Is the roofer offering a warranty on any future leaks?
Is this a steep roof?
Is this a low sloped roof?

 

Hi Redline,

Yes, the roofer does guarantee the work. The company has been a local company for a long time. I've also gone and looked at other homes he has roofed in the past. It looks like he does a good job.
As for the slope...here is an overhead view of my house showing the roof angle since I'm not sure how to quantify the slope.

 

Where did you get a step ladder this tall to take this photo?:jester:

 

Looks like my house. You do not have a low slope roof.

The key concern with doing a roof in the cold is the final seal of the shingles. The shingles have a sealing strip that bonds one shingle to the one above it when it gets warm. Sunlight heats the shingles and causes the seal in time.

The shingles you are getting are a good, heavy, architectural shingle. The weight of the shingle itself will hold them in place pretty well until they heat up enough to seal.

The risk is you will get a very high wind that will damage the shingle before it seals. If you have a warranty against this from the installer then you are fine. Just make sure that you save some extra shingles in case this happens. The likelihood it would is very low in my opinion. So, go ahead and install the roof.

 

BTW - I'm curious. It looks from the picture to be a newer built home. Why does it need a new roof?

 

It was built in 1991. I am replacing the original "builder's" roof. The roof shingles are cupping and tearing off. I find pieces of shingles on the ground after wind/rain storms. I heard that there was a bad batch of shingles produced by a major manufacturer around the time my house was built and that maybe I had a bad batch but I never pursued it since I never developed any leaks. I'm sure the builder put on the least expensive shingle he could--(I found out after I bought the house that the IRS was after him for significant $$$) There were no drip edges installed anywhere. I had to get him back to fix leaks around the flashing of the chimney. He even had the bathroom exhaust vents terminate in the attic space instead of directly venting them to the outside.
The roofer I hired is going to install vents thru the roof for the bathroom exhausts. He will install drip edges on all the eves and rakes and put a 6 foot ice/water sheild up from the eves. Roof paper, reflashing, etc...everything that should have been done the first time.

Should I have expected better than 15 years on the original roof? I don't know the grade or make of shingle used originally. I just figured replace it now before it becomes an bigger problem.

 

Yea, you should have gotten more than 15 years if it was installed properly. Also make sure your attic is properly vented (Ridge and soffit vents) that can also be big contributor to shingle failure.

 

The ventilation is OK. There is a ridge vent the entire length of the roof over the house. And soffit vents the entire length front and back, as well as 2 large gable vents in each gable. At least that seems to have been designed properly.
Thanks for your advice. I appreciate it.
:thumbsup:

 

I do not like to install asphalt shingles below 30 F because they become brittle when theyre that cold. This increases the risk of breakage/cracking during installation.

 

Agreed - I suspect the installer has figured that into his price and time estimates. As a DIYer I would do it when its warm because I don't like working in the cold and I do not want to deal with stiff shingles. That doesn't mean though that it cant be done.

 

Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's probably not the optimal temp. but if you get a few days of sun, it should be no problem. If he guarantees work and will not charge extra to make any necessary repairs, you should be okay. I know a guy that use to shovel snow off a roof before tearing off and putting back. You should be okay.

 

I had architectural shingles installed 2 years ago in November and had no problem. The design of the shingle being 2 and 3 actual layers and not 3 seperate tabs makes it hard for wind to lift them up. As long as their not frozen sitting outside you should be fine. Is it a roof top delivery or are they going to be carried up. Roof top causes less bending of the shingles when their so cold causing cracking.

 

I do not worry about them sealing...they will seal. But, because they are so thick AND brittle, we do not do them at those temps. LEaks from cracks in shingles may not materialize for a number of years until the asphalt weathers and opens up at those surface cracks prematurely.

That's just me though.:thumbsup:

 

we always roof all year we are roofers after all. in extreme hot or cold weather there are tricks of the trade to adapt and yes jobs do go slower. Quality is the same as is the warranty. If your job is installed by professionals need not worry.

RooferJim
Massachusetts
www.jbennetteroofing.com

 

OK....The roof went on today instead of Thursday. (The roofer decided it was too cold afterall. Here was the surprise. The original builder had put on a 15 year shingle directly onto the plywood sheathing with no paper underneath at all. No drip edges, no waterproof membrane down near the gutters, nothing. It was 3 tab shingles and nothing else. I guess I'm very luck since I only had to replace one 4x8 plyood panel that had started to delaminate/rot after 16 years. The Timberline Ultra looks great on the house. I'm a happy camper now.
Thanks to everyone who gave me advice here.
:thumbsup:

 

Felt doesnt really do anything for you after the shingles are on besides keeping sticky shingles from sticking to the deck.

 

Timberline Ultra is a great choice. I would respecfully disagree with Aaron, Felt serves as a roofs last layer of defence against wind driven rain and is also required for a class A fire rating, warranty and code complience
Those who dont use it are cheats and hacks.

"never underestimate the ingenuity of a raindrop."

RooferJim
www.jbennetteroofing.com

 

Really nice pic huh?
I got it at:
http://local.live.com/
Great site...put in your address and you have lots of different viewing options to look at. Map, 2D, 3D, etc..you can zoom in and out. I feel it is much better than Google Earth

 

Oh, we always use it, but also respectfully disagree with the hype, simply because I have torn off many asphalt shingle roofs with never a leak, and no water on the deck.

Who do we suppose lobbied for the felt requirement for Class A? I bet roofing mfgs had a bit to do with it.