A Guide to Roofing. You can make your work much easier and save a lot of time and effort if you pay attention to these tips. When re-shingling your whole roof or just replacing a few shingles, then then this guide is for you
* Roofing can be a dangerous job. Extreme precaution should be taken while working on the roof and you should always be tied off with a safety harness. Always inform someone that you are up on a roof working or take someone along with you to help. Use a suitably ladder for the job and ensure it is locked into place and tied off before climbing it. Take extra care when working near power lines or television antennas. Never come into contact with them or allow the metal ladder to touch them. Also, ensure the roof surface is dry before you begin your job.
* There are many types, styles and sizes of asphalt shingles from which to choose from for you home. The selecting of the shingles should ideally begin with the grade and kind of shingle needed for the type of the building. You should consider the building’s purpose, the slope of the roof, the climate of the area and style, design and size of the building structure. Shingle exposure is specified by the manufacturer.
* Make any required repairs to sheathing, flashings or vents before beginning the shingling procedure. This includes driving down any loose nails or nails that are jutting out of the roof.
* Note that the shingles can be laid over any existing part of the roof. If there are more than two layers of old roofing on the building you must remove them before beginning shingling. Ensure you hammer in any loose shingles first and replace any missing shingles with new ones. Note: If planning on reselling your home the home inspector will identify the fact that there are two layers of shingles on roof which will entail a higher cost when roof needs to be re-shingled.
* If you’re applying new shingles over old wooden shingles as part of your project, nail them securely and use feathering strips for a smooth appearance. Use a small pry to pull out the nails holding the damaged shingle. Remove both the nails and the shingle.
* Next in your shingling project, measure the area of the roof in square feet. Measure one side and multiply it by the measurement of an adjacent side. E.g. a 20-foot side adjacent to a 10-foot side, which equals 200 square feet. Buy shingles by the square. Each shingle square will cater for 100 square feet. Determine the total square footage of your roof and add 10 percent for error, then purchase the square footage needed for the entire area measured.
* Next, tear the cap shingles at the top of the roof using either a claw hammer or a standard potato fork and discard them. Place new drip edges over the sides of the roof, and nail them into place with roofing nails. They can even be placed over old drip edges that are already in place. If possible, you may tear the old drip edge off in the same way you removed the cap shingles, and then attach a new one.
* These simple steps will guide you in your re-roofing and replacing of shingles.
Call the Barrie Home Inspector when buying your next property to ensure your roof is fully inspected.