Gerry Ray's Roofing

Shingles are designed so that the Granules block the UV rays of the sun and protect the asphalt underlayment. As the shingles age, the granules fall off over time. Once the asphalt is exposed the shingle begins to dry out and the corner of the shingles begin to curl upward. The shingle will have a cracked and brittle look to it, with many bald black spots where the granules have completely fallen out.

Ageing Asphalt

The Properties of the Asphalt layer have a great effect on granule loss because the asphalt is what bonds the granules to the shingles surface. As the asphalt deteriorates your shingle granules will start falling out at faster rate. Once this happens then little things rapidly wear your roof down ie….Hail, heavy rains, hanging up christmas lights, pressure washing your roof, birds and squirrels etc…

Choosing 30, 40, 50 Year Roof Shingles

Many roof contractors will try to up sale you to the more expensive roof shingles for two reasons.
1) Increases their profit margin.
2) The thicker 50 Year shingles look so much nicer than the 25 or 30 Year roof systems.

The important question here is, “Does the thicker 50 Year shingle lose it’s granules at a slower pace than a 30 Year shingles. It certainly is a heavier shingle with much more matting and asphalt and granules applied. But when the asphalt has reached its peak, no matter how much matting , granules or asphalt has been applied to a shingle, you are sure to start losing granules rapidly, around 25 -30 years. The 50 year warranty roof may never leak for 50 years but the granular loss would greatly affect the apperance of your roof.

If a thicker roof shingle is the look you want, then a 40-50 year roof shingle is the way to go. I guarantee you though, that you will be wanting to replace the worn out looking 50 year warranty roof at 30 years, due to it’s ugly appearance and black balding spots.

The best way to slow the granule loss process is to make sure you keep your attic space as cool as possible. An under-vented attic will speed up granule loss. Also a lighter colored shingle will not absorb the heat from the sunshine like a black or charcoal roof will. A cooler shingle equals longer roof life.

Gerry Ray’s Roofing

253-394-6687

Tacoma, WA

How do deal with a wet attic space

Recently, a homeowner had called our roofing company, with real concern over his attic space being, soaking wet to the touch. He thought maybe the roof had been installed improperly, so he requested that we come over and investigate the issue.

Arriving at his home, I had noticed a few important things. It was a newer home, 3-5 years old, and the roof pitch was fairly steep, 8/12 pitch . There was adaquate low end venting, (birdblock vents), and there appeared to be ridge venting installed.

As we had entered the attic space, it was noticeable that the underside of the plywood was wet to the touch and had been dripping for some time onto the blown in insulation. We had also noticed that it seemed a little warm in the attic space, while it was 30 degree’s outside.

We had discovered several heat sources in the attic space ie….light fixtures, waterheater vent pipe, etc….. The home owner had gotten up close to the ridge vent from inside the attic and noticed that there was no light that could be seen through the ridge vent, which he thought was a little odd.

We had decided on installing a few turbine vents along the backside of the roof line, unseen from the street. Due to the appearance of turbine vents, the inadaquate air movement in the area and the homeowners association policies, it was decided upon to install AF-50 attic vents along the back side of their roof.

Right away the homeowner had called and said he could definitely feel a temperature drop in the attic space. It is very important to try to maintain the same temperature in the attic space as the current outside temperatures.

It appears that the roofing contractor who installed the attic vents, had not cut back the plywood 2″-3″ leaving a significant air flow space which can contribute to a wet attic. When the temperatures dropped outside, the attic space remained warm and condensation began to form on the underside of the plywood.

Unfortunately the homeowners had to have a contractor suck out the wet insulation, as mildew started to form. They also had new gable vents installed at the gable walls. The homeowner had been very vigilant at keeping ahead of issues that could have became even bigger problems down the road, for instance, “Mold.”

Ventilation has such a huge impact on condensation issues. There has to be plenty of low end venting at the eaves but just as important is the upper end venting near the ridge line.

We have had several freezing days since the vents were installed and the condensation did not reappear.

