ROOFING

DEFINITIONS

Pitch is simply a way to describe how steep your roof is. If someone says it is a 3/12 pitch (spoken as “three twelve pitch“), They are saying for every foot the roof extends from the peek, it drops 3 inches. So then it follows that a 4/12 pitch drops 4 inches every foot and so on. The larger the first number, the steeper it is.

WHY PITCH IS IMPORTANT

You need to know the pitch so that you can obtain the correct materials. For example, a 3/12 pitch is not very steep. Rain and snow melt are slow to drain creating standing water. Asphalt shingles will eventually leak in this application as the water will be pushed under the shingles. Products like rolled asphalt, or rubber will be required to prevent leaking. I’ve had to rebuild shallow pitched roofs because shingles were installed. That is why it is important to hire a qualified contractor.

HOW TO MEASURE PITCH

Below I have provided an illustration of the easiest way to measure the pitch for those of you who want to “do it yourself”. Measure 1 foot from the end of a level and make a mark. Hold the level to the roof and make sure it is level. Measure down from the 1 foot mark. What ever the measurement is, that is the pitch. In the illustration below, the measurement is 6 inches so it is a 6/12 pitch.

A square is a measurement. It is 10 feet by 10 feet or 100 square feet which is “1 square”. Lets say you measure your roof and it is 30 feet long and 15 feet from the eave to the peak. You multiply 30 x 15 and that equals 450 square feet. Divide 450 by 100 (remember, it is measured in 10’ x 10’ sections which is 100 sq feet) and you get 4.5 square. Of course you have the other side as well, so your home would require 9 square of material. Asphalt shingle are priced by the bundle. It usually take 3 bundles to cover 1 square. If you have 9 square, you would need 27 bundles of Asphalt shingles.

DRIP EDGE

This is the metal material found on your eves and rakes. It helps to prevent water from working its’ way back under the shingles. You can get drip edge in different colors. Drip edge come in 10 foot lengths sometimes referred to as “sticks”. So if a supplier says, “how many sticks of drip do you need”? He is asking how many 10 foot sections of drip edge you will require.

FELT/TAR PAPER

This is the black paper under the shingles. Its purpose is to serve as a secondary water barrier. If the shingles leek, then the tar paper will add a second line of defense against water penetration.

ICE AND WATER SHIELD

This is a roll of roofing material with a very sticky adhesive on the back. It is rolled out on the eave ends. In Michigan, we have all seen Ice damming. The ice and water barrier protects your home from water or ice that may back up under your shingles.

FLASHING

Flashing is a water protection component. It is generally made of metal and is applied to areas where the roof intersects with walls and chimneys.

PIPE BOOTS

When you look at a roof, you will see a variety of pipes sticking out. A pipe boot goes over the pipe and secures to the roof. The boot creates a water tight seal around the pipe.

VENTS

There are a multitude of vents these days. However, they all serve the same purpose, they vent your roof. A lot of heat accumulates in the attic area of your home. On a 75 degree day, the surface of your roof can be well in access of 120 degrees. This heat causes shingles to expand and then contract when they cool. If you can keep the under side of the shingles cool, they will last longer. Vents allow the heat in the attic to escape.

RIDGE VENT

This is another type of vent only it is centered on the peek of your roof. It is definitely the most popular venting system today. It is more efficient, it looks nice, and is easier to make water tight.

TYPES OF ROOFING

Pros- Can last a life time-Fire resistant-Impervious to insects, mold and mildew-Sheds snow easily-Light weight-Installed quickly-Can be used on roofs with a 3-12 pitch or greater- Available in a variety of colors-Reflects heat thus reducing heat gain. This keeps the house cooler and saves energy.

Cons- Expensive-Can dent-Noisy when it rains.

CLAY TILES:

Pros- Can last a life time-Fire resistant-Impervious to insects, mold, and mildew-Attractive.

Cons- Expensive-Heavy, often requiring addition framing to support the weight-Can be broken if walked on, making installation and maintenance difficult.

SLATE:

Pros- Can last a life time-Fire resistant-Impervious to insects, mold, and mildew.

Cons- Expensive-Heavy, often requiring addition framing to support the weight-Can be broken if walked on, making installation and maintenance difficult-Color is restricted to those found in nature as it is a natural material.

WOOD SHAKES

Pros- Attractive-Has some insulation properties-Allow a house to breathe.

Cons- Must be careful in choosing materials as they affect the life span of the roof-Must be installed and maintenance properly or it will effect the life span of the roof-Over the life of the roof, the replacement costs can be expensive-Susceptible to insects, rotting, and fire.

