SAFETY

On all roofs, ladders must extend 3 feet above the roof edge and be tied-off at the gutter. On steeper roofs and multiple stories, safety gear must be installed and worn by ALL workers on the roof. This includes full body harnesses with karabiners and prussic knots.
Violation of this rule will be grounds for termination. Check each others' gear. Have your safety manual on-site at all times.

TEAR-OFF

Whenever possible, it is always preferable to throw the old roofing directly into the dumpster from the roof. When access or the steepness of the roof prevents this, all
shrubs and plants must be covered by any means possible to prevent damages. Plywood or OSB should be leaned up against exterior walls of the house to protect the siding from damages. Tarps should be spread on the ground to accept debris and make for a faster clean-up.

If plastic is used to cover plants on a sunny day it must be for a short duration since the trapped heated air can burn rhododendrons and other plants.

Gutters should be protected as much as possible during the tear off. Do not let debris build up which could bend the gutters and be careful with shovels when working near the gutters.

The work area is to be cleaned up each evening. In the event debris must stay on the ground overnight due to a problem coordinating the dumpster timing or if inclement weather made it necessary to cover up the roof first and didn't allow enough time for clean-up, please be sure there is good access to and from the house and that all walkways are free of debris and material is not going to damage plants overnight.

At the completion of the job a magnetic sweeper should be used to scour the yard for nails.

COVERING UP

The best possible way to prevent a roof from leaking during the tear-off process is to "paper" it in properly the same way roofing would be installed. Use plenty of A-11 staples to prevent wind from picking it up, and always use ASTM tar paper which is much heavier that the standard 30 lb paper, and offers much better protection during tear-off.

Check the entire roof for any rips in the tar paper. Special care should be made to insure no holes or cracks develop in the valleys since all the water from the above areas will be diverted into them.

Plumbing pipes should have small pieces of tar paper installed behind them to divert water around them. Paper should go up the sides of any skylights and at top should extend beyond the corners of the skylight similar to pan metal when reflashing.

On shake roofs it is always preferable to load the shakes out across the tar paper to hold down the paper in the case of high winds. Care should be taken not to rip the tar paper directly below a 1x4 when walking across the roof.

When it comes to covering a roof to prevent water from getting into the house, use any and all materials at your disposal. Do not worry about using too much material or equipment when covering up a roof. We can always get more paper, tarps or plastic. The important thing is that the home is watertight when we leave.

SEQUENCE & TIMING

Once a plane of roof area is torn off, it should be immediately covered. For shake roofs, old staples and nails must be hammered down and then tar paper installed as soon as possible. If some areas need 1x4 skip sheathing replaced, these should be marked with chalk. If a shake roof is being converted to composition, plywood or OSB board must be installed and then covered with tar paper before moving to the next area. Never tear off one side of a valley all the way into the valley. Once you tear-off one side to the valley you are committed and must do the other side as well so it can be properly protected. When in doubt, stop the tear off in a vertical line from gutter to ridge a few feet from the bottom of the valley.

Whenever possible, remove old step flashing from under siding. If that is not possible without damaging the siding then leave the old in place and install new step flashing on top of the old. Generally, the 4x4 metal below roof-to-wall junctions (such as below a window sash) cannot be removed without damaging the siding. During the tear-off be particularly careful not to damage this metal when the old roof is torn off.

PLYWOOD INSTALLATION
When plywood or OSB board is replaced or installed over 1x4 skip sheathing, do not worry about over-stapling the deck. Nail the hell out of it. We don't want the plywood to move after it is installed. Hit the studs vertically as well as the 1x4's horizontally. The edges of the plywood should be cut flush or slightly short of all rake edges so the drip edge metal will sit smoothly against the fascia. Paper should be cut off flush with rake edges so it won't tend to catch wind.

Obviously, plywood and OSB is to be installed horizontally (sideways) with joints staggered.

DRIP EDGE METAL

Drip edge metal should not be over-nailed. Three or four nails at most should be used. Otherwise the metal will tend to bend. Also, be careful not to nail too close to the outside of the drip edge. If the metal bends or the nail goes through the drip edge we must rip it off and do it over. The bottom of the drip edge should be cut at an angle to match the fascia's angle. At the ridge, we don't want short pieces of metal installed. Minimum should be about 3 feet on each side. Otherwise it looks like we are trying to be cheap by saving money on metal.

STEP FLASHING

When installing step flashing it should be pre-bent to enable the metal to get up under the siding. Do not smash and hammer the metal to make it fit. This can cause marks in the metal which are visible when the roof is completed and are a nightmare to fix. You can hit the edge of the metal to make it go in toward the siding or use a small piece of wood as a buffer.

PAN METAL  (Above chimneys and skylights)

The flashing on the tops of skylights & chimneys must go all the way to the top of the curb and must extend out beyond the corners of the skylight or chimney 2-3 inches. In the bottom of the pan where the water flows out onto the roofing,  cut a small 1/2 inch cut in the metal and bend the triangle downward. This will prevent water from beading and running back under the metal toward the frame.

Underneath the pan metal it may be necessary to build up the area with composition shingles or cedar shingles so the pan metal does not dip in the middle. It should lay flat. 

VALLEYS

We always use metal "W" valleys regardless of the type of roofing installed. We even use it with 3-tab shingles. It not only looks better, but it is the best protection against damages in the future. For composition roofs, alternatives include an open valley with 90 lb down the center, a woven valley or a closed valley system. Of those methods the closed is the best, however metal will out last them all. Allow 2 inches clearance from the bottom of the "W" in the valley on each side of the ridge. Overlap valley metal a minimum of 10-12 inches depending upon pitch. The bottom of the valleys should be cut clean as they will be most visible. Any exposed edges on seams should always have the mill finish (clean edge) exposed. Make certain valleys are lined up and straight before nailing down.

RIDGE VENT SYSTEM

Ridge vents should be installed all the way across the ridge to the outside rake edge. Some roofers stop short about two feet over areas which are not insulated. Even though not necessary or functional over the outside eave, stopping short creates a ridiculous looking ridge and implies the roofer is trying to save three or four dollars on the job at the expensive of aesthetics.  It should always be smooth and even.

PATTERNS

When roofing around dormers with valleys be sure to measure the courses on each side as you get closer to the top of the valley so you can adjust the courses a little at a time to compensate for differences in exposure. Snap a line to keep the course even.

On shake roofs, measure from about 8 feet down from the ridge to end up with a 14 inch course of tar paper at top. This allows for the 10" exposure for shakes and 4" exposure for the ridge. You should be able to shorten courses to make these adjustments within 8 or more feet from the top.

Watch your nailing pattern, making sure it's even and in the nailing zone. On mansard roofs (16/12 and up) use 6 nails per shingle. Be careful not to have shiners. Make sure to offset your starter courses along the eaves.

Starter shingles should be used up the gable edges, overhanging about 3/4". When composition is installed it should be cut exactly even with the starter or slightly short of it so the edge will be clean and neat from the ground.

Always use chalk lines for the hips and ridges.

Watch the initial overhang of tar paper into the gutter to insure water drains into gutter but with enough space to allow the homeowner to clean the gutters by hand. This overhang may vary depending on type of gutter and pitch of the roof.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Remember, as we have discussed, the customer is our most valued asset and our business relies on their referrals. Please be polite, courteous and professional at all times.