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Roofing/Questions Answered by Expert Bruce A. Ryan II, RRO
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Torch on roof, condensation leak? | 1/24/2012 |
| Q: I own a 50 + year old one story house with a low pitch roof. In May of 2004 I had the old tar and ... A: Doug, There appears to be no base flashing at the chimney, and it is a poor installation. The ... | |
| Torch on roof, condensation leak? | 1/18/2012 |
| Q: I own a 50 + year old one story house with a low pitch roof. In May of 2004 I had the old tar and ... A: Doug, I am not sure about: What the 21/2-3 inch material is, can you provide a better ... | |
| Shingle Color | 1/16/2012 |
| Q: My wife and I are about to buy our first home. We're very excited! During the home inspection, the ... A: Yup, forgot that part....here is the link. ... | |
| Shingle Color | 1/15/2012 |
| Q: My wife and I are about to buy our first home. We're very excited! During the home inspection, the ... A: Chris, I have attached a link to a study performed on the solar reflectance, total heat gain, and ... | |
| putting shingles on in rain | 11/20/2011 |
| Q: I had roofer come today to put roof on. It started raining bout time they got old ones off. Don't ... A: Karen, Generally installing shingles in the rain is not too much of a problem performance wise in ... | |
| new ridgevent leaking | 11/6/2011 |
| Q: Bought 33 year old well maintained modular house. Previous owner said never had problem with leaking ... A: Beth, If the slope of the roof is 3:12 or less, you can expect to have some issue with ridge vents ... | |
| Tar Paper | 11/3/2011 |
| Q: I have an older mobile home with a roof that has some leaks. It has some patches on it. Would it be ... A: Chris, I have no idea what type of roof currently is serving your home. Regardless, it is a bad ... | |
| Should I replace turbines with ridge vents? | 11/2/2011 |
| Q: I live in the Dallas, TX area. I am in the process of taking bids to re-roof my house. The old roof ... A: Jim, First of all, thank you for the roof plan image - very useful in formulating my response. ... | |
| Redo of flat roof | 10/23/2011 |
| Q: Ryan, I would like to sell my house in about a year. I would like to repair the roof sufficiently ... A: Virginia, If you have the leaks under control and you are going to sell the house very soon, ... | |
| Wet roof shingle instalation | 10/20/2011 |
| Q: We are having our roof done. The contractor peeled the old shingles off, and started installing ice ... A: Tudor, Your wood sheathing and framing should be fine and you should expect it to dry. The ceiling ... | |
| construction gaps | 10/6/2011 |
| Q: I'm in the wildlife control business in Virginia. One of the main entry points into an attic for ... A: Kevin, The gap is not required by code and it should be closed off to prevent the entrance of ... | |
| Gravel Removal | 10/5/2011 |
| Q: Back in August we contracted with a local company to re-roof our commercial building. We accepted ... A: Niedy, The removal of the gravel should have no effect on the integrity of the wood roof deck. The ... | |
| Ledge outside top floor window is pitched, pools water, and cuased leaks inside | 10/2/2011 |
| Q: We live in a 5-unit brownstone. The fifth (top unit) was added back in the 1970's. The old roof's ... A: Dan, This is a tough question to weigh in on given only a written description (which is quite good ... | |
| ventilation of veranda rafters | 9/30/2011 |
| Q: I live in Tennessee, where the humidity is high much of the year. We have very hot Summers and cold ... A: Frank, Home depot may carry Owens Corning Raft R Mate but others make a similar product. You want ... | |
| roofing cost | 9/29/2011 |
| Q: in 2004, a tornado damage my roof w/8 penetrations about 6 to 8 in. in diameter, tree limbs lay on ... A: Chris, Try checking with your insurance company. They should have a record of all invoices ... | |
| ventilation of veranda rafters | 9/28/2011 |
| Q: I live in Tennessee, where the humidity is high much of the year. We have very hot Summers and cold ... A: Frank, There are several corrugated type products which you can install tight to the underside of ... | |
| Low Slope Roof | 9/20/2011 |
| Q: Mr. Ryan, We are working on an estimate for a room addition in northern Indiana. In order to meet ... A: Justin, I am confused as to where the transition problem is, please clarify. Is it the new 3:12 to ... | |
| Attic Ventilation and Insualtion | 9/7/2011 |
| Q: Bruce. My house was built in Dec 2007 and we moved in as the second owners Aug 2009. It is a 2 ... A: Steve, If I understand you correctly, you are exhausting your whole house fan into the attic and ... | |
| Cape Cod Ventilation | 9/7/2011 |
| Q: We have a 60 year old cape cod in the Chicagoland area with 2 small window dormers in the front and ... A: Jill, You need an insulation upgrade not ventilation. The ridge vent will not do much as there are ... | |
| Hot air trapped in outdoor porch | 9/5/2011 |
| Q: I have a south facing outdoor porch with a gable roof that is screened with Phifer SheerWeave solar ... A: John, You could have a thermostatically controlled attic fan installed on the roof with an opening ... | |
| metal roof | 9/4/2011 |
| Q: can i glue epdm to a metal roof ? A: Gene, Generally, no. This is not to say that you "can't " do it or that you will not be able to ... | |
| Attic venting | 9/2/2011 |
| Q: I am looking for ways to help with my heating and cooling costs. I live in Aurora, CO (just east of ... A: Jarod, The roof top fan will work well in combination with the soffit vents. Reducing the heat ... | |
| Attic venting | 8/28/2011 |
| Q: I am looking for ways to help with my heating and cooling costs. I live in Aurora, CO (just east of ... A: Jarod, Is there any chance that you could remove the vent behind the new vinyl one? I think that ... | |
| DIY Flat roof repair | 8/25/2011 |
| Q: I have an office with a tar and gravel flat roof that is 2000sqft. I have a couple of leaks and have ... A: Chris, If you want your leaks to stop, I suggest removing the old roof and installing a new one. ... | |
| Ridge vent additional ventilation | 8/15/2011 |
| Q: I have ridge vent over all of my roof peaks. I still have an extremely high temperature occurring, ... A: Shaun, In combination with the ridge vents, you should have soffit vents. These should look like a ... | |
| Roof repairs | 8/15/2011 |
| Q: I have a single layer of rolled roofing (~15 years old) on a 2/12 pitch roof. Also have about 16" ... A: Bill, On the 2:12 roof area, install a layer of self adhering underlayment (Ice & Water ... | |
| Roof Replacement | 8/13/2011 |
| Q: I have been in the process of getting my roof replaced for several weeks. Estimates have ranged ... A: Prince, The best way for you to make sure you are getting a quality installation is to hire a ... | |
| wet felt and crumpled ice guard | 8/13/2011 |
| Q: I live in Alaska and am having a pitched roof installed over my flat roof. Trusses are up and ... A: Jen, The felt should lay flat prior to shingling. It is a typical response for asphalt saturated ... | |
| Difference between shingles | 8/10/2011 |
| Q: we are in the process of having are roof re-shingled. Initially the contractor was going to be ... A: If the color of edge flashing is written, then that is what they should have installed. It should ... | |
| roof contractor | 8/4/2011 |
| Q: I just got a contractor to replace my roof. I did not pay him yet. But I am just wondering if I ... A: J, I would strongly urge you to go to www.rci-online.org to find a roof consultant in your area to ... | |
| Asphalt Shingle Sealant | 7/27/2011 |
| Q: I was told not to use NP1 caulking on my asphalt roof shingles, it seems to stick to the shingles ... A: Linda, Thank you for the input. It is often tough to glean specific conditions under which ... | |
| Doublewide roof leaking after New roof added | 7/25/2011 |
| Q: Okay, I got your reply on the roof leaking, and I am with you , I have been told by the local ... A: Tina, Better to address your local contractors board at ... | |
| Roofing attic vents & underlayment | 7/23/2011 |
| Q: I live in the NW Florida Panhandle. We have a 93’ manufactured home (3 – sections, doublewide with a ... A: Dave, On a 3:12 pitch with a hydrokentic (not watertight) metal panel such as you are planning to ... | |
| roof ventilation | 7/22/2011 |
| Q: We had a new roof intalled just 2 yrs ago. Ridge vents were used. This May we noticed "soot" type ... A: Diane, I am not sure if your previous roof system had a ridge vent, but I will assume not. I have ... | |
| stopping steel roof condensation | 7/21/2011 |
| Q: would spray painting the underside of the roof with something like car body deadener stop ... A: Ray, No it would not. You need to isolate the cold surface from the warm moist air within the ... | |
| roof flashing | 7/20/2011 |
| Q: I've got a garage that has never had gutters and I've decided to put them on. The roof is fine but ... A: Bruce, The drip edge should have worked, perhaps there is something more going on. Remove the ... | |
| composition roof | 7/18/2011 |
| Q: My roof lost a lot of it's gravel do to the heavy rain and wind this year. The gutters are full of ... A: Donna, I am sorry to say that this development is a good indication that your shingles are very ... | |
| power vents/ridge vents | 7/17/2011 |
| Q: i have a ridge vent and ventilated soffets on a 12/8 gabled non cathedral ceilings. Attic seems ... A: Chris, 120 to 140 degrees is typical of my experiences with unventilated spaces on 80 degree days. ... | |
| metal roof install | 7/17/2011 |
| Q: i am in the market to have a metal roof put on the house, and as always do my homework before any ... A: James, Often the decision to cover the old roof is based on cost. Omitting the removal and ... | |
