For questions regarding the roof of a home or other structure in general, including roofing types, installation, maintenance and repair, upgrades, venting, and potential problems.
4
votes
6answers
4k views
Is a roof made out of glass viable?
I have thought about that if I am ever going to build a single floor house this is what I would do. I would make the whole roof out of glass (like a greenhouse). This glass roof would be made out of ...
4
votes
2answers
928 views
What are the pros/cons of Ondura for roofing?
I came across Ondura in Lowes this morning and had never heard of it. It looks pretty slick. Does anyone have experience with it to share? I found no matches when searching here and was sort of ...
5
votes
2answers
140 views
When is it time to replace the roof?
I've read several some of the guides out there (examples here and here) on this topic. I've found a shingle in the yard a couple times (after heavy wind/rain), and at times I've seen a few granules ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
How to remove moss from my roof?
My roof seems to be growing moss and I'd like to remove it. I did some research and it looks like the solution is to mix water and bleach, spray the mix on the moss and then scrub the moss off about ...
5
votes
3answers
148 views
How can I add insulation to my roof?
I have an old 1930's house, the upstairs of which is in the pitched roof space.
I've just checked and it has no insulation what-so-ever up there, so it is very much the same temperature as a loft at ...
2
votes
4answers
429 views
My house is nearing 20 years, what will break soon?
Okay, I recently learned that most appliances/things start breaking once the house reaches around 20 years. I'm running 19 now.
From what I have heard, roof (although mine is apparently a 30 year ...
13
votes
6answers
4k views
What are the pros and cons of steel vs. aluminum metal roofing?
I'm considering a new roof for my suburban home. The home is about fourteen years old and the shingles are in so-so shape. We have had two leaks already and I've been told that means it is a good ...
3
votes
2answers
79 views
Should I paint wood in a roof that is not directly exposed to the outside?
I'm currently in the process of replacing the roof of a room. This room was originally a balcony, so has never been part of the main house. The roof that was removed had wood beams with wood ...
4
votes
1answer
111 views
How do I seal a leaky roof and repair the minor ceiling damage it caused?
We recently had some very heavy rains and during the worst of it we had some leaks. When I noticed the problem, I went into my attic and found out that the leak was coming from around a vent in the ...
2
votes
1answer
289 views
How can I build a temporary support for rafters?
I have a hipped roof with 5.5 metre common rafters supported mid span by strutted purlins. The rafters, and below them the ceiling joists, are trimmed around a double flue chimney breast at the flank ...
2
votes
2answers
390 views
How do I build a Gambrel roof?
We would like to put a Gambrel Roof on a 32 x 32 log cabin we're building but I don't know the formula or how to build the Gambrel roof. Please help
We're building this cabin ourselves and love the ...
5
votes
1answer
105 views
Will combining roof venting systems cause short cycling?
I'm looking into buying a new house here in Wisconsin that has soffit vents, ridge vents and some additional static roof vents installed. However, when the home inspector came through he said that ...
5
votes
1answer
1k views
Can a gambrel roof have outer instead of inner supports?
I have built some of the "arches" for a gambrel roof, I know support is needed so the roof doesn't collapse. Is it reasonable to run twin metal straps around the roofing diagonally on the outside for ...
1
vote
1answer
76 views
Why am I having an attic ventilation problem this year when I didn't last year?
This winter in the attic I noticed ice on the roofing nails. Obviously warm moist air condensed and then froze on the cold nails. When the weather broke and warmed up a bit, I was back up in the attic ...
3
votes
3answers
146 views
Can you cap a chimney to reduce moisture and still use the chimney with a gas fire?
Or does capping a chimney always remove the ability to use a fire ?
1
vote
1answer
171 views
Can I use a threaded rod for a rafter tie?
Long story short: I am working on a 1960's house with no rafter ties. The rafters themselves are now attached with screws and strong-ties (previously just double nailed!) but I don't have faith in the ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
What is the minimum roof slope to accommodate rainwater drainage?
I have a patio with a 13ft(4m) by 26ft (8m) Roof, the slope runs vertically down the short (13ft) side.. and the height difference from the high point to the low point is only about 10in (25cm).
