Questions tagged [roofing]
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346
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How can I monitor my roof to detect roof leaks before they cause damage?
A lot of questions have been asked about how to locate a leak in a roof, but you can only locate a leak that you know exists, and the first noticeable sign that there is anything wrong might be ...
- 321
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3
answers
14k
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Should I extend a drain vent that terminates in my attic?
Recently I removed an old water heater stovepipe coming through my roof, because we moved our water heater. Right next to it was my plumbing vent pipe that I thought was associated with venting for ...
- 289
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5
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Are tin roofs "permanent"?
My house has a tin roof over a porch. The house is about one hundred years old, and the tin porch roof is original, as far as I know.
My question is whether the tin roof (which is currently in good ...
- 141
12
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8
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15k
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Should plywood be missing on my roof?
I live in Canada and I just had my roof done on my house.
I recently went in my attic and found out that some part of the roof is missing plywood :(
In the following picture, there is no nails ...
- 129
12
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5
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315k
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What tool should I use to cut metal roofing?
I'm getting ready to install metal roofing on my building project. Wee! But I'm not sure how I should cut it.
The roof is a simple gable, 20ft long, with 8ft rafters. The roofing I'm using is 3ft ...
- 11.7k
10
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7
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29k
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Should roofing nails be visible in the attic?
I have a colonial built in 1913 and I live in NYS. My roof was just completed today and I have exposed nails across the entire roof!
It was not like this before. When I asked the contractor about it, ...
- 101
10
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1
answer
819
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Is it a good idea to lay a second course of shingles over an existing shingled roof?
My shingles were a little worse for wear and I had a "friend-of-a-friend-who-used-to-be-a-roofer" come take a look at it and he said I could save some money on the demolition by just laying another ...
- 4,632
9
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1
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2k
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How far should shingles hang over the drip edge of the roof?
Is it normal for asphalt shingles to hang past the drip edge a couple of inches on the rakes of the roof?
- 101
8
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2
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1k
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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 ...
- 193
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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 ...
- 71
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1
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1k
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How to properly plug nail holes in roof shingling?
During last winter's rain storms, we had an issue with significant moisture in our attic (dripping water). Therefore, a roofing company nailed an emergency tarp to the roof to cover the affected area.
...
- 511
7
votes
6
answers
17k
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Should shingles have bubbles in a new roof?
I just had a roof repaired (shingles replaced) because of hail damage. As far as I can tell, everything looks good. Except for one section, there's what I would only describe as a large bubble.
Are ...
- 295
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1
answer
3k
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Is fiberglass showing on roof shingles an indicator of immediate repair needed?
We have a storm coming in today so I spent the day yesterday cleaning my gutters which were chocked full of debris. They also a significant amount of roof material in my gutters (my understanding is I ...
- 227
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3
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40k
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What size ceiling joists and rafters should I use for a 14' span?
I'm going to build a single story addition to my home with a width of 14ft. I plan on using ceiling joists every 16" but I'm not sure which size to get. The roof will be asphalt shingles and the attic ...
- 71
7
votes
2
answers
6k
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Can you skin over an existing roof deck that is breaking down?
Working on reshingling my roof. The roof deck turned out to be 3/8" plywood which is starting to break down due to the number of times the roof has been replaced.
The deck is not rotting out except ...
- 508
7
votes
2
answers
178
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Maintaining a Thatched Roof
Is there anything I can do to prolong the life of my thatched roof?
Should I attempt to remove moss etc?
- 171
7
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1
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How to properly seal/cover an unused chimney?
We recently replaced an ancient chimney-vented boiler with a direct-vented one. This boiler was the only thing using our chimney. The chimney is brick and sits in the center of our 120-year-old house. ...
- 8,162
6
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9
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Do I run screws through the "tops" or through the "bottoms" of the corrugated steel in roofing? [closed]
Suppose I want to cover a roof with corrugated steel sheets. Imagine a sheet laying on the roof. It will have "tops" - zones that are further from the roof surface and "bottoms" - zones that are ...
- 9,527
6
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3
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13k
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What is the lifespan of plywood as roof decking?
We have a 30 year old roof in New England, which we have begun to interview roofers for this spring/summer.
The topic of plywood has come up and 2 have said we definitely need to replace the ...
- 1,032
6
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2
answers
16k
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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 ...
- 25.8k
6
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3
answers
5k
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Is it okay to face nail the drip edge to the fascia?
A sunroom contractor is adding a screened in deck to my house. The drip edge was not delivered before the roofer installed the roof and he said that the drip edge could be installed later by lifting ...
- 3,674
6
votes
3
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19k
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What do I do with a leaky roof in the middle of January?
I removed the ceiling Sheetrock and insulation during a bathroom remodel in my master bathroom on the 2nd floor of my house. I have snow on the roof that is melting and I found two small drips coming ...
- 825
6
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3
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331
views
Can gutters be installed on top of shingles?
I saw the strangest thing in northern New York State in an area that gets a lot of snow.
Gutters were installed on top of the roof, maybe over the 4th or 5th row of shingles up from the bottom.
This ...
- 3,701
6
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2
answers
308k
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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).
...
- 3,374
6
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1
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3k
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Hangman's Noose vs Uni Knot
Is there any practical difference between the Hangman's Noose and the Uni Knot (a.k.a. Duncan loop)? The difference I see between the two is that the coils are wound inside the loop in the uni knot ...
- 189
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votes
1
answer
3k
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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 ...
- 163
6
votes
2
answers
3k
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What (animal?) made a 0.75" diameter hole through my asphalt shingles?
