Roofing questions in Michigan?

Question

Hi -
I am getting quotes for a new roof (tear off, asphalt shingles) - my problem is that every roofer quotes "different" - really different - 10/12 or 12/12 pitch? 38, 42, 43, or 52 square (2500 square foot ranch 2.5 att. gar, but complex roof) - ridge vent versus more cans versus 2 power fans - (I have a hip roof mostly) - so I don't have enough of a quorum to determine what I need.

My questions:

1) 15 versus 30 pound felt? which one, and why?
2) standard ice and water shield ($42) versus "high cost" ($120 / $160 a roll). Is it worth the premium?
3) Alum vs. galvanized flashing? Is there a gauge I should request in the quote so I don't get cheap flimsy stuff?
4) ridge versus cans - and how many soffit vents do I need - and should I baffle them? (if so, I can baffle them myself - attic is easy access w/blown in insulation). How about electric powered fans?
5) Point chimney installation versus "standard installation" - is it worth it?

Thanks for your help!!!!

As you can see, even my answer folks disagree! Any more help out there?

Answer 1

30 lb felt (tar paper), is twice as thick as 15 lb felt. it resists tears and is stronger. ice and water shield should be run up to a point 3' past any interior wall. further if you get snow collecting in an area, like along side a dormer. line all valleys with i & w, also, run it up the sides of the dormer or where any wall meets the roof. use i & w to flash any openings in the roof, like vent "cans", skylights, chimneys. i prefer to sell ridge vent as opposed to cans, cleaner looking in my opinion. depending on what your soffits are and how big the overhang, it could be as simple as adding vented vinyl soffit, adding a strip vent, cutting rectangular vents (they look like speaker covers), or drilling 2" holes between each rafter bay. as far as the chimney flashing goes, if the (counter) flashing is in good condition, it can just be folded up, step flash the chimney, then fold it back down and silicone the seams. some roofers won't guaranty the chimney unless they do the flashing their way, to know that it is correct, to their standards. get references and check out their work, don't go with the cheapest bid. then deal with the guy that you feel most comfortable with, the one who'll explain what and why he's doing what he's doing. the varried estimates are likely due to some guessing, it's easy to get a pitch wrong just looking at it from the ground. a 12/12 is one foot up for each foot in, 10/12, is ten inches up for one foot in. i'd question the 52 square guesstimate, the others are in line with each other, unless they are open valleys vs. woven or cut valleys, the latter will use more shingles. your prices can also differ due to the quality of the shingles that you are getting. the better the guaranty, the better the shingle, and the longer they will last. good luck, hope this helps.

Answer 2

15 is the most common under shingles. If you had a roof with less pitch, say a 4/12 then 30 might be preferable, especially if ice dams are a problem. The ice shield only goes along the outer bottom edge, around sky lights and sometimes in valleys. The "standard" is 90 pound felt installed gravel side down and works pretty well but the premium ice shield is vastly superior. Aluminum flashing is perfectly fine and it's all pretty flimsy, That's ok though, it's purpose lies in the fold, not the strength of gage. Ridge vents are superior to cans and no other roof venting should be needed.The soffit needs to be well vented. Do NOT baffle the soffits as this is a critical air circulation point. The roof MUST stay cold in the winter or ice will form. If you baffle the soffit you will stop the circulation of air and the attic will heat and so will the roof. Overlapped valleys and point chimney is definitely the way to go.

Answer 3

I am going to answer #4 question only because not to many people are up on this type of question. If you use a power vent to exhaust the attic you need to know how much air the fan will move. This should be on the box it came in. If you a are using turbine vents, a 12" vent will require 144 sq. inches of FREE air space. IOW a 8" X 10" soffit vent does not have 80 sq. inches of FREE air space. Some manufactures will print the free air space on the vent it's self. It has also been recommended that the vents be left open during the winter months, this prevents a build up of moisture in the attic. If you install more than one vent add up the total amount of air that will vent to the out side and that will tell you how much FREE air space you need. You can put a power vent on one end of the Attic and a louver on the opposite side. There are also power vent that are thermostatically controlled.

Answer 4

It sounds like you have probably got a metal roof, with the roof coating. As the roof coat dries, it forms a 'skin', which does tend to crack, or 'wrinkle' over time. The silver coating can be purchased at most mobile home supply stores, or RV parts stores. I believe Lowe's carries it too. Ive used a product in a quart caulk gun with very good results, but I know you can also purchase it by the bucket, and roll it on...very handy for long seams in metal roofing. If the wood you are talking about is structural.. you need to replace it. This will take some carpentry skills, as the pieces need to match the existing structure. There is no shortcut here, sorry, wood filler will not hold your roof together when you are pulling this camper down the highway. Also, be on the lookout for any signs of mold or mildew. Good Luck

Answer 5

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