If you are having similiar condensation issues, here in Western Washington, feel free to give us a call and we can diagnose the problem and find a solution.

Gerry Ray–(253) 394-6687

By: Bob Vila

A roof system is designed to shed water, but it takes the right materials and careful workmanship to build a roof that is durable and leak proof. Start with a solid deck made of plywood, OSB sheathing, or 1×6 boards; any wood that is not sound must be removed and replaced before you begin roofing.

If you live in a snowy climate, plan for an ice and water barrier, which is an asphalt-backed plastic membrane that stops leaks at the eaves. Next come asphalt paper, the drip edge, the shingles (with flashing and counter-flashing as needed), and the hip and ridge caps. All combine to make your roof impervious to water.

Roofing jobs require attention to detail. When properly installed, a quality roof can last the life of a home. Installed improperly, a roof can cause a wide range of problems.

Estimating the Project

Whether you hire out or do it yourself, the first step is to measure the roof and estimate the materials. Roof area is calculated by dividing the total area into rectangles and squares. Roofers generally add another 10 percent for simple roofs, and 15 percent for roofs with hips and valleys. The shingles themselves are sold by the “square,” which is 100-square-feet. Eighty shingles will cover one square. Make sure, however, to add the 10 to 15 percent “waste” allowance.

You’ll also need four nails per shingle (six in tornado or high wind country). These are sold by the pound. Asphalt roofing paper and eaves membrane are sold by the roll, but measured in lineal feet. Flashing can be purchased in rolls or in pre-folded squares. Valleys typically require 16-inch-wide flashing, while dormers and sidewall junctions use one 6×6 or 8×8 inch square of step flashing per course of shingles. Don’t forget to add extra shingles for hip and ridge caps, along with drip edge and ridge vent. Now you have a fairly clear idea of what your roof will cost, minus the labor.

Working From the Deck Up

Once you’ve determined that the deck is sound and well fastened, you’ll need to prep it for roofing. Think of a roof as a fish with scales, where each new layer overlaps the first to keep the water out. First comes the drip edge, which is nailed along the perimeter of the roof. Next apply an ice and water barrier membrane to overlap the drip edge. Asphalt roofing paper then covers the whole deck, followed by metal flashing in the valleys. Next come the shingles (with step flashing applied as you go around chimneys and skylights), and finally caps for the hips and ridges made with folded pieces of shingle. If you need ridge vents, put them on after the shingles but before the ridge caps, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Charting Your Course

For a clean look, it’s good to lay out your courses before you begin to shingle. Use a chalk line to mark straight lines for your courses all the way up the roof. Begin by measuring one shingle’s width up the roof at each gable end. Snap a line to join the two and proceed up the roof, snapping lines every 5 inches. This allows you to set the top edge of each shingle to the line as you go up the roof, and maintain a 5-inch shingle reveal all the way. Vertical lines spaced every 3 or 6 feet also help you to keep your tabs lined up. Start your first course with the shingle edge flush with the drip edge. As you step your courses up the roof, follow the chalk lines to make sure you are maintaining a nice, straight pattern.

Roofing and Codes

The key to a good roof is knowing the climate you live in and the subsequent roof details that are required. A building inspector or code official can tell you the required fastener spacing for your area. Ask at your lumberyard about flashing, ice and water barrier membranes, and ridge vents. As for the shingle type, most codes now require shingles that are labeled as meeting the ASTM D-3462 or ASTM D-225 standard. Color and style are, of course, up to you.

Details, Details, Details

There are many details that impact the look and performance of your roof. Shingling the valleys properly and providing adequate flashing and water shedding detail is a must. Depending on your climate and precipitation levels, side walls may need higher flashing or extra membrane protection. Chimneys, vents, and skylights must be flashed and counterflashed to keep water out. Shingle courses must be cut on an angle along roof hips. Ridges and hips must be capped to prevent water from entering where two courses or adjacent roof angles meet. Ridge vents, which allow the roof to breathe in warm weather, are recommended in many climates. Local codes will tell you how much roof venting you need.