From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein
DETROIT, June 15, 2023 ~ Some people think a roof is all about the shingles. And they couldn’t be more wrong.
Yes, shingles matter. They give a roof color and texture. They are the wear and weather surface that sheds water and helps keep out the elements. But a roof today is truly a system that includes ventilation, mechanical flashings, underlayment, eaves flashing, and other components designed and installed by trained professionals. Even the type of nails used and the amount of them matter along with a specified pattern of fastening.
Seal strips alone can make a difference. Some manufacturers have created such a strong seal strip that, in theory, you could remove the nails after the roof cures and not a single piece of material would blow off — even in high winds.
And what about starter shingles? In the words of Mike Kearns from Kearns Brothers Roofing in Livonia, this is the most important shingle you’ll never see.
PODCAST:
June 18, 2023 ~ Chuck “The Inside Guy” Breidenstein and Ken “The Outside Guy” Calverly offer the knowledge and resources you need to make the home of your dreams a reality. Catch them every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon on 760 WJR.
(CONTINUED)
The Guys hear every week from listeners who have hired roofers that slander the profession.
Companies that know only the shingle and doom the roof to early failure by neglecting the system. Shingles installed by such practitioners often fail after eight to 10 years due to improper ventilation alone.
Each roof is different based on orientation, configuration, slope, area and insulation. Attic spaces require constant intake of cool, dry, air from the lowest roof edge and exhaust of warm moist air near the roof peak.
This prevents the underside of the shingle product from baking. Hot air trapped in an attic can not only prematurely age the shingles but can cause deterioration of the roof deck and materials installed between the roof deck and the shingle.
Professional roofing companies such as Kearns, Pro Home in Ferndale, Victor’s Home Solutions in Canton, Kanga in Roseville, and Performance Remodeling in Shelby Township know the difference.
They have close ties with product manufacturers who provide ventilation requirements for various types of roofs as well as training for the personnel that will install the material.
These long-term relationships translate into systems that carry up to 50 years in labor and material warranty.
Unique to these types of companies is the fact their warranties are not pro-rated as many are. What this means to the consumer is that the roof will be repaired or replaced throughout the length of the warranty without diminished coverage. And it’s what the Guys call a “first person warranty,” where the company that installed your roof system is the only one you call for service.
Professional companies also dedicate trained crews to taking care of warranty issues in a timely fashion, knowing that a past customer is a strong referral.
Professional firms also know that roofs are most likely to fail, not in the shingle field where most of the shingles are seen, but around roof eaves and penetrations like chimneys, vent stacks and dormers.
Great roofing businesses take extra care in these areas and their staff are trained to properly install materials that will divert water away from such areas and off the roof.
***
For housing advice and more, listen to “The Inside Outside Guys” every Saturday and Sunday on 760 WJR from 10 a.m. to noon, or contact them at InsideOutsideGuys.com.
