Questions and Answers
Q & A: Thatched Cedar Shingle Roof
Justin asked, "What is the waste factor for a thatched cedar shake roof? What little I can find says it should be at least 100%, is this correct?" Thatch roofs and cedar roofs use different kinds of materials. Thatch roofs use many types of long-stemmed plants, like, wheat and water reed. ...
Q & A - Attic Ventilation Without Soffit Vents
The attic needs a balanced intake with exhaust for it to breathe properly. Tyler asked, I do not have any ventilation on the soffits of my home. Is there a roof vent that can be installed near the eave to allow air to enter my attic? Your timing is freaky. I am ...
Q & A - Should I Tear My Roof Off?
Is it better to roof over my existing roof or tear the roof off? It’s that time of year again when re-roofing is on the mind of many people. When thinking about doing an asphalt roof job, some people think they can save a few bucks by roofing over the old ...
Q & A - Cement Tile on a Mobile Home, BAD IDEA
Can I put cement tiles on a single wide mobile home and be ok? Kurt asked, "I bought a mobile home, the roof measures about 12 ft. x 68 ft. on one side and the same on the other side. I need to put new shingles on it and have ...
Q & A - Plywood Roof Decking Not Nailed Properly
Why is my plywood up off the roof deck? Jason asked, "I just got my roof done. They needed to replace some plywood around the edges. The old plywood sits mostly flat at the edges. The edges of the new plywood are not flat in places. In some places, the plywood ...
Q & A - What is Alligatoring?
Roof alligatoring occurs when a modified bituminous roof surface is cracking. What is this picture of? Is it a picture of: A very dirty window Desert Mud Leather The chocolate cake left out in the sun None of the above. Looking at this unique photo it is hard to know what exactly it is if you are not ...
Can Asphalt Shingles be Installed on Low Pitched Roofs?
Asphalt shingles can be installed down to a 2:12 pitch roof with a double layer of underlayment. Here is an example of a roof I designed where the customer wanted a larger front porch to sit and relax in the evenings. Prior to the roof, I brought in Jonus Larsen to ...
Q & A - Is My Roof Valley Installed Incorrectly?
Steve asked, "Why does my valley have two different colors on it?" WOW, that’s a roof valley you don’t see every day. What you have is an area of the roof called a valley. The shiny straight line is called a W Valley and is most likely 18 inches – 24 ...
Q & A - Dutch Gutters, Why Do My Gutters Clog?
What causes gutters to clog and how to solve this problem. I received this question a while back from an elderly man concerned about having to get up on the roof to sweep off the leaves and clean out the clogged drains many times during the year. Most Dutch gutters I ...
Q & A - Asphalt Shingle Replacement and Old Felt
Is it better to take off old felt or leave it on during a roof replacement? Pam asked, "When replacing a roof with new asphalt shingles, is it best to take off the layer of old felt with the old shingles? Is it better to lay new felt over the old ...