| patio underside has protruding nails? | 7/16/2011 |
| Q: We had a gabled patio cover built into the existing roof of our home last year. It has painted ... A: Brenda, That is unfortunate. I can not be sure of the exact configuration of the underside of you ... | |
| Traversing a Cal Shake roof | 7/13/2011 |
| Q: I need advice on the safest way to climb over my fiber cement Cal Shake roof. I know it isn't ... A: Jack, Laminate about 3" of polyurethane foam to a two foot wide, eight foot long piece of plywood. ... | |
| power vents/ridge vents | 7/12/2011 |
| Q: i have a ridge vent and ventilated soffets on a 12/8 gabled non cathedral ceilings. Attic seems ... A: Chris, If you are not having an issue cooling your home (i.e. your AC runs constantly or more than ... | |
| Huge rain storm during roof replacement... caused water to get in | 7/10/2011 |
| Q: We were replacing our roof and the next day forecast was calling only for 1mm of Rain in the ... A: Kathie, The majority of your water intrusion would have occurred at the horizontal butt joints of ... | |
| doublewide roof leaking after new roof added | 7/9/2011 |
| Q: Okay we had our roof redone by a what we thought reptable compnay, 6 grand. well the decided to put ... A: Tina, Without being able to observe the situation first hand, my recommendation is that you call ... | |
| Copper Roof and Icynene Condensation | 7/8/2011 |
| Q: I am having a new home built in Chicago, IL that has a complicated roof due to maximizing the FAR. ... A: This is a complicated question for which I do not have enough information to respond to. ... | |
| attic ventilation | 6/16/2011 |
| Q: We just replaced our roof and added a ridge vent. While checking for proper ventilation, roofers ... A: Joe, Your airflow from the soffit is completely obstructed. Your insulation contractor is blowing ... | |
| Felt paper - 15 lb & No. 15? | 6/15/2011 |
| Q: Bruce, I'm getting ready to have new roof put on. Reason is recent hail storm (north of Dallas, TX) ... A: David, Not usually much difference between the No. 15 and #15 (# symbol for pound). Typically ... | |
| Dura-Loc Roofs | 6/9/2011 |
| Q: we had a Dura-Loc Roof put on our house in 8/05. We live in Traverse City, Michigan. We came back ... A: John, I have no prior experience with this product. I am sorry that you are having performance ... | |
| roof replacement | 6/6/2011 |
| Q: I am in the process of hire a contractor to replace my existing roof. The problem is I am not an ... A: go to http://www.professionalroofconsultants.com/our_services_residential.php and follow the first ... | |
| re-roofing house | 5/30/2011 |
| Q: I have two places where there are short sloped (1:4) roofs that meet a cedar siding wall. When I had ... A: Rubye, I prefer to see the flashing. If this is the presentation, the roofer should be sure that ... | |
| replacing a historic roof | 5/28/2011 |
| Q: I own a 100 yr old stone fruit warehouse in central WA state. It is one of the only left in mostly ... A: Diane, You can certainly install new cedar shingles over solid sheathing, however, if you live in a ... | |
| Asphalt Shingle Sealant | 5/26/2011 |
| Q: I was told not to use NP1 caulking on my asphalt roof shingles, it seems to stick to the shingles ... A: Linda, NP1 is a polyurethane sealant, a material which is inherently compatible with asphalt ... | |
| Can you please help me assess my patio situation? | 5/23/2011 |
| Q: According to my parents, the patio has been leaking into the garage since the beginning of time. ... A: If you are referring to the bentonite, it is clay, a natural organic product. It relies on ... | |
| Can you please help me assess my patio situation? | 5/23/2011 |
| Q: According to my parents, the patio has been leaking into the garage since the beginning of time. ... A: Bentonite requires pressure to work properly. If you have a joint between two elements, it will not ... | |
| Join Flat Roof (future sundeck) into Old Gable Roof | 5/22/2011 |
| Q: How do I join the new addition two feet higher into the slope side (5:12 slope) of the old gable ... A: Sabina, This is a complicated problem best left to a qualified designer, preferably a Roof ... | |
| Can you please help me assess my patio situation? | 5/21/2011 |
| Q: According to my parents, the patio has been leaking into the garage since the beginning of time. ... A: Kevin, Not being able to observe the garage structure (I assume that the patio is on top of the ... | |
| Cooling loft | 5/20/2011 |
| Q: I have a house converted from a three car block garage. Second floor or attic has been tuned into a ... A: Wayne, I do not know if you have the head room for it, but you can pull down the paneling and ... | |
| Replace or Reseal Cal Shake Roof | 5/16/2011 |
| Q: I've got an ~20 year old Cal Shake roof on my house and live in the SF Bay Area. I'm in an area that ... A: Michael, Resealing those Cal Shakes is probably not a good choice, and the viability is ... | |
| Attic Fan for Roof Split by Loft Dormer | 4/30/2011 |
| Q: I have a TH with a loft level for which I'd like to install an attic fan to circulate out the hot ... A: Sandra, I am sorry but this is a design issue that would require a physical inspection of the attic ... | |
| Ventilation Systems | 4/23/2011 |
| Q: I live in Salt Lake City, UT. I am in the process of getting a new roof. Replacement shingles will ... A: Victor, Code requires that two layers of underlayment be used on roof slopes below 4:12 with ... | |
| Air vents on roof and caulking | 4/22/2011 |
| Q: What is the Arizona and National code on caulking of air vents and heat vents protruding from an ... A: I agree, it also would have been nice if they let you know what the issue was. Now you can expect ... | |
| Reroofing | 4/22/2011 |
| Q: Is it possible to heat the single ply or multi ply rolls with a torch over the existing flat asphalt ... A: Chris, You can install a new roof over the old one, however be sure that there is only one roof ... | |
| Attic Ventaltion Fan | 4/18/2011 |
| Q: Bruce -- I live in the Oakland (Calif.) hills. My house faces southwest, and it gets a lot of sun. ... A: Peter, If you think that most of your heat gain is from the attic, then the fan may make sense if ... | |
| Air vents on roof and caulking | 4/16/2011 |
| Q: What is the Arizona and National code on caulking of air vents and heat vents protruding from an ... A: Richard, Where roof vents and other flanged type vents protruded through the roofing (shingles) the ... | |
| Roof Nails protruding into attic | 4/16/2011 |
| Q: I have a similar situation to Janet Armstrong's question of January?/2011 regarding protruding nails ... A: Richard, This is perfectly normal. With wood sheathing less than 1" thick, generally nails are ... | |
| roof ridge venting installation | 4/5/2011 |
| Q: I recently had ridge venting installed as part of getting a new roof on my home after storm damage. ... A: Ricky, While I do not know what type of venting arrangement you have, I can safely say that all ... | |
| roof | 4/4/2011 |
| Q: My home is 15 years old and shingles are starting to come off occasionally after storms. I'm not ... A: Scott, Building Code should allow one recover without requiring the removal of the existing roof ... | |
| flat rubber roof | 3/22/2011 |
| Q: My husband & I are in need of a new roof. We are down to two estimates with different roofs. I was ... A: Jeanine, EPDM is the better roof membrane in my opinion when compared to TPO. If you are in a ... | |
| tar paper on wet wood | 3/21/2011 |
| Q: can the paper be stapled to the wet roof so we can shingle before it rains again? A: Patty, You can attach the shingle underlayment to wet plywood sheathing as long as the surface does ... | |
| Low slope roof leaking | 3/17/2011 |
| Q: We live in Canada with lots of rain and snow. The roof has a couple of skylights, and is a low ... A: Haney, It sounds like you have a problematic installation. Without being able to see the condition ... | |
| re-roof over wood shingles | 3/14/2011 |
| Q: I am about to re-roof a shop I have converted from an old grainery. It currently has some type of ... A: I understand, and for Minnesota, I recommend that you install the vapor barrier on the surface of ... | |
| re-roof over wood shingles | 3/14/2011 |
| Q: I am about to re-roof a shop I have converted from an old grainery. It currently has some type of ... A: Paul, Secure the 2x8s through the old roofing solidly into the existing roof support structure. If ... | |
| Reroof or rip off | 3/9/2011 |
| Q: I have a dimensional roof and want to know if it is recommended to put another dimensional roof over ... A: Tom, This is a matter of Aesthetics more than performance. Building Code should allow one recover ... | |
| truss installation | 3/6/2011 |
| Q: i was working on a roof that had the trusses set on 8 to 12 foot centers with 2x4s toe nailed to the ... A: Jamie, I would consider notifying the owner as in the scenario you describe, I would expect that ... | |
| roof intake and exhaust venting | 3/2/2011 |
| Q: In our newly constructed home, we are unsure of the adequacey of the attic ventilation and. The ... A: Lori, I am unfortunately unable to determine if there is an adequate amount of venting based on ... | |
| Gable Roof | 2/28/2011 |
| Q: If Gable roof with a slope of 9"per ft. has rake slope factor of 1.25. If run is 10' and eaves ... A: Tony, It sounds like you are working with a steep sloped roof and have a plan view?. Since it ... | |
| Valley Issues With Water Runoff | 2/26/2011 |
| Q: Bruce- This is not really a roofing question. BUT, we have a friend who is having issues with ... A: John, I do not have any great ideas for slowing the runoff, and with steep slope roofing, you ... | |
