The Ultimate Guide to the Roof Installation Process

Knowledge Is The Armor That Guards Against Costly Errors

Understanding the roof installation process is necessary, whether you want to perform the job yourself or want to guarantee you know what a professional roofing contractor is doing when it comes to roofing installation services. Our detailed guide leads you through the necessary tools and safety considerations, the various materials for different areas and roof types, and the step-by-step roof installation procedure.

Key takeaways

• Professional roof installation and reroofing can range in price from $6,000 to $60,000, with rates around $20,000 being the most frequent.
• You should examine your roof on a regular basis for water damage and missing shingles to determine whether to replace it, especially as it approaches the end of its expected lifespan.
• Routine inspections, fast fixes, frequent cleanings, and gutter maintenance are all required to effectively maintain your new roof.
• DIY roof installation is extremely dangerous, both financially and physically, thus it is always best to leave roofing projects to the specialists.

Required Tools

Some of the tools needed for roof installation may already be in your garage. The tools required for installing a new roof include the following:

Caulk gun and roofing caulk: Use roofing caulk to waterproof raw edges.
Gloves: Wear gloves when cutting and installing roofing shingles.
Hammer: Use a hammer to remove the old shingles and flashing. If you do not have a nail gun, you can use a hammer to secure new shingles in place.
Nail Gun: A nail gun can help you install your underlayment and new shingles faster. You will also require an air compressor system for your nail gun.
Small pry bar or screwdriver: Use these tools to pry up stuck material that won’t easily loosen.

What Is the Process of Roof Installation?

Step 1: Assess Your Roof

This phase entails assessing your current roof for water damage, faulty flashing, and other possible issues. To order supplies, you need first measure your roof and determine the amount of roof squares.

Step 2: Obtain The Necessary Permits

Before installing a new roof, you must get a local city-level permission. Your homeowners association (HOA) may also have particular regulations and limits governing the roofing materials and styles that are permitted. A roofing contractor will manage this procedure for you and guarantee that your project meets local building requirements.

Step 3: Prepare the Worksite

Follow these actions to prepare the work site:

• Cover landscape plants to prevent them from becoming harmed.
• Install the safety harness systems so that they are ready for installation day.
• Remove cars and garbage cans from your driveway or property perimeter.
• Store the new roofing materials on-site.

Step 4: Remove the old roof.

The first stage in new roof installation is to remove the old one. Asphalt roofing will be removed with a shingle fork. The shingle fork is used to remove old shingles from the roof, beginning from the top and moving downward.

If you have another sort of roofing, the method will be slightly different. For example, a metal roof is removed by loosening the panels using a pry bar or drill. Next, remove the ridge cap and fasteners for each meeting. Moving from one edge of the roof to the next, the operation is repeated until all panels are gone.

Step 5: Inspect the Roof Decking

Once the old roof has been removed, the roofing contractor will inspect the whole roof deck. This component of your roof serves as a foundation and structural support for the shingles and other roofing components. They will search for the following:

• Sheathing damage and moist places.
• Mildew and Rot
• Essentially, the contractor will assess whether any places require major repairs before constructing the new roof and decking.

Step 6: Examining the Flashing

After removing the old roofing material, the contractor should check the flashing to see whether it needs to be replaced. If it is in good condition, it can remain in situ. If worn out, new flashing will be put in the following places to avoid water infiltration:

• Chimney
• Valleys
• Vents

To prevent water seepage, place flashing around all of your roof’s joints. If you have other roof penetrations, such as skylights, or dormers, flashing should be installed around those.

Step 7: Installing The Drip Edge

Installing a drip edge is crucial for diverting water from your property and into the gutter. Depending on where it is on your roof, it may be fitted before or after other parts.

If your drip edge is on the lowest area of your roof, put it before the underlayment. Roof installation takes place after the drip edge underlayment has been applied to the side of your roof.

Step 8: Laying Down Underlayment

Underlayment is essential to the longevity of your roof system. It is a felt paper that sheds water and protects the frame and sheathing from decay. The process of installing underlayment has several components; here’s what you should expect:

• Ensuring the drip edge is properly placed: Underlayment can be installed above or below the drip edge, depending on where it is on your roof.
• Fastening the underlayment: The first row should begin at the roof’s edge and be secured using cap nails.
• Overlapping underlayment: After the initial row of underlayment is installed, successive rows are added on top, overlapping the preceding row by approximately 6 inches to guarantee seam protection.
• Placing the final row of underlayment: The last layer of underlayment is put along the roof’s ridge. It should drop down and cover the top border of the underlayment on both sides of the roof.
• Securing the final drip edge: After the underlayment has been laid and attached, the drip edge must be installed overtop along the roof’s sides to keep water from getting below the underlayment.

Step 9: Install the New Roofing Material

Regardless of whatever shingle roof you’re building, the roofers will work from the bottom up. If you choose asphalt shingles, they will also be nailed through the tar strip. This avoids exposed nails from becoming obvious once all of the shingles have been put.

For metal roofs, place the panels with fasteners along the ridges. If the fasteners are located along the flat section of the panel, water may accumulate and compromise the fastening.

Step 10: Debris Collection

Any professional roofing firm should clean up after themselves. In addition to disposing of any old roofing materials in a dumpster, its personnel should search for stray nails and other debris that may have fallen on your lawn and landscaping.

Step 11 : Final Inspection

Following installation, the roofing crew leader should conduct a final roof inspection. This ensures that everything has been installed correctly.
The contractor should also double-check that no materials are damaged and show you images of your new roof.

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If you’re planning a roof installation, our team at Outdoor Makeover Roof and Exteriors can help. We offer over years of experience, complementary 21-point roof inspection, financing options, and manufacturer warranties. Whether it’s storm damage or wear and tear, our team of the top roofing contractors in Atlanta, GA is always available to give efficient and effective solutions suited to your specific requirements. From inspections to installations, our staff is dedicated to providing high-quality craftsmanship and exceptional customer service at all times.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can get this project started for you.

Roof Installation