Shingle Roof Installation Process
Is it time to replace that old shingle roof? Do you have sections that are leaking on your shingle roof? We have you covered! Listed below is a detailed overview of the shingle roof installation process written for you by Steven Hardy, the owner of Atlantic Coast Contractors. Shingle roof installation is an intricate process and must be done by a professional, licensed, and competent crew. At Atlantic Coast Contractors, we strive to install every roof as if we were installing it on our very own home. Roof installation methods can vary from contractor to contractor, and the installation method can determine whether you end up with a 10 year roof or a lifetime shingle roof!
#1 (Start)
The permit will be pulled by Atlantic Coast Contractors at the appropriate building department. We will take over the entire permit process and you as the owner can sit back and rest assured that you are in good hands!
#2 (Permitting and Scheduling)
Once the permit is issued, we will schedule a convenient start date with you and prepare our material order.
#3 (The Tear Off)
The next stage is the tear off phase in which the entire roof will be removed. We will bring our 20-30 yard dump trucks to the job site and remove all of the debris and trash, typically in one day. Many roofing companies will use a roll on/dropped dumpster. This dropped dumpster can be unsightly and most likely will damage your driveway or driveway finish. And in addition to the eyesore it can complicate your home parking situation. Atlantic Coast Contractors will never leave a dumpster sitting in your driveway for days on end! During the tear off we will remove the entire roof covering and inspect the roof deck. Any rotted roof deck boards, rotted fascia boards, or rotted trusses will be removed and new wood will be re-installed. Typically, our roof replacement contracts will include a set amount of wood replacement so you do not have to worry about a hefty bill issued to you for common wood replacement during this process. We come prepared with tarps and protective materials just in case we have any unexpected weather.
#4 (Re-Nailing The Roof Deck)
Now that we have your roof down to the roof deck, it is time to start putting your roof back together! Before we do this there is a crucial step that cannot be neglected. We will re-nail your roof deck using 8d 2-1/2″ ring shank nails spaced 6″ on the edge and 6” in the field or 2 nails per board for tongue and groove roof decks. This is a very important step! Not only will this bring your current roof deck into compliance with the current building codes, but will also get you an additional credit applied to your windstorm insurance policy if it was not previously nailed to code! This nailing pattern will meet or exceed insurance company standards. Most homes built prior to August 31st 1994 will not meet these nailing requirements.
#5 (Installing The Roof Base Sheet)
Now it’s time to start installing the felt layer. The first step is to install an ASTM 226 30 lb felt to the entire roof deck. This 30 lb felt will be nailed per code with galvanized steel tin caps and 1-1/4″ ring shank nails. These tin caps will be spaced 4-6″ on the overlap seams and have 2 rows in the field that are spaced 12″ on center. All roof valleys will have a 16″ galvanized metal installed to them and nailed per code on the outside edges. Any deteriorated flashing will then be replaced using a 4”x5” “L” flashing metal and a counter flashing, either with a sealant bead, or one prepared for a stucco stop installation. A 3”x3” white galvanized drip edge metal (or special order color drip edge) will be installed along the entire perimeter of your home and nailed every 4 inches per code. All vents and lead plumbing stacks will be replaced with new ones as we will never cut corners and re-use the old ones. In addition to the tear off and 30 lb felt installation, we will install approximately 200-300 square feet of the shingles you have selected to expedite the time frame that your roof project will take. Most city building departments will allow us to call in for our tin cap inspection and our shingle in progress inspection, all in the same day. Doing this will typically reduce the installation time frame by 2 days. Now it’s time for our work to be inspected by the city building department official. They will come and inspect the tin cap, 30 lb felt installation, and the shingle in progress installation. Once these inspections are completed, we will have one final inspection left for your roof project.
#6 (Picking a shingle that is right for your roof and for your budget)
Picking a shingle for your roof will be one of the most important decisions by the owner that can make a big difference in the life of the roof. Typically, there are going to be 2 main choices of the shingle profile and style outside of special ordered neighborhood specific shingles for a home in an association.
3 Tab shingles
-or-
Architectural or Dimensional Shingles
ARCHITECTURAL OR DIMENSIONAL SHINGLES?
-ARCHITECTURAL SHINGLES
1. Architectural Shingles or also known as dimensional / laminate shingles and they differ from the traditional 3-tab asphalt shingle look which is a more plain look. They differ because the actual shingle tabs have different sizes and shapes. These tab differences give them a more “dimensional” look to them (hence the name) and can actually make a shingle roof look more like a cedar shake or slate shake roof. Architectural shingles weigh more than 3-tab shingles. They typically will weigh around 50 percent more than the standard asphalt 3-tab shingles. Because architectural shingles are thicker than 3-tab shingles they have a much longer warranty than most 3-tab shingles. Architectural shingles across the board have a minimum 30 year guarantee and are rated to resist greater speeds of wind. This is very important for a Florida home in the high velocity hurricane zone (Broward County, Miami Dade County, and Southern West Palm Beach). Although these shingle will carry a minimum of a 30 year warranty, most architectural shingles these days will have a 40 year, or even a lifetime warranty. Some of the various manufacturers that carry a lifetime warranty on your dimensional shingle of choice are GAF, Certainteed, and Owens Corning. Architectural shingles help maintain or raise the value of the home as long as they are properly installed.
