Energy Efficient Roofing Upgrade: Part 2

This is Part 2 of a 3 part series on upgrading your roof by installing attractive and energy efficient composite slate shingles. In Part 1, Mark demonstrated how to remove your old three-tab shingles; in this video he shows how roof flashing works and does final preparations before installing the new underlayment and shingles.

Preparing Your Roof Sheathing for New Underlayment and Shingles

When a roof meets any vertical wall surface on your home, there should be flashing installed to guard against possible water intrusion. Mark shows where the existing flashing is located on the old house’s roof, but the old flashing can’t be removed without damaging the home’s stucco veneer so new flashing will be installed when the shingles are complete. Aluminum coil stock is normally used for roof flashing, but copper also looks good when used with shingles that appear to be slate.

When all old shingles are off the existing roof, sheathing should be inspected for any potential problems. Mark has already noticed that new sheathing was installed the last time the roof was shingled, but the roof should still be inspected for any of the following:

• Stray roofing nails or staples that need to be hammered in or removed
• Dust or debris should be swept or blown off the roof prior to placing underlayment
• Remove any obstructions, such as gutter hangers, under the new roof sheathing

Mark is using Grace’s Ice and Water Shield as an underlayment instead of standard roofing felt. Ice and water shield is a rubber membrane that’s normally used along the eaves and in valleys on roofs to help prevent water leaks caused by snow and ice buildup during the winter months. The membrane has an adhesive backing so the roof sheathing should be clean and the old ice and water shield removed for the new underlayment to adhere properly. Grace’s Ice and Water Shield should be installed per manufacturer’s instructions.

Click here to watch the next video in this series.