There comes a time when one’s roof is in dire need of replacement, whether it was blown away by the latest tropical storms or some poor mishap that left a homeowner with a gaping hole within their roof they can’t ignore.
The thought of dealing with contractors, getting quotes, and deciphering the best home options can be pretty daunting. The following article will tell you everything you need to know about the process of a roof replacement, as well as give tips on making this task easier for yourself.
Beginning The Roof Replacement Process
The day your roof replacement is underway will be one of your life’s most exciting yet nerve-wracking days. It’s exciting because you will finally get to see your home restored to its former glory, and it’s nerve-wracking because there are so many things that can go wrong during this process.
One thing that you should always do before hiring a contractor is considering their reputation. In addition, you should always do your research on the company and make sure that they are licensed and insured.
Some contractors cut corners or skip essential steps required to protect your investment. So before we get into the process of replacing your roof, you must know that proper installation is crucial to safeguard your investment. The exact steps will vary depending on your company, but it’s pretty routine among reputable contractors.
Roofing Material Delivery
You would usually find the roofing material delivered the afternoon before or the morning of your replacement. Your contractor should be punctual with this and never deliver the materials multiple days in advance or one by one each day. These materials will vary depending on your roof size, but they should never be left out in the open, exposed to the weather, or abandoned on your lawn.
Same-day delivery preserves the integrity of the materials for your roof and protects your lawn from the weight of said materials. Allowing roof shingles to remain abandoned on your grass is a surefire way to leave unseemly dead spots on your property. They should also be near roof access points for ease of movement.
Vehicle Protocols for Roofing Replacement
And the same should go for any vehicles that you may own. As part of your responsibility as a homeowner, you and your contractor should ensure that any unnecessary vehicles are removed from your driveway. This is to protect your vehicles from debris falling from the roof.
As an added consideration, this is also so that you and your family can come and go as you please without disturbing the roof replacement process. If any vehicle in the garage won’t be used during the replacement, then there’s no need to remove them.
Readying Your Home for Replacement
The next step in your roof replacement is to ensure your residence is ready for the teardown of your damaged roof. Commonly, your contractors will begin by tarping the ground for the dump zone, a place for the materials of your old roof to be discarded. They will often also set up tarps to cover your shrubbery and other landscaping. This is where your contractor should take all the necessary steps to ensure they protect your property from the dust and debris that’ll inevitably spread across your property during the roof replacement. It’s also a good idea for you to cover things on the inside of your home as well.
Now that the necessary precautions have been taken care of, the contractor will begin tearing off your old roof.
The Teardown
This process will proceed starting from the farthest corner of your driveway to ensure minimum debris and mess at the start. This also means they’ll be moving towards the dump zone, and the new materials hopefully stationed near the front of your home. Once a section has been dismantled, they’ll immediately begin installing your new roof while others continue the teardown process to maintain efficiency in their work. It saves time; it saves effort.
The Installation Process
Now, your new asphalt shingle roof should already be undergoing installation. Once a roofing section is removed, the underlayment and drip edge is installed, then the contractors will begin with your starter shingles and shingles using whichever method you choose… Depending on the weather.
When the shingles are installed, your contractor will set them in place. One of the last things your contractor will do is install the vents required for your roof’s ventilation system.
As always, be aware of your roof contractor’s reputation and the material he brings to your replacement. You shouldn’t treat this lightly and consider the methods by which the roof was installed. Their workmanship makes the difference between a long-lasting roof and one that brings a new daily problem. In time, that’ll lead to another roof replacement call.
The Cleanup and Inspection
The cleanup process begins after everything is done; often, contractors begin by blowing the leftover debris off your roof down to the dump zones for easy cleanup. This also includes the gutters and downspouts that may have caught little bits of debris and dust during the removal of your old roof. Next, they’ll blow the leftover debris off to the dump zones. And once they’ve cleaned the roof, they’ll spend time on ground level.
While they roll up their tarps and gather their tools, this is the perfect opportunity to examine the craftsmanship of the contractor and his men. Scanning to see if anything is missing or in need of a retouch. Because, after all, it’s your roof.
But after all of that had been said and done, your roof should look as if the workers had never been there at all, aside from the shiny new roof that’ll hopefully last you longer than your last one.
You can have the contractor accompany you in your final surveillance of the finished product. You shouldn’t be lenient with this sort of replacement- Get on your roof and look around the handiwork; both of you need to make sure that the quality of your roof matches the price you paid for said roof, and the high standards you’re investing in for a roof replacement.
Special care should be taken in examining the areas that are twice as susceptible to leaks as the rest of the roof. This includes penetrations, chimneys, skylights, etc. Make sure they’re heavily reinforced and protected. No matter whom you hire as a contractor, you should always inspect their workmanship for your long-term sake. Ensure the roof is properly installed, and all the bulletin points we have listed have been diligently followed correctly.
Conclusion for Roof Replacement
Now that you know how to find a good roofing contractor in your area, you’re probably wondering how long it’ll take to replace your roof. Factors like the weather and accessibility to the roof can affect how long it will take to replace your roof. Remember, though–you want quality work, so don’t settle for anything less. To ensure you get a high-quality roof replacement, you’ll need to hire a great residential roofing contractor.
Hopefully, this brief list of steps helps ensure that you won’t walk into the process utterly blind.
