Roof ???

[Joseph Meehan]

I am getting a new roof (hail damage) and have just a couple of questions.

I have noticed two way of finishing valleys. Most of the older jobs seem to cut the shingles on both sides forming an exposed valley flashing of about three inches to center. Many, not all, of the newer jobs seem to weave the two planes of shingles to form a continuous surface.

When I first saw the new style I was not sure I liked the look, but I believe I prefer the look, less of a break at the valley. My question however is more along the practical side. Is there a down side to the weaved style? Looking at the rusted valley flashing makes me like the looks of it even more.

Next has to do with the stuff they use for an ice dam protection. Some sort of self sealing substitute for the lowest felt. Is this stuff worth it? How about in valleys?

How about ridge vent. it seems to be a good idea, and I have been told it also provides better ventilation. True?

Last, anyone have anything bad to say about the heavy dimensional look shingles?

Thanks.

[Lar]

In article , [e-mail] says... :) Is there a down side to the weaved :) style? Looking at the rusted valley flashing makes me like the looks of it :) even more.

When they weave the valley they will probably lay "rolled roofing" down in the valley. My preference was to lay the metal instead. :) :) How about ridge vent. it seems to be a good idea, and I have been told :) it also provides better ventilation. True?

By looking at the studies it appears to to be true, but seeing many a 10 year old ridge vent on homes I sometimes wonder what sort of flow there is when they always seem to be mashed in a bit. :) :) Last, anyone have anything bad to say about the heavy dimensional look :) shingles? :) They were a pain to load when working on tall, steep roofs. :/

[CMF]

The ridge vent works better for me than the two turbines did, but not by a significant amount. It also depends on wind, soffet venting, etc. Your roof would need to be conducive to ridge vents; ie, a decent amount of peak space to put them. They need to be at the highest point, and frankly, some roofs are so detailed and downright silly that there is no good place to put ridge vents.

You might want to go back a few months in this group, and if I recall correctly the group dfw.forsale. We have had some lengthly talks about attic ventilation.

Maury Wylie, TX

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[Colbyt]

Joseph,

I can only offer an opinion based on what my roofer (with about 35 years experience) tells me. There are two ways to lace a valley. One is to lace both sides into the other. The other is lace one side into the other and cut the othe side straight down the center of the valley. This is the methods he swears by. One layer of shingles over the valley tin. The look from the ground is virtually the same. His way is actually a tad neater and closer laying. You still have the metal under as a backup. Either method with metal back up is superior to exposed metal.

I know nothing about your other questions.

[Eric Lee Green]

In article , Joseph Meehan ruminated:

Yes. It doesn't last as long, and develops leaks.

So get painted valley flashing, and repaint it occasionally. My house was re-roofed in December 1999. It has massive valley flashings, painted brown (the color of my roof). Those valleys are *not* going to leak.

Since I'm in Phoenix AZ, I don't have ice dam issues, so I can't help you.

There is some debate there. One school of thought says that ridge vents do not have enough ventilation area and get clogged up by snow, and that you should put lots of nice big dormer vents right below your ridge line instead. But if it comes down to a choice of ridge vent and just the old-timey gable vents, cover up the gable vents and put in a ridge vent and soffit vents. (You don't want both gable vents *AND* ridge vents).

I've heard they tend to last longer in our Arizona climate because it takes longer to bake/boil them to pieces (the roof surface temperature gets to 160F or higher in midsummer when it's 115F outside). Since you mention ice dams, you're in a cold climate. I have no idea whether they offer any advantage in cold climates. Only older homes have shingles here in Arizona because of the baking/boiling issue, all the new homes have concrete tile roofs and stucco siding (leading to some pundits calling new housing subdivisions "Taco-bell look-alikes").

