Roof Repair and Replacement FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question about roofing and renovations? Check out our list of frequently asked questions below to see if we are able to answer your question. If after reading the answer, you have further questions, please feel free to contact us today to talk with one of our experts:
Common Customer Questions
All too often, roof system problems are discovered after leaking, or other serious damage occurs. Periodic (twice-a-year) inspections often can uncover cracked, warped or missing shingles; loose seams and deteriorated flashings; excessive surface granules accumulating in the gutters or downspouts; and other visible signs of roof system problems. Indoors, look for cracked paint, discolored plasterboard, and peeling wallpaper as signs of damaged roof areas.
You have two basic options: You can choose a complete replacement of the roof system, involving a tear-off of your existing roof system, or re-cover the existing roof system, involving only the installation of a new roof system. If you've already had one re-cover installed on your original roof system, check with a professional roofing contractor. In many instances, building code requirements allow no more than one roof system re-cover before a complete replacement is necessary.
Not necessarily. Leaks can result from flashings that have come loose or a section of the roof system being damaged. A complete roof system failure, however, generally is irreversible and a result of improper installation or choice of materials or the roof system installation is inappropriate for the home or building.
Most new roof systems are designed to provide useful service for about 20 years. Some roof system types, such as slate, clay tile, and certain metal (e.g., copper) systems, can last longer.
The actual roof system life span is determined by several factors, including local climate and environmental conditions, proper building and roof system design, material quality and suitability, proper application, and adequate roof maintenance.
Roofing product manufacturers offer a variety of warranties on their products. Take a close look at those warranties to see what responsibilities and financial obligations manufacturers will assume if their products fail to reach their expected lives.
Older roofing shingles and wood shakes typically have a 15 to 30 years life span depending on the quality of the shingle, the location and tree cover of your home, and how well the roof was installed originally. Direct sunlight, weather/wind, and poor roof deck ventilation are rough on a roof, particularly in a climate with average or above moisture.
Though the Certain Teed and GAF shingles we use today have lifetime warranties, they didn’t a decade ago. We tell our customers that 12 years is a good rule of thumb to go by. At that point, check for these warning signs:
If a residential roof is over 15 years old, we recommend you call us out for a look. Sometimes the damage isn’t visible to the untrained eye on the ground, and catching it early can avoid expensive interior repairs in the future.
If your gutters and downspouts are in good shape, our installers will work around them. To avoid damaging them, we don’t remove and reinstall them once your roof is complete. If your gutters are in relatively good shape but need a minor repair, we can provide this service too. True Quality Roofing Company is a full-service roofing contractor. Read more
Of course, there are variables that affect all roofing projects, like weather, whether or not there is a second layer to remove and more. But typically, True Quality Roofing installers are entirely finished with your new roof—from removing the old roof to clean up—in three or four days. Three crews are involved—roof removal, roof installation, and gutters. Roofing vendors deliver sheeting and shingles. Our trained roofing contractors stay on schedule to coincide with two or three required city inspections. It takes much coordination, and our project managers are pros.
Although it may seem advantageous to install new shingles on top of your old roof because it’s cheaper, faster, and requires less labor, you could be setting yourself up for future costs (and headaches). Unless your current roofing system is completely problem-free and only features a single layer of functioning shingles, your new roofing system may fail way too soon.
Many roofing contractors may be willing to simply nail new shingles on top of old shingles, but we always advise stripping the old materials complete off, all the way down to the deck, and then adding the new materials. Any defects, vulnerabilities, and potential problems in the plywood deck or truss system will go unnoticed unless you de-nail & re-nail.
Here are a few situations where you will need to remove the old roof before completing a reroofing service:
Shingles are designed so that the granules block the UV rays of the sun and protect the asphalt under layment. As the shingles age, the granules fall off. As the asphalt is exposed to the UV rays, they dry out and get a "potato chip" appearance as the corners start to curl up.
A shingle at the end of its life is bubbled in appearance and brittle to the touch. A 20-year shingle is warranted by the manufacturer to have a useful life, under optimal ventilation conditions, of 20 years. Hail does several things:
Good ventilation creates a cooler attic in the summer. An overheated attic, combined with moisture, can damage roof decking and shingles, causing them to distort and deteriorate prematurely. In the winter, good ventilation creates a drier attic and helps prevent ice dams.
There are several primary types of roof ventilation:
The best option for the money is a ridge vent. This vent is positioned along the entire length of the roof peak. In addition to their effectiveness, ridge vents blend in with the roofline, making them less visible from the ground. After years of testing and research, it has been proven that ridge vents with external baffles, combined with under eave venting, is the most efficient and effective system that can be installed in your home.
Waterproofing underlayment is installed under the shingles in areas where extra protection is desired. High wear areas like valleys on the roof, around dormers, rakes, eaves, and skylights are areas where an extra barrier of protection is advisable.
We use 3 different types of underlayment depending on the job. They are:
- asphalt-saturated felt
- rubberized asphalt
- non-bitumen synthetic
Damp, humid climates can encourage the growth of fungus on asphalt shingles. The result in unsightly green and black streaks that are particularly noticeable on light-colored roofs. A way to counteract this is to use shingles that are "fungus resistant." These shingles have small amounts of copper granules added to the shingle surface. The most economical fungus resistant shingle available today is a 25-year guarantee three-tab shingle.
Some roofing contractors will not re-flash the chimney unless it is specified in the contract. It is time-consuming work and takes a high degree of skill to do it correctly. A commonly heard excuse is, "why fix something that ain't broke?"
The truth is that is the chimney is not re-flashed when the roof is installed, the chances of the chimney leaking in the first three to five years is very high.
If you're going to make the investment of getting a new roof system installed on your home, ensure that it will keep you dry for years down the road. Make sure the contractor includes re- flashing the chimney in the proposal.
Not much, really. Marble-size hail can cause substantial granule loss and other shingle damage. 45+ mph winds can break the shingles seals and cause creases and tears. Wind-driven rain can cause water damage to the interior walls.
This is a major misconception of insurance claims. In fact, the majority of claims we aid in the filing are for 'Wind' damage. High winds can actually cause significant exterior damage as well as interior leaks!
A Professional Claims Specialist will perform a thorough inspection of your roof. We have a 95% success rate with insurance Claims!
If you have a 'no-claims' discount, it may be disallowed. We have yet to see a policy canceled because of a storm damage claim.
In general, you have one year from the storm date to file a claim with your insurance.
True Quality Roofing understands what the insurance companies consider the damage and how to mitigate a previously denied claim with your insurance company. We file claims for the damage we find during our inspection, not based on a previous contractor's assessment.
We work on a contingency agreement that allows us to do the work if, and only if, the insurance company approves the claim. If the claim is denied or insufficiently funded, the agreement terminates automatically. We guarantee your maximum out of pocket expense is your insurance deductible!
Yes! We've outlined some of the most important regulations when it comes to roofing in this PDF. Building Codes
Get in Touch With Our Team Today!
For more information, contact us today to speak with a True Quality Roofing team member.