Roofing services can manage the entire roof installation process, including selecting materials that fit your goals, architecture and budget. They also provide safety equipment and will ensure the job is done correctly to protect your home, garden and surrounding property.
They will cover sensitive areas with tarps and position garbage cans to catch stray nails. They will also clean up debris and complete a final inspection to check for compliance with building codes. Contact Boston Roofing CO for professional help.
A new roof is an excellent way to protect your home and improve its design aesthetics. While a roofing installation is an involved process that involves the work of several experts, homeowners can prepare in various ways to ensure the job goes as smoothly as possible.
One of the first things a homeowner should do is clear the attic. Even conscientious roofers will kick up a significant amount of dust while they are working, and you don’t want your valuables to get dirty. It is a good idea to move any items that are stored in the attic and to cover them with plastic sheets or drop cloths.
Another thing to do is clean up the yard and patio. Ensure there is at least 15 feet of clearance all the way around your house, and remove any outdoor furniture or lawn ornaments. This will allow the roofers to easily walk past these items without tripping on them or having them fall and become damaged.
It’s also a good idea to have kids and pets stay elsewhere during the roofing process. The noise and vibrations associated with a new roof can be disruptive to children’s sleep schedules, and it is safer for them to stay with friends or family members who can keep an eye on them and take care of them until the job is complete.
Finally, it’s a good idea to look at the weeklong forecast and try to schedule the roofing process during cool weather. This will allow the roofers to finish their work before temperatures start rising in the afternoon, which can make hot work uncomfortable for them. It will also help them avoid the risk of rain, which can interfere with their work and cause delays.
Underlayment
A layer of underlayment is installed over the roof deck to provide an extra protective barrier against water and ice. This is also an important step in making sure the roof meets local building codes and shingle manufacturers’ warranties.
A few different types of underlayment are available, including asphalt-saturated felt, sheathing paper, and synthetic materials. Owens Corning and Henry are a couple of brands that offer long-term warranties for their underlayment products. Felt underlayment is usually made from recycled materials, providing basic moisture resistance and sound absorption. You can also choose a heavier felt option for additional insulation and fire resistance.
Most roofing companies prefer to use self-adhesive underlayment, as it requires less labor than shingle installation and is easier for the roofers to work with. The adhesive on the back of the underlayment makes it easy to adhere to the roof deck, creating a waterproof seal.
Once the underlayment is in place, you can start installing your new roof materials. For shingles, the roofers will start with the bottom row and stagger each one as they go up to ensure that the shingle seams don’t leak. They will also install a drip edge along the sides of the roof, which helps prevent water from running directly down the fascia boards and into your home.
Some houses may have a valley where the roof slopes meet, which needs to be waterproofed as well. These areas are especially prone to leaks, so it’s important that the underlayment and sheathing is properly installed.
Shingles
The shingles are the outer layer of your roof, covering the roof deck and protecting your home from rain, hail, and sunlight. They can be made of wood, asphalt, clay, or slate. The shingle is a flat, rectangular piece of material that’s designed to be overlapped in a series of courses. Each shingle is covered with a variety of materials, including colored granules that reflect the sun’s heat, or black streaks to reduce thermal transfer.
When installing shingles, always use proper nail placement to ensure your roof is secure. Nails should be positioned at the center of each shingle, with four nails per shingle (six is preferred in regions with heavy wind).
Start by nailing down the first row, known as a starter course, along the eaves. This layer protects the underlayment and ties together the first full course of shingles. The starter course should overhang the sides and leading edge of the roof by about 1/2″.
For the second course, position a new shingle in place so that it is offset by 1/2 tab from the shingle below it. On the sides of each shingle, there are little cuts, which you can bend upward to help “butt” it against the shingle below. Also, there is usually a line on the top of each shingle that you can use to align it with the previous one.
Continue laying the rest of the shingles, working left to right across the roof and snapping horizontal chalk lines for straight rows. When the shingle is in place, nail it down using 4-6 nails per shingle as recommended by the manufacturer. Be sure to check the shingle’s warranty to make sure you’re following the appropriate installation guidelines.
Flashing
Flashing is a layer of durable material that reinforces the weakest parts of a roof system. Without it, water could easily seep beneath the shingles and into the home. Water damage can result in rot, mildew, mold, and pest infestation. Flashing is made of pliable, corrosion-resistant metal that can be bent into place to cover gaps in the roofing system.
Most flashing is installed over areas where roof leaks are most likely to occur, such as the roof valleys and any protrusions from the roof like chimneys, vents, and skylights. Roof flashing is typically made of galvanized steel, which means it has been coated with zinc to prevent rusting. When installing roof flashing, a layer of roofing sealant is first applied to help create a watertight barrier.
There are many different types of flashing. Some are designed for specific areas of the roof. For example, chimney flashing is a two-part flashing unit that includes base flashing and counter flashing. The base flashing covers the bottom of the chimney, while the counter flashing is placed above it. This prevents water from flowing down the chimney into the house. Other types of flashing include step flashing, which is a series of short pieces of flashing that are installed to overlap the flashing course below it, and sill flashing, which is concealed under windows and doors.
While it is possible to do a repair on your own, roof flashing should always be handled by professional roofing contractors. The process is complex, and even the best flashing can be damaged by improper installation or extreme weather conditions. The weight of someone standing on roof flashing can also cause it to break or deform.
Ventilation
Ventilation is a key part of any roof. Without ventilation, the attic can get hot and trap heat inside your home, causing your air conditioning to work harder to keep your house cool. Proper ventilation allows the hot attic air to escape, and cooler, fresh air to enter through intake vents in your soffits or eaves. This keeps your attic and your entire house cooler in the summer, saving you energy costs.
Moreover, it prevents the buildup of moisture in your crawl spaces and attic space. When warm air from occupied spaces migrates to the attic, it can come into contact with cold ceiling sheathing and cause condensation that can result in mold growth. Without proper ventilation, this moisture can soak into the insulation and drywall, leading to costly water damage in your home.
Roof ventilation also works to lower the attic temperature in the summer, which can help prevent the formation of ice dams in the winter. In addition, ventilation can also improve the air quality in your home by removing the pollen, dust, and other contaminants that can accumulate in the attic space.
There are several types of ventilation systems that can be used during your roofing installation, including roof ridge vents and soffit vents. The roof ridge vents are placed along the ridge line and function to exhause out hot attic air, while the soffit vents provide the intake for fresh air. Other forms of exhaust vents include gable vents, roof louvers, and power attic ventilators, which use motors to remove the air from your attic. Other intake vents are turtle vents, air hawks, and mushroom vents. They are placed on the soffit area of your roof with a wide open space and work similarly to other exhaust vents in the same way that they draw air in.