[jim]

you had hail damage and your insurance company is paying for the new roof??? well two years ago we had baseball size hail also and my insurance comp. came out and said i did not have damage.. but if i get a roofer to come out and find damamge then they will double check.. i did nad they did.. the company i signed up with(big company)) but they hired all those jack leg subs that travel all over the US to follow storm damage claims... the bozo's that came out and did my roof looked like they did not know what they were doing, it looked like the house jack built when they were finished... i got the owner to come out and he got one of his workers to come out and take care of the problem after telling him that i was going to take him to civil court to get it done correctly.... he came out and told me he was sorry.. but that did not do any good for me getting off work at 1 am in the morning and checking the roof out and then the crew would come out at 6 am and start nailing and trying to tell them or their supervisor how they were messing up was a waste of time( i had a stroke a week later)... knowing what i know now i would have waited about 6 months to a year later when these type of workers left town to go to the next storm......

[Bruce]

Of course, a closed valley can be cut, instead of weaved, over tin flashing, which doesn't rust anyway. My roof has a composite rubber flashing which will outlast the roof.

[Eric Lee Green]

In article , John Willis ruminated:

That has not been my experience over the years. It may be a climate issue. In my hot climate, shingles don't "wear out". They literally bake to death, turning stiff and brittle and fragile. Shingles that are bent (like in a closed valley) tend to fracture along the valley line, causing leaks. Galvanized steel valleys do not rust in this climate, and the powder-coated galvanized steel valleys should look good for the life of the roof (which is approximately 15 years for the very best "30 year shingles" in our climate).

[George E. Cawthon]

I disagree, the cut layment looks cheap compared with the laced type. Also, I don't see how he laces one into the other and then cuts one side. If they are LACED, he would be cutting alternate shingles. What he most likely does is lays one side past the center of the valley and then lays the other side that ends in a straight line down the valley. The advantage of the cut type is less labor and faster construction than the true laced type, especially with a crew of roofers.

[dkarnes]

make sure the people installing your roof has the same state plates on their trucks. alot of insurance companies hire people that are not from your state. i don't know if they know this or not. here in cols ohio we had people showing up from wva va pa and nc. you should be able to demand a local co. and demand the local co. to use their people not subs.

[John Willis]

On 25 Aug 2003 22:39:50 -0500, Eric Lee Green scribbled this interesting note:

Your climate may be rather warm, but it is only slightly warmer than the climate in which I've been working for some time. The Dallas region of Texas sees a fair number of warm days every year as well.

In the time that I've been working on roofs, I've not seen a properly installed closed valley deteriorate in the way you describe. I'm not saying it can't happen, I'm just saying I've not seen it.

Indeed, in your climate, a galvanized steel metal open valley is unlikely to rust, but that is not the case everywhere.

The biggest reason I say a closed valley is superior to an open valley is with a closed valley there is only one leading edge (I am not addressing a woven valley here, just a closed valley) as opposed to an open valley which has two leading edges (one on either side of the valley.) This means that with an open valley there are twice the opportunities for the installer to make a mistake...fasteners too close to the center of the valley, improperly cropping a shingle at the valley-or worse yet, not cropping the shingles at all, and so forth.

On the multitudes of roofs we've installed in the D/FW region of Texas over the past twenty to thirty years, we do not get called back because of problems with the valley installation...and all of them have been closed valleys. Of course, most of the time roofs in this area get damaged by hail long before they get a chance to actually wear out!:~)

-- John Willis

[Joseph Meehan]

As it turns out I am in Central Ohio (Hilliard) and the insurance company is not doing the hiring, they just give me the check and it is up to me to find the contractor of my choice.

I did ask for a couple of suggested contractors from them and was give the names of local companies. I also have the opportunity to ask around the neighborhood as we had a lot of damage in my area. I have also had a chance to watch them work.

[charlie karnes]

i am dealing with b&t roofing. i find their work excellant and honest.

[peter]

Depends on the shingles and who's doing the work. The closed valley will work very well if installed properly and the shingles are first rate. (But then, so will the other style.)