Ask The Crusader!

Michael King...THE HOME IMPROVEMENT CRUSADER!

Roofs

QUESTION
The five town houses in our condo group are under one roof, with five chimneys. The chimneys are metal tubes coming through the roof. Where the roof starts, the tubes are clad in paneled wood boxes that sit on the roof, and are properly flashed and do not leak. The paneled boxes are rotting out. Who can we hire to remove the boxes and install new ones with proper flashing and proper chimney cap at the top? Can we put a brick chimney around the tubes instead of the wood box?

ANSWER
A carpenter can do this if he is not afraid of heights, can work on a roof, and knows about flashing and chimney caps. A chimney sweep also could do this- if he knows anything about carpentry. Can a brick chimney be built around the metal tube? I doubt it, because bricks would add weight to the roof. Besides, the original design was for the paneled boxes, so I would stick with them. And maybe a competent carpenter can make the paneled boxes so they will not rot out prematurely.

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Question
My roof is 17 years old. I asked a roofer to put in soffit vents and a ridge vent, and he also said I need a new roof. What should I do?

Answer
Get rid of him. Unless the roof is defective and he can prove it, the roof still has a lot of life in it. It is true that it is easier to install ridge vents when the new roof is installed and you can also install vents on the old roof also…it's just a little more work. A competent roofer can install this for you.

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Question
I need a new roof to replace the tar and gravel roof. I have two bids: One a rubber roof over tar & gravel roof…and the other a tar and gravel roof over the old one, which is much more expensive than the rubber roof. Which should I choose?

Answer
Both are good. You make the decision. Tar and gravel is an excellent, reliable roof. A rubber roof is new but proven. But it is my opinion it should be put over an old roof. Rubber roofs need to be put on bare sheathing.

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Question
I had a new roof of asphalt shingles installed 15 months ago, and I noticed a lot of gravel has appeared in my gutters. Is this normal?

Answer
Shedding of gravel is normal, especially soon after shingles are installed. Just to be on the safe side though, just check for bald or bear spots. The shedding will stop sooner or later.

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Question
Can a new layer of asphalt roof shingles be installed over a single old layer? Some of my old shingles are splitting, but are generally lying flat. Would the layer add too much weight for the roof?

Answer
A new layer is okay over the old one. As long as the old ones are lying flat. Roofers can nail down shingles that are curling or rising up. The added weight is negligible and almost all residential buildings are over-built and can take extra load far heavier than one extra layer of shingles.

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Question
I have light gray-green growths on my asphalt shingle roof. They are not expensive, but some of my neighbors roofs are virtually covered, and
I don't want my roof to get that way. What are these growths, and how can I get rid of them? Can I power wash the roof?

Answer
Those growths are called lichens, a combination of algae and mold growing in symbiosis. Lichen grows environments, including asphalt shingles and granite. They are harmless, and can be left alone. In fact, the lichen should be left alone, because it's virtually impossible to remove from asphalt shingles. Power washing may take off the lichens but also will remove the gravel on the shingle. Poisons can kill lichens, but poisons have copper sulfate, one of the most power lethal poisons around.

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Question
My roof was badly stained with creosote when the chimney was cleaned. How can I remove it? A roofing company I called said the only cure is a new roof.

Answer
Yeah, sure a new roof solves all the problems. Try this: Make a strong solution of TSP Cleaner and water and paint this on the stain. Let it sit on the stain for several minutes (add more if it evaporates or runs down the roof), then scrub and rinse. Anything stronger could dissolve the asphaul. If this doesn't work, live with it. Weather could clean it up in a year or so. Don't bother to re-roof.

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Question
I am planning to install a new roof, and on some houses I notice that the ridge vents do not go to the end of the ridge, which to me looks funny. The roofer said he installs ridge vents about 2 feet shorter of each end to prevent leaks. Is there a way to put in a full-length ridge vent that won't leak?

Answer
Yes there is. A short ridge simply looks silly. My advice to you is to extend the vent to the full length of the ridge, and with proper end caps, there will be no leaks, except for minor ones from heavy winds, rain or snow. Or try this: simply do not cut the roof for a foot on each end, but extend the vent the full length of the ridge.

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Question
What's the difference between a regular asphalt roof shingle and a fifty-year asphalt shingle?

Answer
For starters there is no such thing as regular shingle. Asphalt shingles start at twenty-year, which is basically a standard quality roof. But the difference between a fifty-year asphalt shingle and a standard quality twenty-year shingle is the weight and thickness. The fifty-year shingle is warranted for fifty years and the twenty-year shingle is warranted for twenty years. The fifty-year costs much more and you must decide if the fifty-year shingles are worth the nominal extra cost.

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Question
My wife and I are having a new roof put on our house. The ice and water shield was put down yesterday, and today the roofer plans to attach the drip edge. Shouldn't the drip edge have gone under the ice and water shield, not over it? Does it matter!

Answer
It has been my experienced that it really doesn't matter. But this is the difference. When the drip edge is over the shields, it makes a neat edge, helps hold the edge off the shield and provides a smooth, uninterrupted surface for the shingles when the drip edge goes over the shield, which is cemented in place along the bottom edge.

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Question
While cleaning my gutters, I notice the tarpaper directly under the shingles at the roof edge is crumbling. The roof was installed in 1999, and the water is still going into the gutters without overflowing. There is no metal drip edge. Should I have a new roof?

Answer
No you don't need to replace your roof…certainly one that is only six years old. However there should be a metal drip edge, if the water is running in the gutter properly than nothing more needs to be done. To prevent further crumbling of the tarpaper, install a metal drip edge.

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Question
I am having a new roof install on my house. I was told I should have a ridge vent installed. There are already louvered vents at each end of the attic, and why is it important to ventilate the attic?

Answer
For starters, the best time to install a ridge vent is when the new roof is installed. A ridge vent will vent a larger area of the attic than the gable vents on each side. And now for the nitty gritty. Attics are vented to keep the attic temperature down so condensation and mildew wont develop. Also when the attic is cooled down, your a/c in the summer will work less and you will save on your energy bills.

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Question
The bird shingles on my roof are failing in the house I bought seventeen years ago. I got three bids for a new roof, and all three roofers said they would put the new roof over the old. Since my old shingles are brittle and breaking up, is this wise?

Answer
Putting a new layer over an old layer is acceptable, legal and desirable, but in the case of the shingles deteriorating, it would be better to take off the old just to be safe. It may cost more, but it's worth it.

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