Signs of a Bad Roof Installation: Quality Roofing for Homes and Businesses
The signs of a bad roof installation are uneven or wavy courses, missing drip edge, old or caulked flashing where new metal should be, no diverter flashing where a roof edge meets a wall, a leak or attic stain within the first rains, and on flat commercial roofs, water that stays in puddles after rain. […]
Roof Flashing Installation: The Detail That Makes a Roof Stand the Test of Time
Roof flashing installation means fitting metal (and in some places membrane) pieces wherever the roof meets a wall, changes slope or direction, or is cut open for a chimney, pipe, vent or skylight, so that water is turned back onto the roof instead of into the house. California’s residential code requires flashing at each of […]
Roof Installation Safety: Cal/OSHA Rules and a Safer, Longer-Lasting Job
Roof installation safety in California is set by Cal/OSHA: on a house with a roof slope of up to 7 in 12, roofers must be protected from falling wherever the drop is 6 feet or more, and on steeper roofs at any height, using harnesses and anchors, scaffolding, safety nets or guardrails. For the homeowner, […]
Residential and Commercial Roofing Installation: What Changes by Property
Residential and commercial roofing installation share the same basics (a permit, a sound deck, correct flashing and the manufacturer’s instructions), but they differ in almost everything else: homes are mostly steep roofs covered with shingles, tile or metal under the California Residential Code, while commercial buildings are mostly low-slope membrane roofs under the California Building […]
New Roof Insurance Discount in California: Class A Roofs and Safer from Wildfires
In California, a new roof can earn a home insurance discount through the state’s Safer from Wildfires program: a Class A fire-rated roof is one of its listed steps, and the California Department of Insurance says every action on the list qualifies for a discount. Ember-resistant vents and enclosed eaves, often handled during a roof […]
How to Choose a Roofing Material for a New Roof Installation
To choose a roofing material for a new roof, start with what the house and the address allow (the roof’s slope, how much weight the framing can carry, fire-zone and cool-roof rules, salt air or inland heat), then weigh what you want from it: solar, looks, upkeep, budget and lifespan. Asphalt shingles, clay or concrete […]
Roofing Installation Designed to Improve Durability and Performance
Roofing installation durability depends less on the brand of shingle, tile or metal than on the details under and around it: a sound, well-fastened deck, the right underlayment, complete flashing, balanced ventilation, fastening to the manufacturer’s pattern, and a covering matched to the site’s heat, wind, salt air and fire zone. The California Building Code […]
Wind-Resistant Roof Installation for Stronger, Safer Properties
A wind-resistant roof installation uses shingles or tiles rated for the wind speed at your site, fastens every piece with the right nails in the right place, secures the edges, ridges and corners where wind lifts a roof first, and ties down flashing, vents and trim. In California most of this is written into the […]
Roof Underlayment Types: The Layer That Makes a Roof Installation Last
The main roof underlayment types are asphalt-saturated organic felt (ASTM D226 and D4869), felt made with inorganic fibers (ASTM D6757), synthetic polymeric sheets that are nailed or stapled down (ASTM D8257), and self-adhering modified bitumen membranes (ASTM D1970). The California Residential Code lists which of them each roof covering may use and how they must […]
How to Prepare for Roof Installation: A Smooth and Efficient Job
How to prepare for roof installation: settle the product, the permit and the start date with your roofer, clear the driveway and the ground along the walls, take fragile things off the walls and cover what is stored in the attic, and plan for noise, pets and children on the work days. A prepared house […]