| Rhode Island house roof | 2/21/2011 |
| Q: mn84y I recently, within the last two years had my roof replaced on the back of the house. It is a ... A: Ann, I am going to presume that your dormer roof is a shed or 'pop up' type dormer. If your roof ... | |
| roof leak | 2/20/2011 |
| Q: me and my wife had or roof redone about 10 years ago with dimensional shingles (don't know brand) by ... A: Robert, Three things to look for: 1. Your dimensional shingles are likely a laminated type which ... | |
| Seeking comments/roll roofing | 2/17/2011 |
| Q: My 15-year asphalt shingle roof has passed the 30 year mark and I'm hoping to replace it without ... A: Frank, I would replace that roof with 30#felt and shingles. If you received 30 years of service ... | |
| mosture in attic | 2/14/2011 |
| Q: Just had a two story house built, I have both ridge vents, vents on the gable ends along with a ... A: Rodger, It does sound like you may have had some snow blow in your attic through the vent. It is ... | |
| dimensional shingles | 2/11/2011 |
| Q: I am in the process of reroofing and am down to two last decisions: shingle type and color. This may ... A: Helen, If you are intending on selling the residence in the next five or ten years, three tab ... | |
| Ventilation in Attic With No Eaves | 2/8/2011 |
| Q: I live in a 1962 build in NY State. The house has five different levels including the basement ... A: Tim, If the ice dams are not causing damage to your home, I recommend removing the shingles at the ... | |
| roof intake and exhaust venting | 2/7/2011 |
| Q: In our newly constructed home, we are unsure of the adequacey of the attic ventilation and. The ... A: Lori, I am not sure what the CFM of the fan is an what triggers are used to call for the fan to ... | |
| Roof Leaks - ice guards | 2/4/2011 |
| Q: I purchased my home last March. It is a traditional ranch home with an attached garage. The new roof ... A: Jennifer, Please get back to me with an answer to these questions: Is the porch roof integrated ... | |
| Open Eaves riddled with nails protruding through 3/8 inch plywood | 1/13/2011 |
| Q: Home built in 1960 Roof decking standard then was 3/8 inch plywood. Had the roof shingles completely ... A: Janie, I am sorry my response is too late to help with your meeting today. We have the same issue ... | |
| heating cable on roof | 1/11/2011 |
| Q: when to turn them on and how long to leave them on. Not sure if they will even work but we had them ... A: Lisa, Turn the heat cables on when temperatures are at or below 30 degrees Fahrenheit for an ... | |
| Is my attic ventilation working | 1/8/2011 |
| Q: I am curious how to tell if my attic ventialtion is working properly. I live in New England, so my ... A: Derek, You are correct that there should be a correlation of humidities within and outside; however ... | |
| low slope roof leak or condensation? | 1/8/2011 |
| Q: We live in a 60s open-beam bungalow with a 1/12 pitch, nearly flat roof. The roof is about a foot ... A: Russ, Focus on the ridge vent upslope of the leak area. It is doubtful that the roof membrane is ... | |
| Is my attic ventilation working | 1/6/2011 |
| Q: I am curious how to tell if my attic ventialtion is working properly. I live in New England, so my ... A: Derek, Attic ventilation assists in moderating the attic temperature, however the most important ... | |
| Chimney Flashing | 1/1/2011 |
| Q: Mr.Ryan: I just reshingled my roof and am in the process of reflashing the chimney. The metal shop ... A: Mark, Mortar is best. You should be able to purchase a repointing tool which come in different ... | |
| Chimney Flashing | 12/31/2010 |
| Q: Mr.Ryan: I just reshingled my roof and am in the process of reflashing the chimney. The metal shop ... A: Mark, You have some nice looking flashings that appear to be installed in the proper manner. The ... | |
| condensation on the ceiling near the outside edge | 12/31/2010 |
| Q: Our home is 20 years old with a hip style roof and the soffitt is fully vented. We are having areas ... A: Kirk, I do not think that I have enough information to provide a solid solution however I can offer ... | |
| Leaking valley | 12/29/2010 |
| Q: I tiled my roof 2 years ago myself with the help of a friend who ws a roofer, since it was a one ... A: Terry, Tear out the entire valley and consider installing a metal valley pan in lieu of the ... | |
| response to your answer | 12/14/2010 |
| Q: Getting ready to have foam insulation applied to our 60 year old attic, we removed the old R 19 ... A: Venting the attic is only going to work if the venting is occurring BETWEEN the insulation layer and ... | |
| "weeping" on underside of tar paper in attic | 12/14/2010 |
| Q: Getting ready to have foam insulation applied to our 60 year old attic, we removed the old R 19 ... A: Mercia, before I get too far into your situation, please send a photo showing the general attic ... | |
| Roofing and Plywood decking | 12/13/2010 |
| Q: I am about to replace my roof. This is a 1969 constructed split level in Northern Virginia. I am ... A: Patrick, Overlay all of your 3/8 plywood with 1/2. This is a worth while investment if you are ... | |
| Roof Sheathing Gap | 12/11/2010 |
| Q: Recently we discussed a roof replacement with a number of contractors. We decided upon the ... A: Bernard, That is a mighty large gap and if that is so then YES you have an issue. The contractor ... | |
| condensation &roof problems | 12/7/2010 |
| Q: I have a house with a cathedral ceiling. The roof is made of 2x8 with 4 inch inch wool insulation. I ... A: Lionel, Without being able to physically see or investigate the issue, my best suggestion is to ... | |
| trailer sweating | 12/1/2010 |
| Q: we have a liquid propane heater in out trailer (single wide). every winter when we start useing our ... A: Ashley, You have a combination of insufficient insulation which allows for the existence of cold ... | |
| roof bids: what;s different? | 11/23/2010 |
| Q: I have a triplex in Tucson that has been leaking and I have received 3 bids for a new roof. One says ... A: Stacey, This contractor has quoted you a three ply asphalt built up roof membrane with two coats of ... | |
| Attic ventilation | 11/20/2010 |
| Q: I have a 35 yr old brick ranch with a shallow sloped roof. It has gutters on all sides, a few roof ... A: Karen, If you are not experiencing condensation issues or other attic ventilation issues, then I ... | |
| skylight leaks | 11/19/2010 |
| Q: What do I look for to find the source of my skylights leaking? At almost the same time both of my ... A: Jim, Well it is reassuring that you have a Velux light, assuming that the roofer used the ... | |
| ridge vents | 11/17/2010 |
| Q: Is there a minimum roof pitch requirements to in stall ridge a vent. A: Paul, You do not want to install a ridge vent below 3:12. This is the limit of a hydrokinetic roof ... | |
| skylight leaks | 11/15/2010 |
| Q: What do I look for to find the source of my skylights leaking? At almost the same time both of my ... A: Jim, Condensation is the most likely source of your leaks and the lower corners of the skylight is ... | |
| about our office roofing | 11/12/2010 |
| Q: i am doing an energy audit of my office (in partial fulfillment of my Graduate studies at Ryerson ... A: Jitesh, Given that you have a metal roof deck (structural support) and an asphalt built up roof ... | |
| attic ventilation | 11/11/2010 |
| Q: On a low slope roof three static vents called MAXIMUM were installed. Inside the house we are now ... A: Michel, I am not familiar with the vents of which you speak, however an attic vent is intended to ... | |
| Hail Damaging Waterproofing membrane | 11/5/2010 |
| Q: I ran into an apartment building which has a one-story 3-tab ashphalt shingle with heavy hail ... A: Craig, If the roof leaked because of storm damage, then the interior damage is typically covered by ... | |
| Asphalt shingle roof repair | 10/30/2010 |
| Q: My 30 year old garage roof is covered with interlocking type asphalt shingles. 6 months ago,several ... A: Jasper, When repairing shingles each course of shingles must be overlapped by the shingle course ... | |
| Roof Venting | 10/28/2010 |
| Q: In May, we had a slate roof replaced by an asphalt shingle roof. We had a small attic fan vent in ... A: John, you can install a row of Mushroom style attic vents at the low end of your pitches. They can ... | |
| attic ventilation | 10/27/2010 |
| Q: i have an old 1 1/2 story farmhouse. The upper story has slanted interior walls because it was ... A: Ross, If you do not have an open attic space, or a portion of the attic is cut off by ceilings on ... | |
| Static Roof Vents Leak During HEAVY Rain | 10/27/2010 |
| Q: Appreciate what you do. I live in Orange, Tx and we have get heavy thunderstorms and hurricanes. I ... A: Jimmy, You can try installing a continuous ridge vent under a new apron flashing which counter ... | |
| rolled roofing over shingles | 10/25/2010 |
| Q: Our roof leaks, we were told to put on rolled roofing, the pitch of the roof isn't big enough for ... A: Ashley, You need to remove all roofing materials down to your roof sheathing. Nail the base sheet ... | |
| silicone on my roof | 10/20/2010 |
| Q: i had some nails removed from my roof i filled the nails with clear roof silcone. there's a shine on ... A: Courtney, Once the silicone oxidizes a bit and starts to collect some dirt contaminants on its ... | |
| Commercial rolled roofing | 10/15/2010 |
| Q: I need to put something on my garage roof as the shingles are so old they have curled. I put regular ... A: Kathy, Please consider your installation of rolled roofing as another temporary repair. You are ... | |
| fixing the leaks | 10/10/2010 |
