Roofing question

[ChrisWNY]

Here's an article about how to install metal roofing on a shed. I would imagine the process is roughly the same for a house (there are several other articles out there)...

How to Install a Metal Roof > Handyman Club of America

Metal roofing materials will run you twice the cost of asphalt shingles, but it holds up for a long time. The larger metal panels for larger house roofs probably require a crane or some sort of pulley system to hoist onto the roof due to their weight. If I lived the life of a high roller, I might have gone for a metal roof on my house. I've heard the stuff is loud as hell in a rain storm.

[Yodamage]

[UPDATE]

A contractor stopped over to check the roof (this contractor re-roofed the house in 2003, adding the 2nd layer of shingles). Both the upper and lower roofs were re-shingled in 2003...the lower is fine, no buckling or odd cosmetic issues going on. His explanation for why the upper roof is jacked up is likely due to the lack of venting through the attic (which is true, there is no ridge or gable vent). The lower roof escaped the problem because there's a huge attic entry inside the garage that has been left wide open, so plenty of airflow through there. He also mentioned that roofing shingle warranties have strings attached so numerous that it's almost impossible to throw a warranty claim against a roofing shingle manufacturer. Unless you use their recommended materials (whether it be their brand of roofing felt or a certain type of nails), there are a lot of "outs" that the manufacturers can take to avoid paying any warranty claims. Adding a 2nd layer of shingles to an existing layer is simply one of those many "outs".

At any rate, the contractor is stopping at her house again on Wed. to head up into the attic to inspect the trusses to make sure there are no additional structural issues. If things look structurally ok, the contractor stated that the roof is probably good for another 10-15 years. The next re-roofing job must involve a complete tear-down as well as proper venting installed. He quoted her on the venting (ridge vent, etc.) at ~$1500, but it may not be worth it if the inspector picks on the roof and decides the house needs a re-roof anyway (she'd still be stuck lowering her price to foot the cost for the buyer to install a new roof). She's getting more than one opinion, but figured she might as well go with the contractor who did the re-roof in 2003 as a first option...

Not to be a stickler..or maybe to be one...but if the guy did the job in 03 and is saying HE didn't vent the roof properly, why would you go back to that well?

[zeroskin]

now that we are on roof's (haha, pun intended)

has anyone ever installed a metal roof? whats involved, how do you order a metal roof

inquiring minds want to know

metal roofing get thrown on in lanes (slats, planks)
if you mean the interlocking ones we usually just screw them into the trusses and them silicon or tar over holes

ive never ordered it , just found it and used it on a roof at a cabin once and used it new on a few jobs in past

when you buy it for new construction it comes pre cut and finished to order, real easy install

[ChrisWNY]

Not to be a stickler..or maybe to be one...but if the guy did the job in 03 and is saying HE didn't vent the roof properly, why would you go back to that well?

Not my decision, but I don't think it's necessarily a bad idea to have a contractor come back and possibly own up to something he missed or didn't do properly the last time. It has been 9 years since my parents re-roofed that place, you would hope that contractor would have learned a thing or two since then (that and codes have changed somewhat). I know when I fished around for contractors in 2005 to re-roof my old place in N. Tonawanda (built in the 1950s), everyone was factoring ridge vents into their pricing as if it was mandatory. What amazed me about my old house is that the sheeting on the roof was 100% wooden planks, and they were all in great condition after 2 layers of shingles and no venting.

[jmac00]

I guess it's time for some serious research

[varmint]

the sheet rock will start popping a year after you fix the venting... I figured the soffits had a venting problem

[ChrisWNY]

the sheet rock will start popping a year after you fix the venting... I figured the soffits had a venting problem

And you'd be right on. The soffits were not perforated, no venting at all up there. Never even struck me as a potential root cause of the problem. I won't be leaving my day job to become a roofing contractor any time soon.



Does the "popping" sheet rock become a problem due to the reduction in moisture from the venting?