To the right we see our starting point: a typical home with a typical tab shingle roof. This one is old and worn out its effective lifespan, and needs to be replaced. In this case, the replacement will be total: the current roof will be completely stripped to the boards and all new coverings will be installed. As the rest of the home has shown some signs of having moisture related problems, we'll be dealing with those as well. In the magnified detail of the picture, you can see that prior to our arrival, someone tried to combat some of the symptoms of the moisture to no avail. Those wires are supposed to prevent ice dams and the problems they cause; you'll notice that as we go forward, those wires will not be returning, as they very often don't work and can even do more harm than good. Rather than trying quick "band aid" fixes, we'll attack the true source of the problem as we go.

In many cases, completely stripping off the old roof covering is not necessary. Depending on circumstances, it is often possible to install the new roof covering directly above the old one. However, there are certain limitations to this, depending on a) the condition of the pre-exisiting roof as a whole, and b) local laws. Different municipalities have different building codes which determine the maximum number of roof coverings that can be applied before a building's roof must be completely stripped. In some areas, it's as little as two; in others, three layers are acceptable. A professional contractor will be familiar with the specific requirements in your area. In this case, however, damage helped dictate that the old roof needed to be stripped. Once we reach the level of the roof boards, the roof is inspected. Where there is excessive rot or other damage, those damaged boards themselves are also removed and replaced. Once the condition of the boards has been ascertained and damage accounted for, we can proceed to the next steps.

Once the old roof has been stripped, work can begin on the new one. While tearing down the old shingles, we draped heavy tarps over the face of the house to prevent any accidental damage from debris, which is safely collected and disposed of. As part of the process of sealing the new roof, we'll also replace the chimney flashing and reseal it as our work progresses. Since this home suffers from moisture problems, the roof's ridge will be cut open at the top to allow for the installation of a new ridge vent (one of the main steps in avoiding the earlier ice dam concern). New sheathing is laid down over the boards and the new shingles are put into place, the proper sealing steps being taken as work goes on. In the case of this home, the new shingles are standard 3-in-1 tab style shingles. The homeowner has chosen to go with a different color for this roof in relation to its predecessor, having this time around chosen a polar white. Color is not just a matter of looks; it can have an effect on the roof's performance later on. Light colors like white reflect light, and therefore don't absorb as much heat from the sun. A black roof, on the other hand, soaks up a large amount of extra heat.

The first few courses of shingles don't have the standard roof sheathing lying beneath them; rather, a special ice and water shield is installed, practically a must for Wisconsin weather. This shield combined with the complete hand sealing of the lower shingle courses as well as the roof/gutter joint provides added protection against the potential damaging effects of ice dams and the like by making it that much more difficult for water to wick up under the lower courses of shingles, the means by which ice dams do their greatest damage. Often, new gutter system work will be done concurrently with a new roof job so that all of the seals can be applied at once and then remain undisturbed. Similarly, the installation of a new roof provides a good opportunity for the installation of a proper ventilation system. The new ridge vent we are installing atop this roof is part of such a system. Together with the new roofing materials and new seals, the new venting system should help combat the moisture related problems this home is experiencing by giving all that trapped moisture a means of escaping before it can do its damage.

After a lot of hard work and hammering, the new roof covering is in place. The shingles were applied with real roofing nails as opposed to staples to assure greater durability for the installation. A ridge vent is camouflaged across the top; this model wearing a disguise of similarly colored shingle material, as some are available to those who prefer not to have the standard aluminum capped models. All of the debris has been safely hauled away and disposed of. Now the homeowners just have to remind the pizza delivery man not to use "the house with the brown roof" as his landmark anymore...