| Q: Our home has been leaking, both upstairs and downstairs ever since it was built 17 years ago. We ... A: Marilyn, If the roofing interfaces the stucco at walls, proper phasing would dictate that the roof ... | |
| asphalt shingle underlay | 10/7/2010 |
| Q: I am presently re-roofing a summer cottage and garage. I have done somewhere around twenty five ... A: Fern, I know not of which specific product you speak, however synthetic underlayments are gaining ... | |
| Shingles | 10/6/2010 |
| Q: I had new shingles put on 1995 on my roof and were guaranteed for 25 yrs these shingles are now ... A: Teresa, The reality of the situation is that the shingle warranty is likely to be prorated on a ... | |
| Stopping leaks until next year | 9/30/2010 |
| Q: We own a 8640 square foot flat roof commercial building made around 1975 that has a lot of cracks ... A: Larry, If you are going to pay a contractor to coat the roof with asphalt, think about having them ... | |
| rotten asphalt shingles | 9/26/2010 |
| Q: Our neighbor (diagonal behind our property) recently replaced the roof on his detached garage. He ... A: Jesse, I have no experience first or second hand with tree sap being an issue in terms of ... | |
| Ice Guard, drip edge and no overhang | 9/23/2010 |
| Q: I read your response to Vincent from Akron on installation of ice guard and drip edge. We have a ... A: Dan, Best practice is to apply a 9" wide strip of self adhering underlayment directly on the ... | |
| roof drainage | 9/20/2010 |
| Q: I have a flat roof (20 x 80) with a 6" gutter and leaders on both sides of the gutter. when a very ... A: Gutter is still large enough. I went ahead and assumed that the gutter was overflowing, but it ... | |
| roof drainage | 9/20/2010 |
| Q: I have a flat roof (20 x 80) with a 6" gutter and leaders on both sides of the gutter. when a very ... A: David, I assume that the gutter is on the 80 foot side of the rectangle, and if so, quite honestly ... | |
| Installing skylights on existing metal roof | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: Bruce, I've been looking for information on how to properly install skylights in an existing ... A: Rob, I highly recommend that you do not perform this operation. It is bad practice to install a ... | |
| Tie old cold tar roof to new base flashing | 8/21/2010 |
| Q: We have a 50' x 80' cold tar BUR with damaged base flashing at parapet walls. Field has good 1/2" ... A: Andrei, 1/2" per foot slope is atypical with coal tar as the material tends to run when normally ... | |
| roofing barrier | 8/15/2010 |
| Q: We were told about a product called Glacier Sno Seal. We need to do something to our roof to help ... A: Sandra, What you are looking for is a self adhering waterproof underlayment. These underlayments ... | |
| roof replacement | 7/30/2010 |
| Q: Are single-ply systems worthy of 20 year warranties? do they perform or is it a fallacy, modified ... A: Paul, Yes, single ply systems last 20 years but that is dependent on what conditions they are ... | |
| ondura | 7/28/2010 |
| Q: MR.BRUCE,how are you? my name is YUEN,I have a question want to ask you ,please answer me.my ... A: Yuen and Nguyen, I would not recommend this material for your house. A porch canopy maybe. I ... | |
| Tar coating, asphalt coating | 7/26/2010 |
| Q: the contractor has just applied a tar coating to our flat roof that was leaking, although the ... A: Tia, Tar is a Colloquialism and a general reference to black sticky stuff used to waterproof things ... | |
| hot tar roofs | 7/25/2010 |
| Q: I have 5 yrs. experience as a roofer, and have done just about every type of roof there is to do, ... A: Bruce, There are too many different configurations of 'hot tar' roof systems. I am not able to ... | |
| Ice and water shield and gutters | 7/23/2010 |
| Q: I am negotiating to purchase a home in NE OH. My home inspector pointed out several issues with the ... A: Guy, Every shingle roof should have metal drip edge flashing onto which either felt is overlapped, ... | |
| attic fan | 7/15/2010 |
| Q: We hired a roofer to do some roof repairs and install an attic fan in our 16-yr old colonial in May. ... A: Lea, It sounds like the fan blades are either bent or out of balance. And since the vibration ... | |
| flat coal tar roof on church need replacing | 7/12/2010 |
| Q: Our church has a flat coal tar roof with gravel on top that has had leaks & has been patched ... A: Rose, This contractor is not doing you any favors other than saving you money on the roof ... | |
| Roof Advice | 7/6/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1600 sq ft home in south florida. It has partial flat roof with asphalt material and mild ... A: Wayne, Your 10 year old shingle roof should not be leaking. If it is leaking at the nails, then it ... | |
| needs help with fixing roof | 6/17/2010 |
| Q: i would like t know are there any agenceny that can referral me to someone to help us fix our roof A: Del, Go to rci-online.org, look for a roof consultant in your area. Give them a call and ask for a ... | |
| roof under deck leaking | 6/14/2010 |
| Q: We have a 2nd story deck with a finished room underneath. The water is coming in around the ... A: Jean, I am not sure what your question is; however it sounds like it is time to remove the deck, ... | |
| asphalt roofing crisis | 6/13/2010 |
| Q: Unfortunately, we now are convinced that the contractor we hired is inexperienced, sloppy, and has ... A: Paul, Removing and reinstalling the valley would not be advantageous at this point and will likely ... | |
| Installing Ice Guard | 6/7/2010 |
| Q: Should Ice Guard membrane be installed behind facia and under drip edge to prevent ice backup that ... A: Vincent, Generally self adhering ice dam protection membranes should not be installed behind ... | |
| rafter vents in contact with IC light fixture | 6/3/2010 |
| Q: I have a very low pitch roof that I wish to install rafter vents. The problem is the roof is right ... A: Barry, The IC recessed light should be protected with a thermal sensor that will turn the light off ... | |
| Attic ventilation/hurricane safety | 5/30/2010 |
| Q: I'm in South/central Florida and my house is 900 feet from the beach. Has withstood every hurricane ... A: Cyn, 1. Leave the gable vents open as ventilation of your attic space is required even when it is ... | |
| gutter/ flashing | 5/22/2010 |
| Q: We live in southern california & need to replace our 20 year old gutters. Apparently it was ... A: Amy, I am wondering what has gone wrong with the gutter suddenly to cause them to allow water ... | |
| moss and 2nd layer prep | 5/8/2010 |
| Q: I have a roof in decent shape but it is really starting to age and we have decided to re-roof with ... A: Mike, Make sure your roof is dry and overlay the old shingles with #30 asphalt felt to help hide ... | |
| Roof material venting + attic venting | 5/7/2010 |
| Q: Sorry about the long message - the questions are short it's just that the explanation is long. We've ... A: Don, To clarify: Install taller rafter members from the outside of the home and leave all ceilings ... | |
| Roof material venting + attic venting | 5/6/2010 |
| Q: Sorry about the long message - the questions are short it's just that the explanation is long. We've ... A: Don, If the shingles are being removed, consider also removing the skip sheathing and sister 2x10s ... | |
| roof valleys | 4/30/2010 |
| Q: Whats the best way to do the valley. Use a metal valley or the shingles? A: Doug, Generally, the best method of valley construction on a steep slope roof assembly is to use a ... | |
| roof sheathing gap | 4/26/2010 |
| Q: I'm replacing some roof sheathing on my garage and have installed spacing clips on the pieces that ... A: Mike, A gap between sheets of plywood should not be greater than 1/4" or so. I do not understand ... | |
| FireFreeRoof | 4/25/2010 |
| Q: I am doing an addition to my home. We have learned that the roof we have on our home has been ... A: Laurie, Looks like the class action lawsuit related to product failures concluded sometime in 2001 ... | |
| Air nailer or hammer and nails | 4/21/2010 |
| Q: My insurance adjuster has identified storm damage and given us a check. He emphasized that we ... A: Rick, I have found over the years that I get laughed at quite a bit, and mostly from roofing ... | |
| roof coatings | 4/2/2010 |
| Q: i have a back porch with very little pitch. have hade problems with leaking in hard rains. was ... A: C, I recommend not coating shingles as it proves incredibly difficult to seal all the overlaps, ... | |
| roof | 3/31/2010 |
| Q: I've a ranch house (with additions) that I need to reshingle. Its been prone to ice damming (over ... A: From your sketch, the roof area in question is not that large. I (as you did) suggest removing the ... | |
| roof | 3/31/2010 |
| Q: I've a ranch house (with additions) that I need to reshingle. Its been prone to ice damming (over ... A: Carol, I am hopeful that you are speaking only of your addition with the cathedral style ceiling ... | |
| Roof leak -repair of internal sheet rock and insulation | 3/30/2010 |
| Q: Sir: I live on the top floor of a condo apartment building in Woodstock, MD. We just recently ... A: It may be time to escalate. If you are an Owner, you have some influence, if you are renting, ... | |
| Roof leak -repair of internal sheet rock and insulation | 3/30/2010 |
| Q: Sir: I live on the top floor of a condo apartment building in Woodstock, MD. We just recently ... A: Joseph, As with anything that gets wet that is not supposed to, it is a natural reaction to dry it ... | |
| Roof leak -repair of internal sheet rock and insulation | 3/30/2010 |
| Q: Sir: I live on the top floor of a condo apartment building in Woodstock, MD. We just recently ... A: Joseph, Generally, if this leak has recently activated and was repaired quickly, you can expect ... | |
