Questions and Answers
Q & A - Roofs and Party Walls
I had my roof done and now there's a leak near my neighbor's adjoining wall, what do I do? Keith from Maryland asked, "Soon after I had a roof done I developed a leak near my neighbor's adjoining wall. The contractor said that the wind blew behind the siding. Now my ...
Q&A - Cedar Shingles on Walls?
Can cedar shingles be used as an exterior wall covering? Cedar sidewall is what we called the application of cedar shingles as an exterior wall covering. The shingles can be used as an accent with fancy butts or straight cut as shown here to cover the entire wall. For many years ...
Q & A - Asphalt Shingles, Do They Really Last a Lifetime?
Steve asked, "How long do those lifetime shingles last?" I get this question asked many times. The answer is not so easy to give because there really are so many variables that affect the performance of asphalt shingles. I know that’s not what you want to hear Steve, but it is ...
Q & A - Flat Roof Coatings
What roofing material can be applied over XXXXX that will adhere to this surface and prevent future problems? Barbara asked about Flat Roof Coatings, "I bought a flat roof home three years ago that had an XXXXX roof installed in 2006, with a 7-year warranty. The roof started failing almost 3 ...
Q & A - Repointing a Tile Roof
What does 'repoint ridges' mean? Repointing and a tile roof repair question was asked by Natalia, "When roofer sells 'repoint ridges' what does it mean? Is there any approved technical roofers code he must follow?" The term repointing is used when the hips, ridge and even rakes on a tile roof have ...
Q & A - Downspouts, How Many Do I Need for My Roof?
How many rain gutter downspouts should I have? Tim H. from Birmingham, Alabama, asked, "How many downspouts do I need for my roof? My warehouse has 4 downspouts. Each side is 75 feet long by 33 feet wide gable sides. Is that enough downspouts?" There are too many variables to this roofing ...
Q & A - Loose Ridge Caps, What Can I Do ?
Ridge tiles are coming off of our new build roof, does replacing the end cap keep the rest of the ridges in place? Ryan asked, "Our new build roof has had some ridge tiles come off. A roofer advised us that the ridge screws weren’t long enough and that ...
Q & A - How to Repair a Roof
The flashing at the top of th awning dormer roof doesn't cover the nails or seal-strip in the shingles below, what should I do? Kent asked, "I have what appears to be a non-standard flashing at the top of the awning dormer roof that does not cover the nails or seal-strip ...
Q & A - Rusty Roof Flashings
Noticing rust on the roof flashings, Georgia wanted to know what was causing this to happen. Georgia from Topeka asks, "What is causing the rust on my roof flashings?" Ted and Georgia, I am not sure what is the case with your roof, but here is what could be the issue. A roof ...
Q & A - Replacing Step Flashings
Understanding what 'secure step flashing' means in a contract and which material to use. Question Cindy asks, "I live in a townhome in Maryland and I have received five quotes for a new roof...I was all set to go with one company until I looked over the contract one more time. ...
