Welcome to our blog. This page is important because many people in the roofing business have absolutely no business being in the roofing business. The huge amount of negative customer reviews on the Internet is mind boggling. You need to stay away from these folks (aka Cowboy Roofers*) and know how to get the best roofing job for the best price possible. This blog will help you do that with fun, informative, and educational factoids about all aspects of roofs and roofing.
*Cowboy Roofers are the folks you should avoid hiring because they put their interests above yours and are marginally to moderately skilled at best. Cowboy roofers give a bad name to the roofing trade and worse yet they give a bad name to the large number of quality-oriented roofing contractors out there. Check out our Hall of Shame for examples of what happens when cowboy roofers get on your roof.
If you have a question that you would like SuperRoofer Joe Sardotz to answer in his blog or FAQs, please complete the Ask SuperRoofer form. Visit Joe's Contact page if you would like Joe to provide roof consulting and inspection services for you.
For best results, install granule coated metal roof vents (Stonecoat) or a hidden ridge vent. Granule coating blends in nicely with the shingles and offers a nice touch. If you choose a shingle color that doesn’t perfectly match the available Stonecoat vents, a custom vent can be made. Expect to wait about a week for a custom roof vent.
Plastic roof vents are another example of part time pieces on a full time roof. Plastic vents warp, fade, and crack over time due to the UV rays. If a falling tree branch hits them, they can easily break, causing a leak. Most 'roofers' use these plastic roof vents. Why? BECAUSE THEY ARE CHEAP. Use metal vents, granule coated metal vents (Stonecoat), or a hidden ridge vent instead. If you are having a 15-year roof installed, plastic vents will save a few dollars; for a quality, longer-lasting roof, forget plastic!
Ventilation with proper air flow is crucial to any roof system. There are certain ratios for soffits to ridge.
Box or 'mushroom' vents are typical, but a hidden continuous ridge vent is much more efficient. With a ridge vent, the roof also looks 'cleaner' and works better because many protrusions and possible water entry points are eliminated.
For proper ventilation, you need openings at the overhangs as well as at the peak.
Soffits have multiple options.
Use metal screens that come in a variety of colors and sizes;
Or for narrow soffitts, use these round screens, which also come in various sizes. Just drill a hole with a hole saw and push the screen. They have tabs that prevent the screen from wiggling out.
If you do not have soffits, you can use special vents called 'stealth' vents that go near the bottom edge of the roof. These are either painted metal or granule coated.
Moldy plywood (above left)
Fan not connected (above right)
Mold-covered, warped plywood
Water entry via diffusion
Closeup of the new fan
4" 'flapper' exhaust vents with
clamped connection tube
This repair job in Rock Creek demonstrates water 'diffusion,' the process in which water molecules pass through most materials, including concrete, lumber, plywood, sheetrock, etc. For 7 years, two bathroom fans caused diffusion by pumping moisture into the homeowner's attic, creating hundreds of gallons of moisture intrusion into the attic.
In this case, connection tubes from fans to vents existed, but were knocked down. The owner believes the insulation guys may have knocked down the connection tubes, and he just didn't notice (neither did they!).
Residential and commercial roofing project consulting in Oregon; Portland Metro, Oregon; Bend, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; Washington State; and the Pacific Northwest area. Offering professional roof consulting, inspections, project monitoring, and certifications for property owners and homeowners.
Soffits have multiple options.
