The Importance of Proper Roofing Installation

When it’s time to put a new roof on your home, you want to make sure that it’s going to last.  That’s why you look for the best materials with the longest promised lifespan.  But no matter how good the asphalt is, or what the wind rating is on the shingles, you won’t get high-quality roofing unless you hire an experienced professional who knows what they’re doing.  It doesn’t matter what the warranty says or what the packaging specifies, if you don’t get an expert installer, it’s really just being built to fail.

Why You Need the Best Installers

Some people have asked us, “Can I install my own roof?” And we tell them, “Of course, you can!  Just give us a call when you’re done and we’ll come fix it!”  

No one would say that replacing a roof is easy, but the roof installation process is a lot more complicated than it may seem. In fact, there are a lot of unprofessional or inexperienced people out there who are running a roof installation company but don’t know what they’re doing. They may get a roof on your house, but it won’t last, and you’ll be having to replace it again way sooner than you should have to.

That’s why it’s always better to hire experts, like the team at Parish Roofing Solutions, so you get the high-quality roof you need.

So what does a professional roofing team do that the others don’t? The key difference is that we completely tear the old roof out and expose the bare bones of your home. That may seem like overkill, but it’s actually crucial for your house, and here’s why:

Checking the Decking

When a professional roofer replaces your roof, the first thing they’ll do is strip away everything that’s already there, tearing out the old roof down to the bare bones decking (the boards that fill the space between the roof’s structural components) and plywood underneath.  A lot of inexperienced workers try to cut corners by just laying the new roof on top of the old one. But it is absolutely critical for both the installation quality of your new roof and for the roof safety of your home that the old one be stripped away.  

Think about it.  

A new roof is put on your home once every 10-20 years.  If done right, your house’s decking is exposed for 1-2 days while the old roof is stripped away and the new one is installed.  That means that this crucial part of your house is only open to inspection 1 to 2 days every 1 to 2 decades!  

If you don’t strip away the old roof, it can’t even be checked on then.  This is your one time to check for any damage or issues that may be cropping up in the decking.  

And, if we catch any problems while we’re replacing your roof, we can often fix them for as little as $50. If you don’t have them checked, and you wait for a catastrophe to find out there’s a problem, the repair will be $1000 or more!  

Plus, if you wait, we’ll have to cut into your roofing and then try to patch around the repair.  That’s why it’s so important to get a professional who inspects and fixes everything when they replace your roof.

Water Proofing and Wind Resistance

Felt paper lining is the last layer of defense your house has against moisture and your decking.  Stripping away the old roof lets us make sure that this critical felt lining is in good shape, fresh, and that there is full coverage of the roof.  We here at Parish Roofing Solutions will also make sure that it is layered properly so that if water does get in, it will shed it the way it’s supposed to and keep the moisture from getting into your house or rotting your decking.

Water can also get in when shingles are loosened by the wind. By starting with a stripped roof, we can also make sure the rakes and eaves starter strip is installed so that the bottom layer of shingles has a tight seal.  This strip makes sure that the base level of your shingles is secure, to help prevent the wind from getting under them and causing big damage. When you work with us, we’ll do all of this for you so you don’t have to worry.