| Chimney flashing and shingle installation | 3/29/2010 |
| Q: I just had my roof completely redone today. Haven't had the final inspection yet but there are a ... A: Sharon, I am hopeful that you have not paid this contractor yet. Based on what I can see from your ... | |
| Single ply over 5 ply Mod Bit | 3/27/2010 |
| Q: Can a single ply (TPO) be install over a 5 ply bit that is @ 10-12 years. The mod bit has the ... A: John, Why are you overroofing a 12 year old 5 ply BUR that does not leak? Cracking should be ... | |
| 3 tab shingle | 3/26/2010 |
| Q: I have an addition which is roofed with 3 tab shingles. The roof has a 1:2.5 slope. Are 3 tab ... A: Kay, Building code requires that at slopes below 4:12 you must use two layers of paper providing a ... | |
| Torch Down Rubber Roof | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: I have a porch roof in need of replacement. there is a slight slope in it leading to a drain. Will ... A: John, It may be that the roof membrane is still performing, however the tie in at the brick wall ... | |
| Leaking roof | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: I have an asphalt shingle roof which is a second layer roof, it leaks from several different nail ... A: Laura, Depending on the scope of your problems, I would recommend placing dabs of roofing cement ... | |
| softit/eave water damage | 3/22/2010 |
| Q: Im looking to purchase a house. There is some water damage around the softit area under the eave ... A: It is fairly difficult, and quite uncommon for a soffit to rot out unless there is a significant and ... | |
| softit/eave water damage | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: Im looking to purchase a house. There is some water damage around the softit area under the eave ... A: James, Most likely it is the roof. It is unlikely that moisture in the air is going to result in a ... | |
| flat roof construction in Cal | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: what is the typical construction of flat roof substrate in commercial type building? truss height, ... A: Dale, You ask a very specific question, and I don't really think that there is a 'typical' ... | |
| lead pipe boot installation. | 3/19/2010 |
| Q: I want to replace my standard pipe boots and use lead ones. I found some but I am not sure how to ... A: Mike, I am not sure if you have a low slope or steep slope application. I will assume shingles on ... | |
| Re-Roofing | 3/11/2010 |
| Q: We currently have a 30 year old tile roof and this winter it was leaking. Back then the building ... A: Helena, The roof I would install would greatly depend on my financial condition. I would prefer to ... | |
| roofs in az | 3/5/2010 |
| Q: How does tile roof compare to shingle in Arizona? Cost of replacement and also life of roof? ... A: James, I am sorry, I do not have a regional performance experience with Arizona. I can't imagine ... | |
| flat roof | 3/2/2010 |
| Q: I recently had our flat roof replaced with all new rubber because it was leaking. The last roof was ... A: Julie, It is standard warranty verbiage with all manufacturers (depending on the type of membrane) ... | |
| Attic Ventilation | 2/20/2010 |
| Q: I keep having problems with ice dams in the winter, and of course leaks. We live in Minnesota. The ... A: You wrote Back: "Thanks for the input. I think it is an excessive heat loss issue. The roof I have ... | |
| Venting question | 2/14/2010 |
| Q: The transparent film attached over the tar on top of the shingle, should it be removed at ... A: The vent seems reasonable to me. We have used similar vents (if not the same) on several projects ... | |
| Installation question | 2/14/2010 |
| Q: The transparent film attached over the tar on top of the shingle, should it be removed at ... A: Tom, No,the transparent film does not need to be removed. The films only purpose is to prevent the ... | |
| Attick Venting and Gable Vent Leaking Heavy Rain | 2/9/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Ryan I live in the Birmingham, Al area. I purchased my home 2 years ago and it is now 5 years ... A: Jay, You might consider installing an additional gable vent in front of the current one. Seal the ... | |
| Attick Venting and Gable Vent Leaking Heavy Rain | 2/8/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Ryan I live in the Birmingham, Al area. I purchased my home 2 years ago and it is now 5 years ... A: JR, In my experience, gable vents and all types of louvered vents are generally quite dependable in ... | |
| roof ratings | 2/4/2010 |
| Q: I'm researching a standing seam metal roof for my house in rural Texas. It's normal to get 40-50 mph ... A: Walt, There is quite a difference. For the UL 90 rating the panels and their attachment system and ... | |
| attic ventilation | 2/2/2010 |
| Q: do i need to put in soffit baffles in the attic when blowing in insulation? even though my house ... A: Michael, You need to have passive vents located at high and low points on the roof with at least ... | |
| condensation | 1/30/2010 |
| Q: I have just built a 28 x 34 metal roofed shop. I am getting a very large amount of condensation ... A: Chris, If your floor slab is still hydrating, and you have the shop closed up, condensation should ... | |
| Cal Shake Roofers | 1/26/2010 |
| Q: I owned a house with cal shake roofing which I had to replace due to leaks and am trying to find the ... A: Ben, Go to www.rci-online.org and navigate to the member directory. Search for consultants in the ... | |
| rubber versus asphalt | 1/25/2010 |
| Q: I'm hoping you can help! Some background--I live in an 85 y.o. attached rowhome in Baltimore, and ... A: Elizabeth, Have the leak diagnosed and repaired. If the roof is a smooth surfaced asphalt ... | |
| rubber versus asphalt | 1/23/2010 |
| Q: I'm hoping you can help! Some background--I live in an 85 y.o. attached rowhome in Baltimore, and ... A: Elizabeth, I miss that area, I used to live in Annapolis. Don't be confused by the rubber...it is ... | |
| Chimney flashing existing pro panel roof | 1/23/2010 |
| Q: I'm helping a friend install a wood stove. He has a pro panel roof and I need to know how to ... A: KC, I would not recommend that you attempt to assist your friend with this project unless one of ... | |
| Soffitt Ventilation | 1/20/2010 |
| Q: When my house was built, it had plywood soffits with spaced ventilation grills. At some point ... A: Don, What is your goal here? Are you concerned about the ice damming, or have you observed ... | |
| Roofline Vents | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: I have a 3 year old stucco home originally built by Pulte in Bluffton, SC. It is in an retirement ... A: Bob, You are dealing with a standard style of ridge vent. Longer nails are required to secure the ... | |
| Soffitt Ventilation | 1/17/2010 |
| Q: When my house was built, it had plywood soffits with spaced ventilation grills. At some point ... A: Don, There is a standard 3" round louvered vent that you could install in a retrofit manner that ... | |
| tin roofing | 1/16/2010 |
| Q: Is there anything you can paint on or do to make a tin roof more slippery. We have a section that ... A: Margaret, I am not aware of a product that will provide a less frictionless surface intended for ... | |
| roof problems | 1/14/2010 |
| Q: A friend of mine has a moisture problem in his attic only on the north side of the house. The ... A: Shaun, The black lines are most likely an algae that feeds on the fillers within the shingles ... | |
| new roof | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: Will you please let me know when it is a good time to put a roof on your house if you live in ... A: Lisa, If you are replacing your roof, now is the good time. Take advantage of the cooler dryer ... | |
| vent pipe flashing/boot | 12/7/2009 |
| Q: Bruce: My 3 tab traditional fiberglass shingled roof is 13 yrs old and the rubber flashing around a ... A: Steve, Yeah, those vent flashings seem to only last half as long as the shingles. Usually we just ... | |
| roofing | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: I NEED TO REPLACE MY ROOF IT HAS 1 X 12 PITCH. IM TRYING TO DECIDE TO BUY THE TPO MEMBRANE OR THE ... A: Rico, There are advantages and disadvantages to both. The cheaper membrane is more susceptible to ... | |
| Roof Leak | 12/5/2009 |
| Q: We purchased a new home still under construction from a builder who went under. Where the front ... A: Chris, It seems that something is wrong with the vent design or installation. It should not leak. ... | |
| Reusable insulation | 12/4/2009 |
| Q: Do you see any reason why I couldn't use once used rigid polyiso if it were free of moisture and in ... A: David, I do not have your e-mail address. You can reuse it, however you must be cognizant of its ... | |
| Solar Attic Fans Leaking | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: I guess leaking probably isn't the right way to explain it since my installation was pretty solid. ... A: Derek, Depending on the proximity of the fan to the surface of the roof, wind pressures, and other ... | |
| torch roofing | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: I live in Southern California, They are going to put on a new roof. Flat roof. first nail 28# ... A: Tom, One ply can work, however two plies are better. Reconsider the torch application. Open flame ... | |
| leaking? | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: Our church has a 27yr old standing seam metal roof, on the south west side of building facing south ... A: Tom, I am revising my response as I missed the fact that your roof is 27 year old! It is unlikely ... | |
