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We are think of replacing our old roof all way from the bottom. Several roofing contractors have come in with their preferred shingle options. Many of them use GAF, but also quite a few contractors only install Tamko or Owens Corning. Anyone can advise on the quality of these three brands? Which one has the best quality according to your experience? We are mainly looking at those 30 yr shingles as most households have.
We also have another confusion on adding the ridge vent. We have a typical split style house built in 1950s. There's no disagreement in adding the ridge vent on the longer side, but different contractors proposed differently on the shorter side. The short ridge is about 8 or 9 feet. Some said once they install the ridge vent, they will close the attic fan and all other louvers. Some suggest we keep the attic fan rather than having the ridge vent, coz it'll be less powerful with such a short length. Some even said we can have both. We only have a crawl-in attic under the short ridge side while the other side is all high ceiling. Anyone knows the correct way to or not to have the ridge vent?
All opinions and advice will be greatly appreciated.
We are think of replacing our old roof all way from the bottom. Several roofing contractors have come in with their preferred shingle options. Many of them use GAF, but also quite a few contractors only install Tamko or Owens Corning. Anyone can advise on the quality of these three brands? Which one has the best quality according to your experience? We are mainly looking at those 30 yr shingles as most households have.
We also have another confusion on adding the ridge vent. We have a typical split style house built in 1950s. There's no disagreement in adding the ridge vent on the longer side, but different contractors proposed differently on the shorter side. The short ridge is about 8 or 9 feet. Some said once they install the ridge vent, they will close the attic fan and all other louvers. Some suggest we keep the attic fan rather than having the ridge vent, coz it'll be less powerful with such a short length. Some even said we can have both. We only have a crawl-in attic under the short ridge side while the other side is all high ceiling. Anyone knows the correct way to or not to have the ridge vent?
All opinions and advice will be greatly appreciated.
If your fan is in good shape, it is probably adequate for venting that cavity. That should be the most economical solution.
If the longer side has high ceilings, it will be necessary to assure that the insulation does not block the entire cavity and prevent free flow of air from eaves to ridge.
And you will need to assure that vents let into the eaves actually vent into the cavity and not just into a blocked off overhang.
As far as shingle brand goes, IMO, it turns into a typical Ford/Chevy, Coke/Pepsi, Tastes Great/Less Filling sort of argument. Personal preference does not ensure a longer lasting roof.
Some guys are into the GAF, Owens-Corning co-marketing schemes where they promise to only use those brands.
I see no compelling difference between brands. Pick a color and style you like.
There is no preferred brand as long as you stick with the major ones. Get the architectural style shingles, not the standard 3 tab. They are more expensive but that is the most important thing to select. They will have a longer life and usually a better apperance. Get the best quality, longest rated life shingles available. Also ensure they use a layer of 15# roofing felt under the shingles.
There is no right or wrong way to do a ridge vent. The best way IMHO is to build it with the addition of an under roof air flow system that incorperates a thermal barrier. Basically you build the thermal radiant barrier to capture air flowing from the soffit areas in the rafter bays up to the roof peak. This becomes its own lil enclosed volume and the ridge vent is incorporated into that volume. It is far more effective in that type of design. Especially relating to air conditioning, the attic volumes will stay far, far cooler.
If the present attic sidewall vents / louvers can be incorporated in the volume enclosed by the new under roof air flow system, great that can help with the venting. If they are not that high, still keep them. In all cases remove the attic fan, it should not be needed.
What will happen is the attic volume remaining below the under roof air flow system will be far, far cooler in summer. Plus the roof itself will be cooler, the shingles will last longer. I would vent all roof peak areas of any length if possible.
The ridge vent design is important. I would use a prefab'd cover type cap for the vent. Not the type where they use a filter mesh covered with cut shingles. The prefab'd design sits up higher and has more venting volume, the apperance looks a bit odd at times. You want a ridge vent that is screened and has some protection build in for water being blown into it in major storms. I like to anticipate this will happen and build in like some dished plastic sheeting to catch any future leakage. Typically it is not much but can spoil your day if it were to happen. The catchment does not need a drain, any water that gets in just evaporates. You want the catchment directly under the vent area.
