Roof Replacement Service
Your choice of roof replacement options often depends on your locality and your personal taste. For example, metal roofing is a standard selection in some regions due to its fire resistance. In contrast, the predominant home styles in other areas might call for a Spanish-influenced tile tool. Roof pitch (angle) also affects the roofing materials you can use. For example, wood shake shingles can be used for steeper-pitched roofs but are unsuitable for flatter, low-pitched roofs.
The most common choices for residential roofing include:
- Asphalt composition shingles
- Wood shakes or shingles
- Metal Roofing
- Slate roofing
- Composition slate
- Clay or ceramic tile
You might also need a permit in your state or locality to repair a roof, depending on the size of the area and the type of repairs. A permit may also be required when reroofing. When you sense that your roof is nearing the end of its useful life, brush up on these basics before soliciting bids from roofing contractors.
Understand the Roofing Process
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1.Remove all existing shingles; deposit them in a roll-off dumpster:
Damaged or old valley flashing and drip edging is also removed at this time. A good crew will use tarps to protect foundation plantings and shrubs during tear-off and will use magnetic tools to pick up nails and metal objects from the lawn.
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2.Make minor repairs on the roof if it is in good condition:
If not, replace bad wood with new plywood sheathing or 1 x 6 sheathing boards. Whichever is applicable to your type of roof.
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3.Install ice dam protection in regions that require it:
The ice guard membrane is a synthetic waterproof barrier material designed to prevent melting ice from backing up under the shingles and penetrating through the sheathing, where the moisture can cause severe damage.
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4.Lay down asphalt roofing paper over the roof sheathing:
The layer of roofing paper creates an inner barrier against water penetrating into the house. Rows of roofing paper are overlapped as they progress upward toward the peak and are normally tacked or stapled in place.
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5.Apply metal drip edging around the edge of the roof, both the eave sides and gable sides:
The metal drip edge is nailed in place over the roofing paper or ice guard.
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6.Where necessary, apply a new valley flashing along with areas where two roof planes meet:
The valley flashing is typically nailed to the roofing deck and sealed with roofing caulk.
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7.Apply the tab shingles, starting at the eaves and working upward toward the peak:
Where roof vents are being installed, tab shingles are installed starting from the bottom, moving upwards.
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8.Apply the flashing around all areas where leaks might come into the house—against the chimney, around skylights and stack vents, etc.:
Flashing installation may happen as part of the roofing installation, occurring as the rows of shingles progress upward on the roof deck.
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9.Install the ridge vent:
This continuous vent along the peak of the roof will help the air circulation in the attic space and can be integral in exhausting hot air and preventing winter ice dams. Ridge vents may not be included on older roofs, but installing them is a good idea whenever a house is re-roofed. If ridge vents are not practical, other types of roof or gable vents should be installed to provide air circulation in the attic space.
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10.Complete the final cleanup and haul the debris away:
The roofing business uses some special terminology when estimating materials for a roofing job.
Cost Considerations
How much it costs to replace a roof in your state depends on your choice of roofing materials (ranging from cheap three-tab asphalt shingles up to architectural shingles or even slate). The roofing contractor you choose, the pitch (steepness or your roof), and the square footage of your roof are other factors that affect the cost.
