How to Avoid Inaccuracy When Replacing Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt shingles are the most widely used shingles as they give a neat aesthetic look to the roof. However, just like other shingles types, asphalt shingles get damaged and need replacement as they are subject to extreme weather conditions. Usually, after a wind or hail storm, shingles get uprooted, either from the corners, or develop cracks or holes in-between. Sometimes a heavy wind storm can even get the shingle completed blown off the roof.
Similarly, with a hail storm, hail hitting the roof surface at high speeds can ship off the top layer. In such cases, the shingles need to be replaced before they can cause further damage to the roof. While anyone with the right tools can easily replace the roof shingles, it is always better to seek residential roofing contractors and get the shingles replaced carefully to avoid further damage to the roof.
When it comes to replacing asphalt shingles, few common errors can occur, which, if ignored, can incur a huge cost to get the roof repaired in the future. So take a look at some key pointers to avoid inaccuracies while replacing the shingles:
Seek Permissions and Permits for Shingles Replacement
Whether you are hiring Cincinnati professional services for roof installation or going ahead. With the replacement of asphalt shingles yourself, ensure that you seek necessary state permissions to carry on the process smoothly. When replacing the shingles by yourself, you need to apply for the permit, whereas when hiring a roofing contractor, the permit is applied for by them. This will prevent you from facing any fines and delays in completing the roof replacement process. In addition, if you sell your home, the buyer will consider these permits as proof of work being done lawfully, i.e., complying with all the building costs.
Remove Old Shingles before Installing New Shingles
Overlaying shingles on the top of the old shingles is a common error that one tends to make while replacing them. The old shingles may have blisters or gaps in between the shingles and roof, which makes the underlying layers exposed. Overlaying of shingles will make your roof appear not only unaesthetic but also simply cover up the damage instead of solving it. Avoid this by starting with a clean slate, which means you will need to tear off the old shingles before you install the new one.
Check the Underlayment
Underlayment is a water-resistant material installed on the roof deck prior to the application of the shingles. It protects against severe weather and elements though each material type provides a different degree of protection. Whether the roof has an asphalt-saturated felt, a rubberized asphalt underlayment, or non-bitumen synthetic underlayment, one needs to ensure that underlayment is done correctly at eves, protrusions, and low slopes areas before installing the shingles.
Not Using Mismatched Roofing Shingles
A common mistake is using mismatched asphalt shingles which makes the roof look uneven and incongruent. This happens when the shingles are bought from multiple suppliers and not paying close attention to which ones are being installed. One must ensure you are buying asphalt roofing manufactured by the same supplier for your project.
Checking the Nail Alignment
Each shingle comes with its own set of nails that are to be aligned as per instructions; however, some nails are faulty or not of the correct size. Avoid installing shingles with wrong nails to prevent disengaging of the shingles. Any shingle that gets improperly installed gives room to winds to cause shingles being blown off and water leakages.
Ensure Roof Sealing
Once everything is nailed down, it may appear one has conquered the final bastion, but shingles require more than just nails to stay there in place. Hence sealing is the answer, and if you forget to seal new shingles, loose shingles can catch in the wind. Sealing new shingles can be done with shingle mastic, and you should also re-seal the surrounding shingles.
Fix the Cracked Shingles
Sometimes while replacing the shingles, roof owners ignore replacing the shingles which are getting cracked. Cracked shingles are crevices for the water to pool and make the spot weak. This further leads to leakages in the roof and causes roof damage. To avoid these while replacing the asphalt shingles, ensure that you thoroughly inspect all the shingles and replace any shingle which is even slightly cracked or has holes.
The Overhang at the Eaves
While replacing the shingles, you must take care that the shingle overhang along eaves is per the required measurement. Too short overhang will cause the water to enter the roof deck and rot the structure below. On the other hand, too long of overhang will be prone to be uprooted during a storm /high winds.
Shingle overhang along the eaves should be no less than 6mm and no more than 10mm. Adding a drip edge flashing can help you to protect the edges of the deck. The flashing provides structural support to the shingle layer while stopping water or insects from entering the structure. The support to shingles keeps them from breaking or sagging.
Another way to prevent overhang at the eaves is by using the starter shingles while laying out the shingles. The starter shingles seal the first course along the eave and rake, and the next layer acts as the first line of defense against strong winds and water damage. Failure to use a starter shingle can cause water channels to develop against the lip of the shingle. When the moisture comes in contact with the below lying roof deck. It can lead to structural rotting, which can be an expensive affair to repair.
Wrapping Up
At first thought, it may appear that replacing asphalt shingles is a tedious task. However, by ensuring the pointers mentioned above are followed during the installation, you’ll have a uniform-looking roof that will stand its ground to changing weather efficiently. Replacing the asphalt shingles at the right time will save you the cost of installing a new roof, and you will easily be able to extend the life of the roof. Taking a Residential roofing company as a Cincinnati contractor’s roof replacement expertise is always suggested before starting to replace the asphalt shingles.