Shingles blowing off roof PEAK

[emailwaste]

Recently many shingles have been blowing off the roof of my house. It appears as though the roofer placed many tiles along the peak of the roof, just stacking them on with a bit of roofing tar to hold them down. No other roof damage is happening and no leaks have occured.

My question is WHY did they just stack these on there without nailing them down? and why did they put som many on there.

My wife is in a panic because she thinks the roof is falling apart, but I don't think it is a big deal. I figure I will just go up there in the spring and stick them back on.

I imagine that the layer closest to the actual peak is nailed on and therefore the roof would be fine even if all those layers blow off.

Do roofers just put many layers on the top if they have the extra tile? or is there a real reason why they do that?

[kevin]

You should call your roofer back to put them on properly. Yes, they are necessary.

The last course of shingles can be folded over the top, but this still leaves gaps where water can easily infiltrate. A cap row is put on last, consisting of a bunch of shingle peices (usually a regular "triple" shingle cut in three) lapped over each other, running down the ridge. These should usually be nailed with longer nails than normal (because the nails have to go through several extra layers). Tar is nice, but not a substitute for the nails. Your roofer probably used tar plus too short nails, so they are blowing off. I can't imagine anyone would be so negligent to not use nails at all.

-Kevin

[Dan Espen]

F> Recently many shingles have been blowing off the roof of my house.

Shingles and tiles are 2 different things. I think you need to clarify what you actually have on your roof.

[emailwaste]

Shingles.

On some of the shingles there are small nail holes now that you mention it.

I don't know who the roofer is though.

How much do you think a roofer would charge to come fix this?

Maybe 25 shingles flew off.

[emailwaste]

Yeah, you're probably right, I do remember seeing some small holes on them. I guess we will call someone to look at it and another area where I think run off is not sealed up well.

Thanks.

[kevin]

I have no idea how much it would cost. But it would take me about an hour to do myself, all told, and I'm not a roofer by any means.

But you say you are seing nail holes in the shingles that blew off? I don't have experience with blown-off shingles, but I'd expect to see the nails still stuck in the singles, actually. So maybe the nails were long enough and held fine, and the shingles tore due to (a) poor nail positioning (too close to edge of shingle), (b) higher than expected winds, (c) damaged shingles (maybe from an attic that is too hot? I've no idea...).

It is simple enough to nail a new row on, but it might be worth having someone who knows something take a look to figure out why the old ones blew off.

-Kevin

[emailwaste]

Yeah, there are 2 holes per shingle and they seem like they were laying one on top of the other. When our ROOF aentenna blew off last year it must have started them blowing off like a zipper effect.

I would gladly do it myself, but the roof is too high and I am not sure if I can even get up there.

I tried getting on the roof a couple months ago and the pitch was way too steep. I was sliding off.

If I could get on right on the center and scootch across whilst fixing it that might work. I will have to look at it again tonight.

Basically the roofer my wife talked to said around $500, coincidentally the same amount that most insurance companies list as the deductible for roof damage due to high winds.

So basically I am forced to pay some guy $500 just to go on top of the roof and do what I am afraid to do.

[kevin]

Well, if you put it that way....

But you could also think of it as paying some guy $500 to do something you don't have the knowledge (tricks on how to make it stay, how long nails, where to nail, etc.) or equipment (decent shoes, harness or other devices if it really is that steep, good ladders with proper supports, etc) to properly do.

I'd do it myself, but that's because my house has a shallow pitch roof, is not too high, I've done roofing before, and have shingles and proper nails in the garage all ready.

-Kevin

[RicodJour]

How much would it have to be before you became brave/stupid enough to do it yourself? I'm not a doctor, but I'd think that falling off your roof might cost just a bit more than $500.

Call around there might be someone willing to do it for a better price. Be aware that you won't be able to inspect something that high up, so hire somebody you trust. You may want to have some binoculars handy so you can watch as he does it. Tell him you want to learn.

R

[BobK207]

Pay the money, consider it cheap health insurance. How much will a visit to the emergency room & time off work cost?

I re-ridged my roof last fall

It's a 2 story 8/12 with cedar shingles.

I re-ridged with pre-nailed medium shake ridge.

I had an experienced helper, the weather was still dry (rainy season had not started in SoCal. It was a little scary but the roof was dry & we were able to scramble over it. We work well together. He tossed me the ridge & I stapled it down. He went to the ground for material so I was able to "ride the ridge" as I went.

We knocked the job out in about 2 hours. It would have taken all day by myself, if I had survive the job. (It would have been much less safe by myself)

I'm still a little confused, asphalt shingle ridge & wooden ridge (to my experience) do not have holes in them. The asphalt nail down / glue down & the wooded ones nail (staple) down.

Are not ridge w/ holes not clay tile or concrete tile or concrete "shingle"?

cheers Bob

[3rd eye]

Take the chance or take the ride. From one that's been there. You will remember the ride.

[buffalobill]

so your antenna is to blame. "When our ROOF aentenna blew off last year it must have started them blowing off like a zipper effect. "

-Get cable tv and fix the roof. that will be $500. or if the roof is old, that will be tearoff and replacement roof.