How to Replace a Roof

Steel Roofing Repairs, Replace a Tile, and Flat Roof Repair Company

Each type of roofing material has its own criteria for installation, from roof surface prep to specific flashings. There is one commonality, however, to replacing all roofing systems - we always start with a bare deck.

In the past and almost everywhere, it was allowed to lay new roofs over the top of the old roofing materials, avoiding (deferring) the expense of tear off and disposal. Nowadays, we run across roofs with up to four layers as a result of this practice. We see everything from structural damage from tons of shingles overlaid on the deck, to excessive dry rot as a result of moisture getting trapped and seeping between old asphalt and wood shingle layers for decades.

There are still many building department jurisdictions that allow a second layer, but in these cases we know better and will not compromise your warranty or our quality of installation by offering to "save" a few bucks by "scrimping" on your job. While some investors and those looking to shave profit off every line item consider it business as usual, we simply will not compromise our integrity by skirting the ethics or legality in our workmanship.

Once we are down to the original deck sheathing, we can determine or verify exactly what needs to be repaired or flashed before the new roof is installed. In the case of flat roofs, we have made sure that insulation codes can be adhered to (some structures require deck insulation rather than structural insulation per code, which can dramatically increase the cost of a project), and that the slope and drainage requirements of the material to be installed can be met (taper systems are often needed on old low slope roofs).

In the case of replacing TLock wind resistant shingles, asphalt 3 tab, or dimensional architectural shingle roofs, we will always install ice and water shield per IBC codes on all the eaves, regardless of what the local roofing code requires. It's ironic, particularly in Colorado, that neighboring jurisdictions that have virtually the same weather can have disparate code requirements on roofing. Ice and water shield is a true breakthrough product that in our opinion should be used appropriately on every shingle roof in Colorado. By the way, our insistence on the use of this product saves us immeasurable time and preserves your customer satisfaction on service calls and eave damage.

If replacing a steel or tile roof, we insist on using high temperature ice and water shield (membrane underlayment) on the entire surface. This item exceeds code in virtually every circumstance, and adds to our bid prices, but in our experience the single greatest failure of a "permanent" roofing solution like metal or tile is the underlayement. #30 felt paper is most often specified, though recently synthetic underlayments have increased in popularity. Regardless of the product, unless it is the highest quality underlayment, there is a chance of premature, expensive failure or leakage of the roof, which costs almost as much to repair as it does to replace. To find out more about how we exceed industry standards, just call or email.