| Clay tile roof | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: What is the expected life span of a clay tile roof? The location is Denver, Colorado, a semi-arid ... A: Karla, You might get into trouble trying to estimate a roof life on an existing building without ... | |
| Clay tile roof | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: What is the expected life span of a clay tile roof? The location is Denver, Colorado, a semi-arid ... A: Klara, The life of your clay tile roof is going to depend on many factors. To start, the average ... | |
| attic furnace & insulation | 11/12/2009 |
| Q: I read the question/answer from a Michigan resident with a situation similar to mine, except I do ... A: Annie, Simply put, in your climate, you really want to make sure that the insulation is on the cold ... | |
| laying flagstone on a rubber membrane outdoor mezzanine | 11/11/2009 |
| Q: Can you please tell me the best way to go about laying a flagstone patio on an outdoor rubber ... A: Marci, Do not attach anything through your roof membrane. Before you bury the membrane, be sure ... | |
| Dark Streaks on Roof | 11/11/2009 |
| Q: My roof has dark or even black streaks over most of it running vertically. What can I use to remove ... A: Don, The black streaking is usually caused by an algae that thrives on the limestone fillers within ... | |
| flashing | 11/9/2009 |
| Q: i have a problem withrun off water from the roof running in behind the sideing. it's a two level ... A: Mark, It sounds like you need a diverter flashing, or 'kick out' flashing as the last step flashing ... | |
| Metal Roofing Fasteners | 10/31/2009 |
| Q: Are there screws made that have better quality washers than EPDM? We are installing roofs in ... A: Larry, In the recent past EPDM has replaced the old neoprene washers. My experience is that the ... | |
| Tongue and Groove Decking | 10/28/2009 |
| Q: We are installing a new roof on our house which has tongue and groove ceilings. We scraped all the ... A: Mel, I need to assume that your roof sheathing and not the ceiling is t%26g sheathing and that you ... | |
| i am purchasing commerical building with bur roof | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: i am purchasing commercial building with a built up rubber membrane roof which inspector said is in ... A: Bob, I am probably unable to answer your question in the manner you desire as I do not know what ... | |
| Covering Tar | 10/21/2009 |
| Q: I have an old metal roof that has been patched many time. I want to put elastomeric coat over the ... A: Michele, I would suggest using a metal roof coating such as Karnak 50 that is compatible with ... | |
| gable vents and foam insulation of roof line | 10/20/2009 |
| Q: i have a 100 yr old house in New England with gable vents. about 4 or 5 feet below the vents is a ... A: Replace your can lights with "air tight IC can lights" Your local home improvement store will have ... | |
| Wet roof insulation board | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: I have a leak coming from my new flat roof. There are a few layers of insulation board under the ... A: Go to www.rci-online.org and look up roof consultants in your area. If they don't perform them, ... | |
| different pitches | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: What problems are created when roofs of different pitches intersect? A: Dawson, That depends on what parts of the roofs intersect and how they stop and start, and at what ... | |
| ice dams, instalation and ventilation | 10/15/2009 |
| Q: I've had water leaks due to ice dams every several years, It is a shallow roof line and very ... A: Ted, Passive ventilation works best when the principle of hot air rising is employed, which is why ... | |
| Floating Deck on EPDM Roof | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: What type of preparations would you recommend to a flat EPDM roof for the placement of a floating ... A: I understand the door clearance issue. Old EPDM should suffice for protection. The seams should be ... | |
| Wet roof insulation board | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a leak coming from my new flat roof. There are a few layers of insulation board under the ... A: Jimmy, You ask a difficult question. The amount of water retention is going to depend on the ... | |
| flat roof winter leaks | 10/13/2009 |
| Q: We live in a 4 story condo building with a flat roof in Chicago. The top unit has had the ... A: Pat, The best way to alleviate this problem is to insulate your roof on top of the roof deck and ... | |
| Floating Deck on EPDM Roof | 10/13/2009 |
| Q: What type of preparations would you recommend to a flat EPDM roof for the placement of a floating ... A: Jim, This is going to depend on the age of the current EPDM roof. If the roof is relatively new, ... | |
| metal valleys on asphalt roof | 10/13/2009 |
| Q: Ryan, I live in Cleveland, OH and am replacing a tile roof that was destroyed by a tree with a new ... A: Subba, Metal valleys are better than shingles for several reasons. Debris does not collect in the ... | |
| ice dams, instalation and ventilation | 10/11/2009 |
| Q: I've had water leaks due to ice dams every several years, It is a shallow roof line and very ... A: Ted, Do not block off your venting to your attic as it should not be the cause of your ice dams, in ... | |
| replacing eave metal | 10/4/2009 |
| Q: what is involved in replacing eave metal on a 10 year existing roof?The shingles are in good shape A: Buddy, The complexity of the project depends on how the eave flashing is installed. The worst case ... | |
| flat roof ventilation | 10/2/2009 |
| Q: We have a building in eastern Washington with an existing flat (low slope) roof. Built in 1889, we ... A: Try this link http://www.famcomfg.com/PDFOutput/Globspec.pdf Turbine vents work best when there ... | |
| flat roof ventilation | 10/1/2009 |
| Q: We have a building in eastern Washington with an existing flat (low slope) roof. Built in 1889, we ... A: Bill, You ask a critical design question and any answer I provide is most likely not going to apply ... | |
| metal roofing | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: When installing metal roof for a porch to against the house does the housewrap go under the ... A: John, You want to have the house wrap from the wall above overlap the vertical leg of any flashings ... | |
| Outdoor carpet over rolled rubber roof | 9/8/2009 |
| Q: We have a balcony off of our second floor bedroom that is also the ceiling over a downstairs closet. ... A: Susan, Try your local commercial roofing supplier. They should be able to provide you with some ... | |
| Whole house fan venting | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: This is a follow up from the "roof venting" question on 9/1. Yes, I am planning on having the ... A: Scott, I am not a mechanical engineer...so check my math. You have previously stated that you have ... | |
| Spray on treatment for roof vs reshingling | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: we just had a high pressure salesperson come about a new spray on sealant product with a guarantee ... A: Kim, To my knowledge, there are no coatings that can successfully extend the life of asphalt ... | |
| Roof venting | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: I have installed a whole house fan and need about 12 sq. ft. of additional venting space. With the ... A: Scott, You may consider installing a ridge vent or a series of flanged style roof vents located near ... | |
| Roof venting | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: I have installed a whole house fan and need about 12 sq. ft. of additional venting space. With the ... A: Scott, I need a little more information. Do you have roof and soffit vents currently? Fans ... | |
| Comp Roof Options & Prices | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: I am replacing the roof on my 1950sf two story house. We are going with an asphalt/comp roof and ... A: Stephanie, I cannot evaluate the price without at least knowing the square footage of the roof, and ... | |
| Shingle discoloration - stone coming off | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: I have made on offer on a home, and it has been accepted. However, when the home inspection was ... A: Edward, 1. I am unable to discern whether or not the granules are coming off. If they are, the ... | |
| Roof Support and Air Flow | 8/28/2009 |
| Q: I have a 100+ year old frame home in Ontario Canada with a steep pitched roof. I am hoping to ... A: Barry, I like your first option because it sounds like what you really want and would afford you ... | |
| roof ventilation | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: How many RVO38 vents do I need on top of a (4 or) 5/12 hip roof which measures 29ft. by 45ft. that ... A: Gail, RVO 38 vents provide 38 square inches "true" net free area. Your roof covers approximately ... | |
| Residential Roof Ventilation - Furnace in Attic | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: Bruce, I recently purchased a Michigan 1950's colonial with no eaves in need of tear-off roof ... A: John, If the ice damning is your primary concern, then providing more than the code required ... | |
| tear off | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: Is there a difference between a dimensional tear off and tear off? A: Jon, Tear off (roof removal) should be specific to the roof(s) being removed, so based on the ... | |
| Roofing- Need to tear off old shingles?? | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: We need to re-shingle because of hail & a leak. It only leaks when the wind drives the rain a ... A: Jo, Remove all of those old roof layers. Typically residential building code only allows for two ... | |