...
6
votes
2answers
165 views
How much ventilation do I need on a small roof?
This small building has a footprint of 10' x 12' with a gable roof (sideways, so the gables are 10' apart). Slope is 4:12, so the peak is only 2' above the walls. My ridge isn't vented, so I'll be ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Can I make the contractor redo a roofing job because he didn't replace delaminated plywood?
My wife and I recently moved into our first home. It's a raised ranch in CT that was built in 1967. I've been doing a lot of "refreshing" myself inside; however, I hired a roofing contractor to ...
3
votes
2answers
272 views
What is the method to seal a concrete roof?
We are staying in a home which has a concrete roof. Now we are facing leakage in the roof during rainy seasons. What do we have to do? How do we protect the roof from leaks?
6
votes
1answer
416 views
Venting the attic space during summer to cool the house
The air in my attic gets superheated during summer, from the sun baking the (clay? terracotta?) roof tiles (I live in Sydney, Australia).
I have good ceiling insulation, and even put in some sarking ...
4
votes
3answers
8k views
How do I find the source of the water leaking through the ceiling?
I live in Minnesota in a single story rambler with full basement. In an upstairs corner bedroom I started noticing some water leaking in the closet ceiling a week or two ago (picture is current, it ...
3
votes
1answer
188 views
How much sag on a roof is acceptable?
I have minor sagging of my roof plywood, 3/8" thick, placed on trusses 24" apart. Is there an amount of sag that is technically okay? I could not find anything on the APA website. I am not worried ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
What should I do about water dripping into my smoke detector from the attic after a heavy rain?
I live in the Midwest of the United States, and we not-too-rarely get a large amount of rain coming down at one time both in the spring and sometimes in the fall. Last night was no different (aside ...
3
votes
6answers
2k views
Would putting a sprinkler on my roof help cool my home?
Anyone ever put a sprinkler on your roof to help out your A/C on unusually hot days? Just wondering if it helps.
6
votes
2answers
568 views
How is installing roof sheathing horizontally stronger than vertically?
Prompted by a comment in this answer:
What is better for a roof, plywood or OSB?
Why is it stronger to install roof sheathing horizontally? Yes, it ties in more rafters, but in what manner is that ...
5
votes
2answers
215 views
How do I temporarily cover a hole in my roof?
What is the best way to temporarily patch my roof?
Tomorrow I'm going to be taking two chimneys out of my house. They are both brick and mortar chimneys. Both of them stick out the middle of my roof ...
5
votes
2answers
438 views
What are the differences between hot and cold roof systems?
Can someone explain the differences, pros and cons of a hot roof vs a cold roof?
I would like to vault a ceiling in an addition off of our family room, taking the drywall all the way up to the roof ...
2
votes
3answers
288 views
How can I seal around this pipe on my roof?
I have a PVC furnace exhaust pipe coming out through my roof. Unfortunately, the guy who installed it used the wrong size flange. So instead of the rubber rising upwards against the pipe, it is sunken ...
12
votes
6answers
4k views
What is better for a roof, plywood or OSB?
While watching the builders next door do their thing, I became curious with their technique to install plywood on edges neighboring the next townhouse, and OSB for the rest (which for these narrow ...
1
vote
2answers
478 views
Exhaust fixture for venting bathroom fan through roof
I'm planning to install a roof vent for a bathroom exhaust fan I'm putting in. I'm thinking about using one of these:
but I was wondering if I need to worry about it getting blocked by ice or snow? ...
7
votes
3answers
5k views
Why is water leaking near my bathroom's exhaust fan?
This weekend when the snow started melting on my roof, I noticed a small water spot developing around all three bathroom exhaust fans in my house. I'm guessing the water leaked in around the exhaust ...
2
votes
2answers
339 views
How do I set up drains for a flat roof?
In the house I'm building, I will be using a flat roof with a parapet around it. The total area will be around 120 sq meter and the roof will be a concrete slab (at least 8 cm).
What is the best way ...
3
votes
1answer
206 views
Can you have different types of vents on a single roof?
The attic of my house has serious ventilation issue and the sheathing becomes rotten. The roofing contractor suggests me to replace the rotten sheathing and install some ridge vent. His plan will ...
