Understanding The Roof Replacement Process

Every homeowner has to deal with the prospect of replacing their roof at some point. Roof replacement may be necessary because of severe damage, a natural disaster, or wear and tear. The time it takes to complete a roof replacement project depends on the size of the roof and the roofing material. A roof replacement is best done by a professional roofing service. Here are the basic stages of a roof replacement process.

Removing the Old Roof

Your roofing contractor will remove the old shingles before placing the new ones. In some cases, the professional may choose to place new roofing material over the old one. Re-roofing is only done if one layer of shingles is on the roof. 

Before re-roofing, your roofer will determine whether the weight of the new roof will put too much stress on the roof structure. They will also want to check whether the damage on the old roof can be rectified by placing a new roof on top or by replacing the roof. Sometimes minor roof damage can be corrected by re-roofing.

Although re-roofing takes a shorter period than roof replacement, removing the old roof helps the contractor inspect the wood decking and other major problems under the roof. It also creates sufficient room for a new roof.

Replacing the Old Flashing

After the old roofing is cleared, the contractor will inspect the flashing. Flashing prevents water seepage over the joints on your roof. The contractor will check the flashing at the roof's chimney, vents, and valleys. 

This inspection helps the contractor determine whether to replace the flashing around these areas. Normally, the flashing at the valleys should be replaced because it goes bad before flashing in other joints on your roof.

Getting the Roof Surface Ready

After the flashing is replaced, the next step is to prepare the surface of the roof for the new shingles. This involves drip edge and underlayment installation.

Drip edge is a non-corrosive metal installed on the edges of your roof. This metal prevents water from seeping underneath and damaging the decking. On the other hand, underlayment is a waterproof material installed between the decking and the roofing materials. It also prevents water from passing through the wood decking and damaging the roof surface.

Roof Replacement

After the surface of the roof is prepared, the contractor will install the new roof. The replacement process will vary depending on the roof you want to install. Installing asphalt shingles takes the least time as opposed to the installation of metal and slate roofing, which is labor-intensive.

After the new roof is installed, your contractor will blow off your roof to get rid of leftover debris. They will also blow out your downspouts and gutters to clear them of roofing debris. Finally, the roof replacement will be examined and approved by a building inspector.