-3 TAB SHINGLES
2. 3-tab shingles are not as thick as architectural shingles and almost always have a shorter term for the warranty guarantee. Because of this 3-tab shingle roofs typically will need to be replaced sooner than architectural shingle roofs. However, with many re-roofing projects, cost is big factor. This is the case especially if your roof replacement was not an anticipated cost or if your roof unexpectedly started leaking. 3 tab shingles are the most cost effective option for any roof replacement project. 3 tab shingles will typically carry a 25-35 year warranty period offered by the shingle manufacturer. Some of the various manufacturers that carry a minimum 25 warranty on your 3 tab shingle of choice are GAF, Certainteed, IKO roofing products, and Owens Corning.
OVERVIEW ON SHINGLE CHOICE
Overall, architectural shingles are a better product that perform better and are more aesthetically appealing. However, this is always a decision that ultimately must be decided by the home owner. The main reasons why 3-tab shingles are still available for purchase are because they cost less and are a great option for those with smaller budgets, they are needed as the starter row when installing a new roof, and there are many roofs that already have 3 tab shingles on them and they require repairs with the same type of shingle.
Should you need any guidance or advise regarding which shingle you should choose, please contact the owner Steven Hardy and he will be happy to give you an experienced voice to help guide you in your choice of shingle type and shingle manufacturer.
#7 (Shingle Order and Delivery)
Now that we have passed our tin cap and shingle in progress inspection with the city, it is time to start seeing those new shingles being installed to your roof! You will have already picked out a shingle type, shingle manufacturer, and picked out a color at this point. Once the tear off is completed and all inspections are passed, your shingle order will be placed either the same day or the next business day. Typically, we will not place our shingle order ahead of time because if there are any unexpected weather delays during the tear off, we cannot have the shingle order arrive before completion. The shingles will be lifted up to the roof using a boom crane and the 30 lb felt must be completed before this is done.
#8 (Installing the remainder of shingles to the roof)
Unlike a tile roof, your shingles are not completely cosmetic and do not require an engineer uplift test. Your shingles are the main defense against water intrusion and wind damage to the roof covering. Therefore, it is crucial that the shingles are installed properly by a qualified and licensed installer.
First, a starter strip that has an approved glue strip is installed at each eave of the roof. This ensures that the edge of the shingle roof will have a higher uplift resistance to wind and hurricane damage. Each individual shingle is attached using 6 total 1-1/4″ ring shank nails. The placement and depth of these nails is crucial to the life of your roof. Many sloppy installers will end up having raised nail heads, exposed nails, improper nailing pattern placement, or nail heads sunk too deep into the shingle creating a hole that water can penetrate over time. At Atlantic Coast Contractors we always follow the nailing pattern to a tee and will ensure that our nails are sunk to the proper depth, ensuring the longest lasting shingle roof that you can buy. Every overlapping shingle that connects with a roof vent or miscellaneous roof connection is sealed with an approved asphalt roofing tar, and we also seal the back side of the shingle before overlapping the next row of shingles. Once all field shingles are installed on the roof, the ridge cap shingles will be installed. These ridge cap shingles will have an approved glue strip just as the starter strip does. These will be attached with 2 nails, one on each side, and we will follow the same methods and precision that we use on the field shingles regarding the nail depth and placement.
All of our jobs are treated as if we were installing these shingles on our own home. There is no compromise in quality of work, and all jobs are personally inspected, worked on, and overseen by the owner, Steven Hardy.
#9 (Job Completion)
Now your shingle roof is all finished! We will have our final inspection from the city building department within 1-2 business days of completion and your permit will be closed out with the applicable building department. You will be watertight and will probably have the best looking roof on the block! Now you can tell your friends and family about how great of a job we did and take advantage of our referral program! For any replacement that you refer to us, once it is completed we will give you a crisp $100 bill!
I hope this detailed explanation helped answer some questions you may have had about the shingle roof installation process. If you have any question about the process or would like to get a quote on a new roof please give us a call and we would be happy to come out to your home or business and give you a free estimate!
Below are some links that you may find helpful. Feel free to visit the shingle manufacturers’ websites to gather more information on each product. Through these links you will be able to view different shingle profiles and shingle color options.
