[gramps416]

re: roofing material questions

Hello,
in approx 10 days, a company has been chosen to install a new shingle roof on my home. approx 1000 sq feet roof. I am not sure the exact number of my slope, but I am told it is an average medium slope. new vents will be installed. the old roof will be completely removed. I live in a Southern Ontario (just outside Toronto)

After a discussion when they were over to estimate the costs, method and other questions there were a few I wanted to run by here first

1. I have some ice damming issues in two different spots in my roof for a number of years. What I want to know here is how many feet up the roof in this location would someone recommend ice and water shield?? I was told that 3 feet wide strip all the way around the lower part of the roof was sufficient. is this accurate?

2. I also have a really large pine tree that overhangs on top of an area of my roof, whose pine needles and small branches fall into the gutters clogging them up at least 2 or 3 times a year. The tree is so tall, it is not possible to trim it back. The area that the tree is over is not the area with the current ice damming. The possibility of using a leaf guard for the whole roof was brought up, but I have been hearing bad thing about those in this forum.
I want to know, if it is a bad idea to install this leaf guard for even for only a 20 or 30 foot linear section under the tree, or discard the idea completely. Are there any other TIME PROVEN products that would shed off the pine needles and pine cones without problems? (ice damming in a new area of the roof) Or am I condemned to clean it several times a year (which is fine) provided that it is the best choice.

advice would be appreciated.
thanks
-gramps

 

[Slyfox]

I'm in Ohio so am only responding 'for comparison' on what works in my area.

In my area one course of ice & water shield ' approx- fourty inches' across the eaves is sufficient, as long as it's a 5/12 pitch slope or steeper.

Any low profile gutter protection works , even just the ordinary old screens.
You just want to avoid any gutter coverings that set higher than the roof eaves edge, anything that damms or slows preciptitation during it's course of run off is bad for the roof.

 

[gramps416]

so are you saying that some of the leaf guard brands cover and others don'?t
-g

 

[Scuba_Dave]

I had ice dams for the 1st time in 12 years
Several snow storms, southern sun in between I do have gutter guards - just some cheap .88 plastic ones from HD
But they work
Pine needles seem to slide into some gutter guards
I don't have any pine needles, just an Oak that holds onto some of its leaves thru into Spring

 

[Ed the Roofer]

How much of an overhang do you have on your soffits?

You need to at least install the Ice and Water Shield so that it extends a minimum of 24" past the esterior heated wall area on the roof surface.

MANY Leaf Guard protection devices leave various customers dissatisfied with the results.

There is No Magic Cure for every situation and each needs to be appraised on it's own merits.

The cheaper ones, like Scuba Dave installed, seem to work the best over-all, from my past experience, but only the style that has an additional screen filter laminated to the diagonal punch outs in the product.

This is the one available at Home Depot, called Gutter Filter.
http://www.amerimax.com/catalog/default.htm

As a real world conclusion, all gutter guard or screen protection devices installed should never mislead the consumers into believing that they Never need any cleaning. Each has some flaws and will allow some or a lot of organic debris to enter, or create problems with ice-damming and weight loosening them from their attachment from the fascia boards.

So, still use one, but expect to have to do some hose cleaning of the interior clutter that will potentially build up.

Ed

 

[gramps416]

How much of an overhang do you have on your soffits?

The soffits are approx 16" wide (measuring from brick wall)

You need to at least install the Ice and Water Shield so that it extends a minimum of 24" past the exterior heated wall area on the roof surface.

Where would the heated wall begin with such a soffit? (how long would the ice and water sheild need to be at a minimum in this case)?

MANY Leaf Guard protection devices leave various customers dissatisfied with the results.

There is No Magic Cure for every situation and each needs to be appraised on it's own merits.

The cheaper ones, like Scuba Dave installed, seem to work the best over-all, from my past experience, but only the style that has an additional screen filter laminated to the diagonal punch outs in the product.

This is the one available at Home Depot, called Gutter Filter.
http://www.amerimax.com/catalog/default.htm

As a real world conclusion, all gutter guard or screen protection devices installed should never mislead the consumers into believing that they Never need any cleaning. Each has some flaws and will allow some or a lot of organic debris to enter, or create problems with ice-damming and weight loosening them from their attachment from the fascia boards.

I am not looking for perfect solution here. It seems that cleaning is necessary no matter what is done, as you say. I would like to minimize the number of times I have to clean. My concern, is which one of those systems accelerate ice damming? If this were to happen, I think I would be better of with no protection

-gramps

 

[Ed the Roofer]

The rolls of Ice and Water Shield are 36" wide and you have a 16" overhang, until it butts up to the exterior wall. That will provide just a bit "Less Than" 20" since it is installed going up the slope of the roof, so you need MORE than one full row. You might as well have a 2nd full row installed at this time, rather than regret not doing it in the future.

I suggest the Gutter Filter that I showed in the link, which is what Scuba Dave used, except I don't think, for the price he paid, also incuded the laminated screening filter, unless the stores in his area are cheaper than mine.

Once in a while, have someone "Safely" get on the roof and look to see if the gutters are clear and if not, hose them clean from high end towards the downspout.

By the way, a properly pitched gutter with adequate locations for downspouts are the best defense against clogging in the first place, especially if you choose to install the 3" x 4" downspouts instead of the more common 2" x 3" ones.

The drop outlet and the elbows are the locations that clogs begin.

Ed