| A follow up question | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: I noticed another problem while up on the roof. The seam around the edges of the roof appear to be ... A: Wow, If that is complete...you need to get another roofer, preferably a union contractor or one ... | |
| Rubber roofing question | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: Mr. Ryan, We recently had a rubber roof installed on a low slope part of a new addition added to our ... A: That is very strange. The membrane on the roof deck appears to be loose laid however the wall, or ... | |
| Rubber roofing question | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: Mr. Ryan, We recently had a rubber roof installed on a low slope part of a new addition added to our ... A: Patrick, You have stumbled upon a little known fact about rubber roofing (EPDM). I am going to ... | |
| type of shingles and underlayment | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: I live in chicago and need my roof replaced. What type of shingles are best for residential use? ... A: R, Shingles are fine, unless you are really trying to 'do' something. If you are, you should hire a ... | |
| low pitch roofing repair | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: I have a low pitch roof which is three levels (4 level split house circa 1970's). It is currently ... A: Michelle, Yes, the old built up tar and gravel roof system is still alive and well, unless you are ... | |
| New roof estimates | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: I am a first time home owner in Toronto, Canada. I live in an early 1900's, one and a half storey ... A: Jay, Take the best parts of all of the quotes and draft a scope of work outlining your ... | |
| roof over laying around vents | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: I'm over laying my roof, the vents are where I'm stuck, I know at the bottom of the vent the shingle ... A: Nathan, Hopefully you are installing a new layer of 15 or 30 pound asphalt saturated felt ... | |
| Fumes and charcoal filters | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: We are about to undertake a re-roofing project on our building and I have concerns about the fumes ... A: Leigh, Consult with your mechanical contractor, they should be able to obtain them. You might also ... | |
| low pitch roofing repair | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: I have a low pitch roof which is three levels (4 level split house circa 1970's). It is currently ... A: Michelle, Do not replace your roof until it leaks and stay off of it so you do not break the ... | |
| Drip Edge installation - AE - Bruce Ryan | 8/9/2009 |
| Q: A friend of mine in Phoenix Arizona tells me that virtually "all" rolled-roofing flat roof ... A: Lawrence, I can not imagine why in Phoenix that the drip edge flashing would be applied different ... | |
| roof shingles | 8/8/2009 |
| Q: on a high pitched roof how do you start from the bottom work your way up and not mess up the ... A: Danny, You really do not want to be on the shingles on a hot day. The asphalt softens and your ... | |
| roofing | 8/7/2009 |
| Q: We have gotten several estimates to replace (or put a new layer on ) our 35 year old roof. I have ... A: Generally, for a residence that is already constructed, drilling 2 or 3 2" 'bird' holes in the ... | |
| roofing | 8/7/2009 |
| Q: We have gotten several estimates to replace (or put a new layer on ) our 35 year old roof. I have ... A: Berthe, It is better to remove the old roof completely. It gives you the opportunity to inspect ... | |
| Skylight Installation | 8/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a couple of questions regarding skylights and condensation. We have had two skylights ... A: Paul, Many skylights are designed to be installed flat and the internal gutter should be ... | |
| follow up roof ventalation problem | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: Bruce, you were helping me with my roof problem and I thought it was a ventilation problem above my ... A: The rafters look like they are on hangers on a beam on top of the glulam. you can see that there is ... | |
| roof vents for vaulted ceilings | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: I live in Colorado and have a ranch style home built in the mid seventies. I am in the process of ... A: Bob, Building code requires that the ventilation be there, it is quite clear. I have seen many ... | |
| vaulted ceiling insulation problem | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: We have a newer home with a vaulted ceiling. The rafters are 2 x12 on 2 foot centers with R-30 bats ... A: Your insulation looks like it was installed carefully. If there is no insulation over or above the ... | |
| Wood Storage Roof | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: I have an outdoor wood burner and I am building a wood storage building next to the burner (15'x22') ... A: Robert, There are many criteria that should be used to determine the ideal roof for your particular ... | |
| vaulted ceiling insulation problem | 7/31/2009 |
| Q: We have a newer home with a vaulted ceiling. The rafters are 2 x12 on 2 foot centers with R-30 bats ... A: It sure looks like there is some missing or settled insulation in a few areas. Is there a heating ... | |
| vaulted ceiling insulation problem | 7/29/2009 |
| Q: We have a newer home with a vaulted ceiling. The rafters are 2 x12 on 2 foot centers with R-30 bats ... A: David, Generally you will get a thermal short at the rafters, so with the frost there are typically ... | |
| roof leaks | 7/25/2009 |
| Q: My question relates to a flat roof on a 2400 sq ft commercial bldg. Bldg is 30 years old and has ... A: The consultant should be able to motivate the Manufacturer to uphold the warranty if there is a ... | |
| New Roof Needed or Just Repair | 7/23/2009 |
| Q: I purchased my home in Miami, FL in June of 2003 and was told that the concrete flat tile roof was ... A: RC, I am unable to address your specific conditions without looking at it myself; however, I can ... | |
| Flat roof that was added on to the main house | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: We have a sunroom that was added on and is a flat roof. We constantly have problems with leaks at ... A: The High definition shingles are fine. They are a laminated shingle that I know of no performance ... | |
| Flat roof that was added on to the main house | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: We have a sunroom that was added on and is a flat roof. We constantly have problems with leaks at ... A: Becky, You can't go wrong with the standard hot asphalt roof (nailed base, 2 plies type VI ... | |
| Stapling of roofing shingles | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: A client of mine is having a roofing problem. Evidently the roofing shingles, installed in 1991, ... A: Joel, In 1991, most manufacturers did not openly accept the use of staples, however they rarely ... | |
| roof leaks | 7/16/2009 |
| Q: My question relates to a flat roof on a 2400 sq ft commercial bldg. Bldg is 30 years old and has ... A: Anil, Find a qualified Roof Consultant that is a professional member of the Roof Consultants ... | |
| warranty | 7/15/2009 |
| Q: What are the warranty guide lines on standing or ponding water along seams or in the field of ... A: Darrell, Manufacturer's and the Industry Groups such as the NRCA typically do not consider ponding ... | |
| roof paper | 7/13/2009 |
| Q: When my house was being built, I signed a work order to have roofing paper installed under the ... A: Matthew, Yes, absolutely you do. Please be sure that the area that you saw was not on an obscure ... | |
| roof jacks | 7/12/2009 |
| Q: Can you give me brief instructions on how to use roof jacks. I am re-roofing my house with a ... A: Al, Roof jacks are nailed into the roof through the plywood sheathing and into the rafter. It is ... | |
| Repair for chimney flashing leak | 7/11/2009 |
| Q: We had our 52 year old ranch house in Rochester, NY re-roofed six years ago (summer 2003) by a ... A: Ted, It sounds like you have it pretty well narrowed down to the flashings. It is typical for ... | |
| ridge vents | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: When putting in a ridge vent is it smart to block off the gable end vents? I hear that keeping them ... A: Sheila, The ridge vent is intended to work in concert with additional venting provided at lower ... | |
| Low pitch snow country roof - material, cost? | 7/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a low pitch 1750 sq ft commercial building roof in the mountains of Colorado (lots of ... A: John, I if you are accessing the roof frequently, and you have the need to shovel snow, then I ... | |
| rubber roof patch and coating | 7/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a 20 year old rubber roof-flat. It needs patching and coating. It has been patched before ... A: Richard, You do not ever want to use asphalt products on EPDM (rubber). If all of the old coating ... | |
| Low pitch snow country roof - material, cost? | 7/3/2009 |
| Q: I have a low pitch 1750 sq ft commercial building roof in the mountains of Colorado (lots of ... A: John, I would think carefully about going the spray foam route. This system has been around for at ... | |
| Roof Coating | 7/2/2009 |
| Q: I have a flat rubber roof about 500 s.f. I had a company put on a Silver Coating. What concerns me ... A: I have no experience with EPDM (rubber) roof membranes being coated with aluminum (silver coating). ... | |
| Double-Pitched Valley | 7/1/2009 |
| Q: I am reroofing my barn, which has a valley with 2 different roof pitches. It is about a 4:12 near ... A: Eric, The intersection of the valleys has to be cut. install the membrane on the lower valley ... | |
| Sealing plywood under deck. | 6/30/2009 |
