Questions and Answers
Roofing using a nail gun or hand nailing?
Roofing using a nail gun or hand nailing, which is the best way to install a roof? This question can be argued both ways and both can be correct. The simple answer is...It all depends on the man or woman holding the hammer or air gun and how they use it. ...
Q & A - Do I Need Tar Paper Under My Shingles?
Is tar paper (felt) needed under asphalt shingles? Do I need tar paper under my asphalt shingles? AskARoofer was asked this question a while back by a woman and this question comes up very often. It seems this lady’s house was recently purchased and after the first few spots of winter ...
Roofing Your House Yourself - Is it Worth the Risk?
Roofing your house can be one of the hardest and most dangerous home improvements to DIY. Roofing may be on the list of many folks whose roof is old, tired and probably won’t make it another year. With the high cost of roofing, some people think about doing the roof themselves. ...
Q & A - Repairing a Leaking Skylight
There are yellow water stains on the ceiling, is it because of my leaky skylight? Elizabeth asked, "I have yellow water staining the ceiling near a recessed light. I had a roofer look at my roof and he said the roof was ok. He suggested to “boot insulate” around my six ...
Q & A - Roof Trusses
Our loft conversion requires changing the pitch of the roof, can my roofer do that or does someone else need to be hired? Nathan asked, "We are converting our loft into two bedrooms but have to change the pitch of the roof to accommodate this. The person doing our roof says ...
Q&A - How to Find a Leak on My Roof
Is there a way to find a roof leak before it streams into my home? Do you have a leaky roof? While we recommend having a roofing profesional come out to inspect your roof, here is a tip on finding a leak. Access the roof in the area of the leak and ...
Q & A - Ridge Caps Facing the Prevailing Winds
Lucy from Illinois asked "For ridge shingles, how should the shingle overlap be oriented to the prevailing winds?" I am not sure what type of products you are using, but today most of the better-designed ridge caps have a sealant on the underside to resist high wind blow-offs. They are commonly ...
Q & A - Roofs and Party Walls
I had my roof done and now there's a leak near my neighbor's adjoining wall, what do I do? Keith from Maryland asked, "Soon after I had a roof done I developed a leak near my neighbor's adjoining wall. The contractor said that the wind blew behind the siding. Now my ...
Q&A - Cedar Shingles on Walls?
Can cedar shingles be used as an exterior wall covering? Cedar sidewall is what we called the application of cedar shingles as an exterior wall covering. The shingles can be used as an accent with fancy butts or straight cut as shown here to cover the entire wall. For many years ...
Q & A - Asphalt Shingles, Do They Really Last a Lifetime?
Steve asked, "How long do those lifetime shingles last?" I get this question asked many times. The answer is not so easy to give because there really are so many variables that affect the performance of asphalt shingles. I know that’s not what you want to hear Steve, but it is ...
