Helpful Roofing Tips
Sewer stacks, or also known as plumbing boots, are one of the more common issues on a roof. You can generally spot a bad sewer stack by locating a stain on your bathroom ceiling. Most sewer stacks are flashed in with a Lead Boot, or an EPDM Boot. Here are some images of sewer stacks gone bad!
A valley is where two roof planes intersect creating a "Valley" in your roof line. There are four ways valleys are installed. One is the open valley method which consists of modified asphalt being used as a liner between the two roof sections. Application number two is the metal "W" valley which consists of either a copper liner, galvanized liner or aluminum liner. Application number three is the closed or "weaved" valley, this is one of the more common valleys used in the Midwest. This valley is done by taking the two sections of roof and running them together where one side over laps the other, depending on the pitch and size of the roof section. Application number four is the "California Valley" this method is where one side of the roof is ran over the valley with a shingle placed at an angle for the adjacent side of the roof to lap over. The most common ways to diagnose a bad valley are stains on your ceiling, missing shingles, or peeling and cracking in your modified asphalt liner. Here are some images of Valleys gone bad!
Flashings are one of the most important part of any roofing system! A bad flashing can be spotted by lifted or raised shingles near any wall or chimney. One very easy way to spot a bad flashing rusted or loose counter flashing around your chimney or walls. Flashings are very important and hard to notice if they are leaking, the reason being is that most of the time the water infiltrates the interior walls and are not able to be seen from inside of the house. This is dangerous to the home owner because it can go without being noticed for months and sometimes years before the insulation in the wall becomes so moist that it starts to mold causing a musty basement scent. Here are some images of Flashings gone bad!
A way to determine if your roof is near its very last leg of life is your over all condition of your shingles. If your once vibrantly colored shingles have started to turn black, or a light gray there is a very good chance you have degranulation. This is a phenomenon in which your shingles loose their granule base, which is what makes up over 70% of your shingles life. Some other ways to tell if your roof is near its last leg of life is lifted or curling shingles, missing shingles, and missing cap. Here are some images showing a roof that is on its last few years of life!