7
votes
7answers
1k views
Should I replace my roof or just fix it?
Has anyone done their roof by themselves?
I have a long term plan of building upwards (a second floor on top of my 1939 Cape Cod). Problem is I may not be able to do this right now but my old roof ...
9
votes
2answers
548 views
Should we replace shingles that are curling and losing the asphalt coating before winter hits?
I don't know how long ago this roof was shingled, but we've noticed that the asphalt shingles, in two patches, have begun to curl and lose their grit.
Even after a late summer of fierce rain, at ...
2
votes
3answers
149 views
How to address mold/moss on newer roof?
I have an old house with a new(er) installed roof shingle that's about 5 years old. In removing leaves from the gutter today, I noticed green moss? mold? around some of the areas close to the house. A ...
3
votes
2answers
136 views
What limits the number of skylights you can put in a room?
I am thinking of putting skylights in my kitchen between the trusses in the attic. Let's say my kitchen is below 5 trusses, giving me 4 spaces where I can put a skylight. Is there any structural ...
7
votes
1answer
194 views
Cladding removed from sides of dormer, should it be covered if not being replaced for a week?
I'm having all of the soffits, fascias & guttering replaced along with cladding to the sides of upstairs dormer windows. The upstairs windows look like this picture:
The guy doing the work ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
How do I repair/reattach downspout and gutter after snow/ice damage?
We've had a heavy dose of snow here in the Boston area it has taken a toll on our gutters and downspouts. The downspout at the rear of my house filled with ice and pulled away from the elbow that ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
Does water dripping through my soffit indicate a problem?
When it rains, water drips through the soffit and along the inside face of the fascia. This picture shows the water dripping through, but when it rains harder sometimes there's more:
My landlord ...
3
votes
1answer
97 views
Should I have my old ceiling vacuumed before installing insulation?
My house (built about 1890) has no insulation in the roof and so I plan to put in insulating batts. There is a lot of old dust and a few possum droppings up there, and I have heard that the dust can ...
2
votes
2answers
237 views
Is a thick, unvented hot roof a good candidate for spray foam?
Upon removing some drywall from an unvented hot roof I noticed two serious issues:
1) The roof sheathing is not a taped or sealed ply but a 2x8 T&G
2) There is no vapor barrier and the cavity ...
5
votes
1answer
520 views
How can I patch holes in the roof left by satellite dish removal?
My house came with 2 satellite dishes mounted to the roof around the same place. I've never used them. Recently, wind managed to push them down so that one came down completely and the other was ...
4
votes
2answers
154 views
Should a vent cap be installed under all the layers of shingles, or just the top most layer?
When installing a roof cap on a roof where there are three layers of shingles, do i trim away just the first layer of shingles or should i trim away all three layers to slide the cap underneath.
2
votes
2answers
283 views
What can I do with these roof trusses to cover them up a bit?
Relating to another question about loft conversion I also want to fill up the gaps in between the trusses on which the roof tiles lie on.
So during allot of build I heard here and there that some ...
2
votes
1answer
583 views
What is the max distance between top of gutter and the roof tiles?
I am about to replace my gutters, one guide I have read say the gutter should never be more then 30mm below the bottom of the roof tiles, another says 50mm.
What is the reason for this?
What is a ...
2
votes
3answers
358 views
Is it safe to use a former furnace flue to vent my dryer through the roof?
Our dryer is located in the center of our house. The current vent situation has tubing that makes several bends between the dryer and the crawl space before hitting metal duct that takes it about 25' ...
0
votes
0answers
582 views
Is a roofing company responsible for fixing a leak and water damage 2 1/2 years after roof replacement? [closed]
I bought a new home two and a half years ago. The previous owners has the roof replaced before we closed as a condition of the sale.
Now, at the corner of the screen porch, there is a place where ...
3
votes
2answers
471 views
Should I pre-built rafter units, or build them in-place?
I'm planning a small roof - 12' x 16', gable style. Almost all the rafters will identical.
Should I build rafter units ahead of time? 2 rafters + a ceiling joist + plywood gussets. I'd make a simple ...