I would use Reflectix which is sort of like bubble wrap with an aluminum face on both sides. I would ensure air can enter the rafter bays from outside via soffit vents. Apply the Reflectix to the underside to rafters to enclose that volume. It helps to have collar ties, if not installed, put them in right under the main ridge beam. Collar ties are structural members run across the rafters to provide strength to the entire roof. In the letter A, that small horizontal crossing bar would be a collar tie in a roof structure. Move it up close to the top if installing new. You want the total vented volume enclosed to be fairly small. This type of design leads the under roof air flow directly to the roof vent.
Run the Reflectix to totally enclose the volume of rafter bay, area above the collar tie. This gives a volume to be vented, it works by natural circulation flow when the roof gets heated by the sun. Do not try to vent the entire attic volume, that is far less effective. A good under roof air flow system will greatly reduce your need for air conditioning. For most folks their attic insulation is in the floor of the attic. This type of vent system makes it far more effective in summer or the cooling season. There is no change in effectiveness in winter.
This type of a roof system will also be far more effective in preventing ice dams if that is a problem in your area. Interior heat will not reach the roof as well.
these are all good products...we usually use IKO Cambridge...I would suggest architectural shingles over 3-tab... but I just wanted to say that if thinking about re-roofing, don't take too long to decide. We have seen four increases in roof material costs in the last month. I'm sure it's due to the storms that have ravaged some states...and other aspects of this current economy... such as the higher cost of fuel. But once things go up, they don't come back down.
Alot of the brands don't even make the shingles thenmselves.If that fan is a electric vent fan many fire depts do not recommend thenm because of the number of fires they see started by them.
Help... have ice dams with ice cycles in two corners of the house ( one back and one front)
Just had siding roof and gutters done...all is under warantee...problem is there is no attic above where these dams are ocurring both are at overhangs and the ice is all the way across the back and front overhangs in the gutters and close to the roof over hangs....there is no attic in this house and a small vent in the roof when I asked about putting in another when they were doing the work they told me that I already had vents...yes I have vents with no insulation and obviously leaks from the inside of the house out causing the ice dams...I am very worried.... who should I call to help me...there is ice and snow on the roof ( front and back) I am very worried that I will see damage inside the walls of the house...please advise thanks
First, take pictures, complain and have someone come out to verify the problem.
Next - Quick fix - go to the local big box home store. Get denatured alcohol, four 10' lengths of 1/2" copper pipe, eight 1/2" copper caps, a can of black spray paint, and some water and alcohol proof glue. Cap and seal one end of the copper pipes. Pour 1 shot of denatured alcohol into each of the capped pipes. Heat gently for a minute, then while still hot, cap the other end using glue to seal. Paint them black, let dry, then lay them over the ice dam area, with 3' to 4' of pipe going off the edge of the roof into space. The copper will conduct solar provided heat on sunny cold days (the same days that form ice dams) to the iced area and create a breach in the dam. You might use a burning rolled up newspaper on the exposed end to speed the process and set the pipes. They will eventually roll off the roof in the wind unless you weight down the top ends. The low pressure in the pipe makes the boiling point of the alcohol lower, and the exposed end heats in the sun and transfers heat as alcohol vapor up the pipe.
Long term fixes include cooling the attic to prevent snow melt, and/or metal flashing extending from the eaves to above the ice dammed area.
Looks like most of us agree all those brands are a very good choice. I might lean on Tamko but that is just what we used in remodels over the years. I just strongly desire the architectural style shingles rather then the same ol boring 3 tab style.
Ridge vents are ugly. If you can use a gable vent they might not be pretty but are far nicer looking then ridge vents.
One can never have too much ventilation in that space. A fan is not always necessary but based on your description I cant tell. I really dont think any of those roofers are steering you the wrong way. Some just do things different.
I really like the Certainteed Grand Manor Shangle if you have the money.
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just had siding and roof done
