Re-Roofing


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Old 11-25-06, 04:27 AM
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Talking Re-Roofing

I have a roof that is pretty decent shape. It's just old. Can I just install new shingles over old? What are the pros and cons ?
If there is an area that needs repair or has missing shingles what is the best way to treat the area?
 
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Old 11-25-06, 04:50 AM
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Re-roofing

The last part of your post is the reason you need to remove the old roof. You need to know the condition of the sheathing underneath, and removing the old roof is the only way to find out.
 
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Old 11-25-06, 05:11 AM
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If you're paying someone to do it, and you're not going to be living there by the time the roof gets replaced again, the cheapest option is to put a new roof over the old. That's about the only reason I'd put a second layer of shingles down.

That being said, I have 3 layers of shinges on my garage that are going to be a real pain for someone to remove and dispose of becuase the previous owners thought like that. I don't think most roofers *likes* putting a second layer of shingles down. IMO, it doesn't look as nice on the edges, durability is in question in my mind due to the longer nails. Also, it doesn't allow you to put down ice guard since that doesn't give you access to the sheathing.
 
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Old 11-25-06, 07:13 AM
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Fla Code

In Fla, The Building Codes Stipulate That You Can Install Shingles Over No More Than One Layer Of Any Roof Type. So If You Have Just The One Layer Of Shingles Already You Can Go Ahead And Re Roof It. If You Have Two On There....tear It Off. Not Only Is It Code, But You Will Get More Longevity Out Of The New Install With Less Leak Issues. My Theory Is If It Isn't Broke, Don't Fix It. My Advice Though Is Try Metal Roofing. In Fla, Its Sort Of Senseless To Shingle Roofs, With Our Wind Speeds Sometimes Reaching 150mph. If You Want More Bang For Your Buck, Gimme A Holler, We Do Metal Installs At Rock Bottom Pricing Per Sq. Good Luck.
PS....ROOFING OVER ROTTED WOOD IS AN ABSOLUTE NO NO. YOU HAVE TO CHECK FOR SOFT SPOTS WHEN YOUR UP THERE...SEE HOW MUCH WOOD REPLACEMENT YOU MIGHT NEED. THAT WILL HELP INDICATE WHETHER OR NOT YOU SHOULD TEAR OFF. AFTER ALL, IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN TWO AREAS OF SOFT DECKING ITS BEST TO TEAR OFF ALL EXISTING SHINGLES TO BE SURE OF THE DECKING BENEATH.
 
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Old 12-02-06, 12:22 AM
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Originally Posted by riverbend
I have a roof that is pretty decent shape. It's just old. Can I just install new shingles over old? What are the pros and cons ?
If there is an area that needs repair or has missing shingles what is the best way to treat the area?
It's in decent shape but you want to cover it? Why? Just for looks?

Roofing over an old comp roof is standard practice but not really the best application.
-The new shingles will not last as long over old shingles as they tend to heat up much more.
-The new roof won't look as good. You can always tell that it's a couple roofs.
-It's not that much cheaper then replacing the whole thing so for the cost of a tear off you get a nice new perfect application.
 
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Old 12-02-06, 03:26 PM
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Originally Posted by hbliam
Roofing over an old comp roof is standard practice but not really the best application.
I don't know if I would call it a standard practice, more like a lazy practice. I would not recommend doing that for any reason.
 
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Old 12-02-06, 05:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Hellrazor
I don't know if I would call it a standard practice, more like a lazy practice. I would not recommend doing that for any reason.
It is standard practice and has been for 75 years. I don't agree with it but some people are cheap and that's what they do. I sell roofs and have probably gone over shingles twice in 9 years. I pull alot of two and three layer roofs off though so I know someone is doing it.

Is it waterproof? Yes. Is it cheaper? Yep. Is that the bottom line for a lot of people including landlords and real estate speculators? Yep.
 
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Old 12-03-06, 09:00 AM
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I hate the practice and will not do it. We have 2 rules, no layers or 3tabs.

I've done some house inspections for friends who are looking to buy and I flag double layer roofs are as a writeoff instantly. I've annoyed more than one agent doing this.

The last place I checked was just lovely. The house had 5 different color or types of shingle. Some were metric, some were 3tab and some dimensional. Some was 2 layer and some was one. The real estate agents said 'Oh I never noticed that before..' as I told them to knock $8k off to replace the mess.
 
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Old 12-03-06, 12:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Hellrazor
I hate the practice and will not do it. We have 2 rules, no layers or 3tabs.

I've done some house inspections for friends who are looking to buy and I flag double layer roofs are as a writeoff instantly. I've annoyed more than one agent doing this.

The last place I checked was just lovely. The house had 5 different color or types of shingle. Some were metric, some were 3tab and some dimensional. Some was 2 layer and some was one. The real estate agents said 'Oh I never noticed that before..' as I told them to knock $8k off to replace the mess.
Personal preference isn't a valid reason to deem a roof defective. That wouldn't fly here. I don't like 3-tab roofs either but if the roof works it's like telling the guy he needs a new Lexus becasue you really don't like Honda's.
 
 

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