Something made a tidy 3/4" diameter hole through my 8-year old 3-tab composite roof shingles. (~45 deg pitch, if it matters) I suspect it was a woodpecker (they used to go at the side of the house, ...
- 163
5
votes
5
answers
2k
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How can I locate and repair a leak on a flat roof?
I recently experienced a roof leak on a heavy raining day in the east coast.
Picture 1: This is the interior ceiling.
I tore open the ceiling sheetrock and could see that water was dripping from the ...
- 91
5
votes
10
answers
92k
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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 ...
- 179
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5
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50k
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Is it normal to see nails coming through the roof decking after a new roof was installed?
Our home was built in 1954, and is a Florida ranch style home. We have about a two-foot overhanging soffit with trusses that show and with tongue and groove under whatever that’s called. Sorry, I don’...
- 51
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3
answers
49k
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How can I prevent water from getting behind the gutter?
A friend of mine is having a water problem; the water is coming down behind the gutter. It turns out the drip edge isn't covering up the gutter completely on the one side for a considerable length of ...
- 405
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3
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1k
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Are torch-on-roofs the best solution for a low pitched roof?
I have a low pitched metal roof and it is leaking.
The roofer I spoke with says to stop the leaks they need to tear the metal off, put down plywood, and use a torch-on-roof system of roofing. He said ...
5
votes
2
answers
393
views
Replacing damaged shingles
In a recent storm a few shingles were damaged and need to be replaced, so I figured this might be a good question for the site.
What's the proper procedure for replacing single asphalt shingles?
- 131k
5
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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?
- 153
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2
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What advantages do ridge cap shingles have over modified 3-tab shingles?
I'm preparing to re shingle my roof. I'm not sure if I should use ridge cap shingles,
or simply cut up 3-tab shingles for the ridge cap.
Do ridge cap shingles have any advantages over modified ...
- 131k
5
votes
3
answers
9k
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Can Rhino lining be used for a residential roof?
Is Rhino® lining a viable option for a residential roof? I know for many people it is cost prohibitive, are there any regulations concerning polyurethane coatings on a roof? Has this been done before?
- 153
4
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5
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What are the pros and cons of Owens Corning shingles vs. GAF shingles?
I am looking to get a new roof for my house. I have taken quotes from about 4 contractors and 3 of them are suggesting I should use GAF shingles. 1 suggests that Owens Corning is a better shingle and ...
- 115
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3
answers
4k
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What could cause the water from melting snow off a roof to be yellow?
I noticed today that there is a nice long yellow line of snow below my eaves. It stretches for several yards, and seems to have been caused by the melt coming from our roof. Aside from thousands of ...
- 253
4
votes
2
answers
298
views
Is a cracked roof title considered cosmetic
I'm in the inspection step when buying a new property. The inspector found a few cracks on the roof. It's a tile roof and is 23 years old. A roof leak was found but it only reaches the attic... How ...
- 41
4
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3
answers
7k
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Ok to roof-over in the rain?
A buddy and I will be installing a second layer of composite shingles over the old ones already on my roof. Should we consider doing any of this in the rain?
- 193
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Should a roof drip edge be placed above or below roofing felt?
I'm confused... I've seen two conflicting sources of information describing how a roof drip edge should be installed.
One source (Ask This Old House), states that a drip edge should be placed above ...
- 8,021
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3
answers
23k
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How should I insulate a bedroom in the attic?
After doing lots of research and reading lots of different opinions I would like to know what is the best way to insulate and vent a 1 1/2 story house that has a bedroom upstairs in the roof/attic ...
- 444
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3
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9k
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Is it necessary to use ceiling joists (ties) with conventional rafters?
I am going to be putting up an outbuilding with rafters. Is it necessary to use a ceiling joist with conventional rafters?
This picture shows that I need one (https://www.carpentry-pro-framer.com/...
4
votes
1
answer
518
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How do I reduce extreme wind noise in a standing seam roof?
I've noted lots of wind noise from our standing seam panels, a roaring in the metal 'pans' forming the long panels that is, at times, deafening. My question: is there a reasonably effective solution?
...
- 47
3
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6
answers
3k
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What is this architectural shingle condition called? Is it reparable?
I have architectural shingles. I noticed on a few of them that the some of the lower portions of the top layer of the shingle are loose, as shown.
What is this condition called? If I search for ...
- 209
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votes
3
answers
947
views
Small amounts of moss on asphalt shingles?
What's the best way to remove moss from asphalt shingles?
- 8,021
3
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2
answers
26k
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Ways to Safely Repair 45 Degree Pitched Roof without Jacks?
What methods can a person use to safely repair a roof that is slanted at a 45 degree (or greater) angle without using Roof Jacks? Is there anyway it is possible for a person to safely walk on such a ...
- 33
3
votes
1
answer
241
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How do I install roofing material on a roof with a ridge vent?
I am helping a friend repair his roof; his roof has a roof vent at the peak of the roof. I've done a few roofs, but never with a roof vent. So any help in how you roof with a roof vent? I assume ...
- 405
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1
answer
10k
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Can I use roofing nails to attach OSB/plywood to studs?
My roofing nails are for nailing asphalt shingles to roof underlay boards.
I have been using 2.5 inch nails to nail external wall OSBs to the studs. I have been contemplating using the excess roofing ...
- 327
3
votes
3
answers
63k
views
How do I finish a ridge cap?
I've installed the ridge cap, using modified 3 tab shingles.
I've installed the ridge cap all the way to the other end of the ridge, but I'm not quite sure what to do now.
The next shingle will be ...
- 131k