| Q: I have a deck that goes over a storage area at the back end of my garage that is part of my two ... A: Keith, If you want the plywood to last and not leak, install it with at least 1/4"per foot to slope ... | |
| Modified Bitumen (MP) vs Dura-Last | 6/29/2009 |
| Q: Can anyone tell me the long term performance differences, pros/cons of Modified Bitumen (MP) vs ... A: The Mod Bit system will be more durable now and over the long term. My point was that if you did ... | |
| Roof vents | 6/28/2009 |
| Q: I own a home in Milwaukee, WI with a hip roof. Would you recommend slant back vents over a ridge ... A: Mike, My answer depends on how much horizontal ridge you have at the peak of the roof and what the ... | |
| Modified Bitumen (MP) vs Dura-Last | 6/27/2009 |
| Q: Can anyone tell me the long term performance differences, pros/cons of Modified Bitumen (MP) vs ... A: Dan, The old roof should be removed regardless of the system you choose. I do not see a whole lot ... | |
| Squirels eat asphalt roof? | 6/26/2009 |
| Q: Bruce, I live in Minnesota. I recently noticed a large amount of damage to my asphalt roof in the ... A: Tim, I have never encountered or heard of a condition where squirrels or other animals would chew ... | |
| condensation on roof | 6/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a house in upstate New York which was built in 1950. with an expansion attic. i.e., the house ... A: For proper performance the baffles should extend continuously to the ridge and should be full width ... | |
| condensation on roof | 6/22/2009 |
| Q: I have a house in upstate New York which was built in 1950. with an expansion attic. i.e., the house ... A: Maxine, It is terrific to hear that you have had the house reviewed and that the basement can be ... | |
| condensation on roof | 6/19/2009 |
| Q: I have a house in upstate New York which was built in 1950. with an expansion attic. i.e., the house ... A: Maxine, Condensation is a very complicated condition. There are numerous factors that can modified ... | |
| felt | 6/18/2009 |
| Q: do you have to use felt under a new roof? A: Yes if the roof is considered a steep slope roof down to 4:12. Below that to 3:12 you need a double ... | |
| wood roof shakes | 6/18/2009 |
| Q: can I have wood roofing shakes placed on top of existing asphalt shakes? A: Jean, The quick answer is yes however; you should know that the new roof installed over an existing ... | |
| Wet insulation and rubber roof | 6/17/2009 |
| Q: I am replacing the roof on the fellowship hall it is serveral years old and the insulation has ... A: John, I am assuming that the insulation is fiberglass batt insulation that is located under the ... | |
| it's all up there! | 6/16/2009 |
| Q: I did spend a bit of time going thru about 3/4 of the questions already asked and I didn't see this ... A: Lloyd, I always suggest letting your buyer get a quote for the roof replacement so you are not ... | |
| Attic Vents | 6/11/2009 |
| Q: We had a new roof with a new ridge vent installed about a year and a half ago. Yesterday while ... A: You ask a difficult question for me to answer from here Joe, You are on the right track to look for ... | |
| Min roof pitch / material | 6/8/2009 |
| Q: We have a back deck 1 story off the ground that needs the boarding and railing replaced. We are ... A: Brett, There are no drawbacks to to a low slope roof, other than perhaps aesthetics. They should ... | |
| strip or not? | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: We have some serious leaks on an 8,000sf flat rubber roof. We had an infra-red scan done & the roof ... A: Robert, If the expected Building Life exceeds 10-15 years, you will do yourself or the Owner you ... | |
| epdm | 6/1/2009 |
| Q: What does epdm stand for when the contractor is saying "fully adhered epdm single ply membrane 60 ... A: Marcia, A fully adhered EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Dimonomer) refers to a carbon black (grey really) ... | |
| WET FELT PAPER | 5/29/2009 |
| Q: Im doing a major overhaul on my roof. But my 30 lb felt got rained on and before I had a chance to ... A: Keith, It depends on your time frame and aesthetic concerns. The 30 pound felt wrinkles because ... | |
| Rubber Roof | 5/27/2009 |
| Q: I have a black rubber membrane roof that I need to repair and it is also baking the house in the ... A: Morgan, The first thing that you want to do is repair the seams. Typically, EPDM (rubber) seams ... | |
| Roof question | 5/22/2009 |
| Q: Where can I find roofing codes for the state of Wisconsin? I live in a condo and discovered a ... A: Jon, If your local/city building department/permits does not have a copy of the state approved ... | |
| "torch down roofing" | 5/21/2009 |
| Q: I have a large torch down roof that needs repair. This is the heavy single layer material which was ... A: Paul, Torch applied material is risky particularly if you have not installed it before. It ... | |
| Venting | 5/17/2009 |
| Q: I have under construction a 6" pitch roof with joists that run across the pitch, rather than up it. ... A: David, My assumption is that you are in the United States: The code (IBC) requires net free ... | |
| new flat roof on 7 unit apartment bldg | 5/12/2009 |
| Q: I have gotten several bids from roofers that use different methods and an array of price ranges. I ... A: Michael, The best way to solve your problem is to hire a qualified roof consultant to design and ... | |
| Repair to Cal Shake Roof | 5/9/2009 |
| Q: How do I make repairs on a roof with Cal Shakes that are cracked,split,and some disintegrated. Can't ... A: Justin, The problem is going to be not causing more damage to the roof while trying to effect a ... | |
| URGENT!! Stop an unnecessary roof tearoff!! | 5/3/2009 |
| Q: i am a professional builder currently building dovetail homes.I have been instructed to tape all ... A: Max, I am thinking that the felt paper is intended to be used as an air barrier for the walls also? ... | |
| Gutter Overflow | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: I have a gutter which overflows / drips. One side of the house concerns me the most, as there isn't ... A: Cynthia, If the screen is completely inside the gutter and there are no obstructions within the ... | |
| wood sheathing | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: I discovered a leak in sheathing approx 1x2 inches, only that small spot,rest of roof totally solid ... A: Tom, If your sheathing is just water stained and not deteriorated then it would be fine to leave it ... | |
| roofing | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: We recently had a metal roof with insulation underneath put on our roof. It makes a big bang noise ... A: Dan, I may need more information from you to properly answer your question. If the big bang noise ... | |
| New roof - comp over wood | 4/26/2009 |
| Q: Have never had a roof like this, has lathes under wood with comp over wood. Ins. will replace. Do ... A: Walter, Only cedar shingles should be installed with staples. All old roofing and lath should be ... | |
| flat roof load capacity | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a customer who wants me to install an EPDM roof over an existing 4 ply and gravel roof. It's ... A: It would be best to use 10-12 pounds per foot of ballast on the EPDM. Mechanically attached is ... | |
| membrane roofing | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: I have an application where a portion of my roof is flat. It is currently rolled roofing. I ordered ... A: Walt, Using the EPDM membrane is an improvement over roll roofing and I expect that you will have ... | |
| flat roof load capacity | 4/19/2009 |
| Q: I have a customer who wants me to install an EPDM roof over an existing 4 ply and gravel roof. It's ... A: Steve, The quick answer is NO. If the existing roof is a mechanically attached or adhered ... | |
| Aluminum metal caps placed over existing brickwork on perimeter of existing flat roof. | 4/18/2009 |
| Q: I have a one foot brickwall around the edge of my flat roof. After new flat roof is installed - how ... A: Mike, Secure a 2x to the top of the brick wall with anchors set in mortar if possible, otherwise ... | |
Roofing
Answers by Expert:
Bruce A. Ryan II, RRO
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I offer solid knowlege of all types of Commercial and Residential Roofing, Waterproofing, and, Building Envelope systems. Experience ranges across low slope and steep slope roof systems. I am also well versed in matters regarding condensation and ventilation. I enjoy donating some of my time and knowledge to the betterment of others.
Experience
Bruce Ryan has 13 years of roofing, waterproofing, and building envelope consulting experience with PRC, with 5 years of commercial roofing experience prior to joining the firm. He became Vice President of the company in 1998. Bruce Ryan plays a key role in the development of practical, long-term roofing and waterproofing solutions, along with implementation of on-site forensic studies. Bruce also has a high level of experience with regard to the impacts of roofing materials and construction for demanding clients with heavily occupied structures.
Organizations
Oregon Construction Contractors Board
Construction Specifiers Institute
National Roofing Contractors Association
The Institute of Roofing, Waterproofing, & Building Envelope Professionals
Oregon Board of Investigators
Installation Masters
Education/Credentials
University of Maryland
BS Business & Administration
Registered Roof Observer - RCI
Private Investigator
Certified EIFS inspector - Northwest Wall and Ceiling Bureau
Certified InstallationMaster™ - The Installation Masters™ Training and Certification Program (developed by American Architectural Manufacturers Association)
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