This old roof in Leander had practically reached the end of its service life by the time we inspected it.
The granules and asphalt had worn down so much it exposed the final layer of material in the shingle, the fiberglass.
Nails had backed straight out and disappeared.
Nails fastening vents had rusted and were just hanging on.
Some shingles had worn down and torn away.
It was hard to say exactly where water stains on the ceiling originated because of the wear-and-tear throughout the roof, but it was also not surprising that water stained four interior rooms.
And yet, we were able to find fresh hail damage and we were able to work with this homeowner’s insurance carrier to get this roof replaced for the cost of the deductible.
This gave the homeowner a chance to enhance their roof with a proper installation as well as a newer generation shingle.
In addition to the age-related issues on this roof, original installation choices put this roof at a disadvantage for proper protection.
Once upon a time, roofers commonly repurposed 3 tab shingles in a couple of ways. (To learn why repurposing 3 tab shingles is a bad idea, go here.) The results are corners being cut, no two ways about it.
Starter shingles are long narrow strips installed on the perimeter of your roof. They’re the initial shingle product installed on a roof replacement.
Their role is to lock in the entire shingle system by sealing down onto the edge beneath. Then, they give the first row of shingles above a way to seal down for ultimate adhesion.
The first row of shingles then fortifies the rest from wind uplift, shingle blow-off, and moisture migration.
There was an issue related to flashing around an exhaust vent. Exhaust vents ventilate moisture air.
Flashing is engineered to direct moisture and water away from critical areas like vent penetrations, which have a higher probability to leak.
We use a product called ice-and-water barrier on all penetrations as a measure to protect the wood decking and reduce the chance of rot.
Attic ventilation was another part of the roofing system we updated.
The old box vents offered form over function given the low volume of air movement allowed through.
We all know that it gets hot as hades in Central Texas. And attics can easily heat up by forty degrees Fahrenheit above the outside temperature.
This homeowner wanted to go with an affordable upgrade to keep attic air well ventilated, so we went with the best static vent available, the good ol’ whirlybird.
Hot attic air escapes through these vents and turns their blades. This rotatory motion creates a vacuum that continuously removes heat from the attic.
To update the look of the home, this owner chose to go with a shingle color that would contrast well with the exterior stone and siding color.
Onyx Black is a shingle color in the Owens Corning TruDefinition Duration line.
First of all, Owens Corning was the 2021 Women’s Choice Award as America’s Most Recommended roofing product.
This is a testament to Owens Corning’s ability to achieve deep dimensional colors and bold contrasts that are preferred in the market. This is what sets their TruDefinition line of shingles apart.
Finally, this homeowner decided to accentuate this roof’s nearly 300 feet of hip and ridge lines by adding high-profile caps.
The result is a roof both bold and simple at the same time.
