Roof replacements are one of those vast and expensive home remodeling projects that many of us have to face sooner or later. Before hiring a roofing contractor to do the hard job for you, you may take your take to learn at least the basics about common roofing steps and best seasons for getting your roof replaced. 

Though a new roof might not be that glamorous, you will understand its importance in a big way. An old roof fail allows water to destroy your home’s inside, from the attic insulation down to your newly remodeled kitchen. As you may know, fewer household problems can be more disastrous than a failed roof.

The process itself isn’t something we can take lightly, nor is it to repair that should be delayed. When you’ve noticed that your roof is approaching the end of its useful life, brush up on these basics before soliciting a roofing contractor’s help.

Setting up for Your Roof Replacement 

Pretty much like any construction project, roof replacement too involves a lot of mess. Therefore, if you have an asphalt or other type of disposable roof, you will need a trash container nearby.

Place a garbage container as nearly as possible to the building, or side of it where the roofing project takes place and set up some drop materials around the base of the roof to avoid unexpected drops that you might make. Don’t forget to set up a row of roof jacks along the bottom of the roof with boards in case someone or shingle will fall. And, because safety is imperative in any project that implies tall structures, make sure you buy a safety harness and secure it to the peak of the roof to keep yourself and others from falling off during replacement.

Clear Away Old Roofing Material

Obviously, you cannot install a new roof without taking off the old one. In case of an asphalt shingle roof, you will need to use a shingle fork to curl the roofing off. To make things a lot easier, start from the top and work your way down. Start with the ridge cap shingles and then push the shingle fork underneath each line of shingles until they get loose and fall off. Place all the removed shingles into a container and slowly work your way down until you remove all the singles successfully.

In case of a metal roof, consider a larger pry bar – or even a drill if the screws aren’t too damaged – to unfasten the easterners that hold the panels in place. After the panels have been thoroughly unhooked pull it off and place it on the ground. Continue so until you remove all the panels. 

Change Out Old Flashing 

To change out your old flashing, you should look at how they were installed previously and mimic what was done. Different parts of your roof may require different flashings. For instance, chimneys require step and counter flashings as well as a cricket in most cases. While the vent boots should look well, the valley flashing should not have any signs of rust or cracks. Typically, flashings should be replaced more often as they get more damage from the weather.

 

Consider Off-Season Roofing Work 

When the underlayment and the roof installment itself seem to exceed your abilities, it means you should leave roofing replacement up to a well-coordinated roofing team. But when is the best time to find your roofing contractor?

While in most parts of the U.S the ideal roofing season starts in the late spring to continue to early fall, skilled teams are able to prolong the work season, sometimes even roofing when snow flurries fall. To put it simply, there is no reason not to hire a skilled contractor to replace your roof during off-season periods. What’s more, is that you can even enjoy lower prices during this time as the labor demand is low. The secret behind getting your roof project into the offseason is having a skilled team of roofers who can get things done on hours, instead of days.  

 

 

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