaged by falling debris, including, patio furniture, grills and potted plants, lawn ornaments. You should remove any solar panels, antennas and satellite dishes prior to any shingles being removed.

• To provide the contractors with enough room to move everything back and forth from your home, park your car down your street.

There should be minimal disruption in your routine because roofing contractors work during office hours. Noise could be disruptive if you work from home.

Children and Pets

During the construction process debris may fall from your roof, posing a safety risk for your children and pets. Set up areas where your children can play safely. Put your pets in the quietest room in your home so they will not become stressed by the noise.

Whether you have a metal, slate or shingle roof, the process is the same. These are the eight basic steps to roof replacement:

A. Property Protection: While replacing your roof, the first job of your contractor is protecting your property. To protect means to use plywood and tarps to shield your siding, plants, walls and bushes.

B. Removing Your Old Roofing: All old shingles will be removed for a thorough inspection of your wood decking.

C. The Inspection: Any soft , rotted, or wet wood discovered during the inspection will be replaced to ensure the base for your roofing structure is solid. This will ensure that the shingles will remain intact. The wood sheeting will also be inspected to ensure it is correctly attached to your roof. Check to make sure the wood decking has been re-nailed and the roof fully secured.

D. Preparing the Surface of Your Roof: After the wood decking has been prepared, the drip edge is installed at all of your roof’s edges. Which is a piece of metal with a ninety-degree bend to stop rain from seeping beneath your roofing material at the edges.

E. The Water and Ice Shield: Ice and water shields are specific kinds of roofing underlayment to prevent any water leaks in your roof because it can stick to your wood decking. These installation materials need to be at all roof penetrations such as roof connections, pipe flanges and chimneys in addition to the bottom of your roof. If not applied, water and ice will penetrate your wood decking which can result in cracks that will weaken the structure.

After the shield has been applied, your roof will be covered using roofing felt that will prevent your new shingles from sticking to the wood..

F. Installation of Your New Roofing Materials: When the preparation steps have been completed, the roofer will begin at the bottom of the roof and work their way up. Specific steps are followed while installing ridge capping, ridge vents and counter flashing when needed.

G. Cleaning Up the Site: On a daily basis, the job site should be cleaned up. The best professional roofers believe the site should be cleaner when they leave then it was when they arrived.

H. The Final Inspection: Once your roofing replacement is complete, a meticulous inspection will be performed to make certain your roof was installed properly and that it meets with your approval.

Contact The Roofing Inspector for a free Inspection!