When you are going to do a reroofing, whether it is a family house, a residential building or any other type of building, it is important to have the basic knowledge about the procedure to follow.
In any case, beyond informing you, it is essential that you have an experienced work team that will permanently advise you and that has demonstrated outstanding results. In this way, you will know what kind of details to take into account and which is the best reroofing alternative for your particular project.
For example, you may require a deep maintenance of the roof, a partial renovation or a total reconstruction. This will depend on the current state of the materials and surfaces you have and the suggestions of the professional technician who evaluates your case.
Now, once you have decided that you are going to carry out reroofing, it is important that you make a conscious and realistic choice of materials. Some factors that may influence the decision may include:
- The climate of the region in which you live
- The aesthetics you want to achieve
- The type of insulation provided by each material
Keep in mind that this is a large investment and that the priority is to install affordable, easy-to-maintain roofs with a long service life. In that sense, asphalt roofs are a good option.
Whatever the case may be, these are the 3 steps your building will go through when you start re-roofing:
1. Preparation of structures
The first step is to remove all the old shingles, coating layers, nails or glues that were used in the previous installation. Of course, if only partial renovations are to be made, the parts that are in good condition should be left.
In either case, it is important to check the condition of the columns, gutters and pipes involved. If any modifications are required, it is the best time to re-roof and resolve these issues.
This will be ideal for the prevention of flooding in homes, as well as solving problems of humidity, fungus or occasional leaks.
Depending on the type of material on which the new shingles are to be laid, certain types of coating or synthetic felts must be applied. These will function as waterproofing and roof supports.
It is recommended that during the reroofing, a stability check of all underlayments and subfloors be made and all surfaces be cleaned prior to installation.
2. Installation of new roof
Subsequently, the initial row consisting of a complete tile must be laid. It is fastened with the help of steel nails, aluminum or, in some cases, simply with adhesives. This first row should coincide well with the lateral edge of the roof structure. It will be the guide to start laying the rest of the shingles.
From then on, the following rows will be placed in a continuous manner, successively trimming the tabs and making sure that the joints are out of phase to avoid water leaks in the future.
When the seventh row is reached, the pattern is repeated. That is, you start with a full shingle. Generally, as the shingles are nailed, the nail heads are coated with asphalt adhesive.
To complete the reroofing, the ridge must be sheathed. This is the upper part of the roof where the two sloping parts of the roof, the front and the back, meet.
3. Final review
Finally, the result of the work is checked. For example, that all the tiles are well fixed, that there are no poorly positioned joints and that the ventilation systems are adequate.
All technical details are of utmost importance and will affect the effectiveness of reroofing in the medium and long term. Therefore, it is essential that you have the advice of a person who knows exactly which tools to use and how to use them.
At Les Toitures Vallée & Fils we are always at your disposal for any roof repair, roof renovation or general maintenance of the roof of the house.