CONCRETE:

Pros- Long life span-Low maintenance-Good fire protection-Good protection against, insects, and rotting-Mimics other roofs such as wood shakes-Lighter than clay tile and slate-Inexpensive as compared to slate, clay tile and shakes.

Cons- Quality varies among manufactures so you have to be careful when purchasing-Color choices are expanding but not as many as asphalt shingle-More expensive than asphalt shingle

ASPHALT SHINGLES:

Pros- Large variety of colors and styles-Inexpensive compared to tile, steel, slate, and shakes-Can often be installed by the home owner-Can be installed over and existing shingles, if there is only one layer-Can walk on them without damaging them in moderate temperatures.

Cons- Can blow off in high winds-Can damage them when walking on them in hot temperatures as they are made of asphalt, and they tend to get soft-do not last as long as metal, clay tile, or concrete materials.

Below is a diagram of roofing components:

APHALT SHINGLES TYPES, WARRANTIES AND WHERE TO BUY

3 TABS:

A 3 tab shingle is pictured below. They have been around for a long time and are attractive. The down side to 3 tabs is that they take longer to install as compared to dimensional shingles. This is due to the fact that the rain lines (the part that is cut out between the tabs) need to have some kind of pattern to make them look good. Some people like the rain lines to be in a neat row straight up and down while other people like the rain lines to proceed diagonally. In either case, you have to measure and pay extra attention to placement of each shingle and that takes time.

DIMENSIONAL SHINGLES:

A dimensional shingle,pictured below, is a full shingle with no cut outs. They are easier to install as there is no patter to follow. The randomness of their pattern is what gives the roof a wood shake look. I think dimensional shingles add class to any home.

If you are a first timer, I would strongly recommend dimensional shingles as they are very forgiving. This is due to the random pattern. With dimensionals, your rows can be crooked or you could have bellies in them and you would struggle to detect it from the ground. With 3 tabs, the slightest mistake is easily seen from the ground. The cost difference to upgrade to a dimensional is not that much. Ask your supplier or contractor what the price difference would be.

ASPHALT SHINGLE WARRANTIES

You are dealing with two different warranties when you hire a contractor. The contractor warranties the quality of the installation while the manufacturer warranties the actual material. Standard warrantees for asphalt shingles are 20 year, 25 year, 30 year, 40 year and 50 year. Be careful, the manufacture warranty is a bit misleading. It is a pro-rated warranty. Here is an easy example. Lets say your contractor installed a 20 year shingle. The manufacturer is saying that if the shingle is installed properly, it should last you 20 years. Now lets say the roof failed after 10 years and will assume that it was properly installed for this illustration. The manufacturer will only refund you half of your money. This is because you “used” the first half. Quick example: if you pay $1,000 for the material and it last 10 years. You’ll get a refund of $500 dollars. The refund is usually applied to the purchase of more shingles. The warranty policies vary and some are much better than others. You will want to ask your contractor or supplier about the specifics pertaining to the shingle that you want to install. Now be careful. The better the warranty is, the more the single costs. If your shopping contractors, make sure they are using a similar shingle as far as warranty is concerned. This is an ideal place for a contractor to beat someone else’s price by using a cheaper shingle. You will think you are getting a better deal, but in reality, you are simply getting a lesser quality product.

If you are going to install your own shingles, make sure you compare apples to apples when shopping around. If you want a 30 year dimensional shingle, make sure you ask for that at every supplier. Otherwise what seems like a great deal may simply be the price of a lesser quality shingle. Remember, in the world of construction - YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!

WHERE TO BUY SHINGLES

I have bought all my shingles from Allied Building Products for years. Unfortunately they recently went out of business. The good new is, my favorites salesman from that company has now started to work for Eikenhout on North Business 27. Eikenhout carries the same shingles as Allied did and the prices are comparable. Eikenhout will deliver. They have two sky tracks and a conveyor truck. Ask for Darryl. He is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. He will make sure you get everything you need.

You can also buy your shingles at the big chain sores. They have competitive pricing. The drawback is delivery time and service. Roofing suppliers can often deliver your roofing within 24 to 48 hours. Many will bring out supplies to you that you forgot to order the first time around. Most of the time they will bring it the same day you ask for it. You won’t get that kind of service from the chain stores. But if you are only roofing one time and you are price conscious, then shop around. Here are some shingle suppliers you can try:

Eikenhout 517 367 0699
Wimsatt 517 272 6900
RBK 517 882 6651
MPC 517 655 4641
Menards 517 622 3286
Lowes 517 622 5755
Home depot 517 323 0299

Again this page is very general and is meant to arm you with the basics so you can make informed decisions. If you have a specific question, please don’t hesitate to

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