Roofs

When we talk about roofs it is important to identify the type of roof correctly. Here are the six basic types it is important to grasp that these are architectural styles, so not all steep roofs are Mansard. Many homes have slight variations on these themes and some have several shapes on separate out buildings. Levco has dealt with everything except a Gambrel to date, but  we are only a phone call away from that. Recently we were faced with a faulty shed roof that seemed to fail in the middle as a result of folks setting asphalt shingles on too shallow of a slope. The fix was to add metal roofing. I have a situation where asphalt shingles were placed in a mansard type roof edge and they failed to stick and hold down too.

The slope or pitch of a roof is described in ( a number : 12)  so a 7:12 means for every 12″ in run it rises 7″ in elevation.

Roof Pitch Guide

The International Residential Code IRC for Idaho a low slope roof is anything under 4:12 and shingles should definitely ever be used when the pitch is 2:12 or less. With 4:12 special double underlayment is recommended. What happens is that water starts headed down the roof with gravity helping and it wicks under a poorly sealed shingle or it puddles as the snow load bends the roof down and finds all kinds of ways in. Metal roof is a solution but a “Torch On” membrane would have worked well also. Keep in mind the snow loads when considering low slope roofs from a structural perspective an overbuild of a better slope is often a viable solution.

Other common places for problems occur when a gable roof  terminates into a side of a wall. The siding is rarely flashed property ( the subject of a future blog) and the siding is too close to the roofing so water wicks up into the siding and in some cases into the home through a ceiling or recently through the head casing of a sling glass door. The good news is that when there is a problem the solution is usually obvious to the trained eye. This is where experience plays a huge role. Be sure to contact a knowledgeable contractor to find and fix your roofing problems.

Although we have focused much attention on low slope roofs, high slope roofs have their issues as well. In addition the weight of roofing materials plays a roll in the structure, I have seen many a sway back terracotta tiled roof in my day. With the new craze of DIY shows more than one bearing wall has been removed without proper supports being replaced. A vivid memory is of a garage that had been converted into a living space that I was inspecting for a potential buyer. The ceiling joists had been removed and the walls were bowing out. Another one in my neighborhood that is still for sale where the front room was vaulted by removing ceiling joists again causing a sway back roof and bowing front wall. Are there solutions to these problems? Yup, it starts with a plan and permits, often the advice given during plan review will prevent a structural failure.

Remember we now have a 2 roof maximum before you must rip off and replace here in Boise Idaho. Contact us at Levco builders for all of your remodeling needs.

Rules regarding roof replacement changed recently in Boise Idaho. We used to be allowed 3 roofs now it is 2. In other words adding a second layer of roofing is OK but it it fails then you need to strip the entire roof and start over. Levco recommends replacing the roof before it starts to leak, however, since there is no prorating the old roof there is no incentive to do it early. We are commonly asked to evaluate a roofs condition and we often provide patching services a few times before replacement is recommended. Living in a usually dry climate allows us the luxury to let a marginal roof be leak free till the big one hits. Trust me, I understand wanting to get your moneys worth. If everything looks good from the street, I rarely give my roof a second thought. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take mush of a leak to cause lots of heartache on the interior. Are your prepared financially to spring for a new roof?

new cedar shingle roof

Cedar Shingles or Shakes come in many grades and are commonly used because of the affordability and availability in the Northwest. Unfortunately, in our dry climate the natural oils in the wood dry out making them brittle and fail. Not to mention the flammability factor. One common problem is that they last longer than they should. Thirty years plus is not uncommon. In other words, (keep the water out long after they start to look bad) Insurance companies will often give a discount for not having cedar shingles. They have been forbidden in especially fire prone areas.

old cedar roof

Cedar shingles were placed over skip sheeting and (sometimes tar paper) allowed them to dry out. In fact you could easily locate a roof that you could see through from below that still keeps the water out. It was explained to me that the shingles swell up when wet and become waterproof seasonally. I have applied a Chevron Cedar Shingle Oil in the past. I do believe the oil prolonged their life, it is a temporary fix at best. I have also stuffed shingles into missing spaces for another temporary fix.

Asphalt shingles

Asphalt shingles have become the preferred roofing material in our region and also come in a variety of grades and price points. They have a guarantee for longevity (provided a certified installer does the work) and a great look. They are resistant to wind damage and go on quickly. There are three tab shingles, architectural, & presidential shingles. The classifications indicate thickness and life expectancy.  The underlayment is OSB (Oriented Strand Board) a recycled or re-purposed inexpensive product. Ridges can be vented or not, tall or not, and there is a number of ways to install the valleys as well. Do not underestimate the value of proper attic ventilation, A poorly ventilated attic can easily shorten the life expectancy of a roof.

Tired old shingles

Some basic rules in evaluating your asphalt shingles include curling , missing shingles and missing gravel, and failed roof jacks. Levco advocates a free professional inspection by our roofer which includes a “Boots on The Roof ” inspection complete with photographs for you to review. Insurance companies will cover wind damage repairs and replacement but not a warn out roof. When it is time or when you have a hunch that you might be getting close, let us evaluate your situation for a recommendation on your next roof before you have to suffer the complications involved in a roof leak. Always remember the job is not done correctly until it is flashed correctly. Flashing installation is an art form, just using what was there may doom the project to an early failure. Our roofer thinks like the rain, eats, & breaths flashing. Time and time again new roofs fail the close scrutiny of Dave.

Tired shakes & curled asphalt

NAME THIS PHOTO This photo was taken on 6-24-2011 of a local business. The roof curl is amazing, why is doesn’t leak is unknown. I liked it because there are a number of problem shown in the same shot. The first person that can name the location correctly will receive a free gift. Have fun listing all the things that need attention. Bonus prize for the best list.

Missing Bricks & Mortar

I had noticed that my chimney was in disrepair several years ago and had meant to repair it some perfect weekend. It all came to fruition Saturday, The weather was cooperating and my son and I  had time to point the existing bricks. Plus my wife was out of town. As luck would have it , she returned just as the boys started the repair project. I suppose she is getting used to our daredevil antics and didn’t have me explain why I was risking our son’s life.

names for brick placement

I was shocked when I touched the 4 bricks on the Southwest corner and they just fell out in my hands. Undaunted we prepared some  mortar and scraped out the remaining flaky mortar.

We added a cup of acrylic adhesive and wet the bricks down. We then placed the Type S mortar which is a 2-1-9 mix Cement / Lime / Sand. Probably not the perfect mix for this purpose but that is what the store had. I placed it in a piping bag designed for this purpose and squeezed the mortar between the bricks.

Repaired

I relayed the stretchers and pointed the rest. Each one was cleaned then I rinsed the chimney and packed and pointed till it looked like new again. The acrylic bonding agent should really help things stick together for years to come.

Once everything was looking back to normal we washed it down with a mild solution of Muriatic Acid and water to get the bricks cleaned up.

Eroded bricks

Chimneys deteriorate so slowly that they are hardly noticed. Once in the bay area an earthquake shook the neighborhood pretty good and one of the most significant issues was tumbling or cracked chimneys.

From the street this  one looked OK. Once viewed from on top it was clear that a real hazard existed. In addition to deteriorated mortar the actual bricks turned to powder in the elements. Always check the flashing around the chimney for a proper seal, this is  topic to discuss later but part of a proper chimney inspection that I recommend. I recently had one inspected that was hit by a fallen tree. Our local fireplace shop inspected it with special equipment to give me the confidence of third party verification.