Thursday, September 22, 2011

A New Roof Over Our Heads

We got new shingles on our house and garage yesterday.  The shingles had been replaced about 15 years ago and we were not expecting to need new ones this year.  We normally come to our house from the north and don't often see the south side of the roof.   The shingles on the north side looked fairly good still.   But on the south side were in very bad shape as shown in the picture below including closeup in the inset. 

I expect it is from the heat of the sun on the south side of the roof that the shingles are worse with the surface worn off and corners curled up. This summer Chris was checking and cleaning our eavestroughs.  We thought they were plugged up on the south side with leaves and poplar fluff from a big tree in our neighbour's yard.  Chris found that on the south side the eavestroughs were all plugged up with the granular surface material worn off the shingles.   This is when we realized that the shingles needed to be replaced as soon as possible.  


 The crew came yesterday and took the old shingles off  and replaced with the new shingles over a synthetic underlay called BP Deckgard.   The new shingles we got are BP Harmony laminated shingles with fibreglass/  asphalt layers .  More of these type are being used now rather than the conventional 3 tab asphalt shingles.    The new shingles are silver grey.   The old shingles were originally grey but the surface was very badly worn off on the south side. 


The new shingles are called "Lifetime warranty" whatever that means but we hope it is a very long time.

9 comments:

The Blog Fodder said...

Means if they last 15 years, well, that was their lifetime. What was the warranty on the ones you had to replace? 20 years is minimum and 30 is available.

DC Power said...

We don't remember the warranty on the old shingles. For the new ones they call it a limited lifetime warranty for the original owner. But the warranty is still only full coverage for the first 15 years.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Looks so much better!

Brendan Gertner said...

Hmm, 15 years should be the average lifetime of shingles. But they barely make it because their quality deteriorates quickly. Regular cleaning and maintenance can make them last longer. Good thing you got the shingles with fiberglass and asphalt layers because these are sturdier than the traditional ones. Your home looked better. Cheers! :)

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Max Boughner said...

Almost all types of shingles can blow off in high winds. Such material is easy to scar if hot. Asphalt and asphalt composite fiberglass shingles call for similar care. When installed properly, they provide lasting protection for the house. Always check the condition of these shingles on a regular basis though, at least once every year. Wash away debris in small spaces and nooks. Also be aware of loose shingles, and make repairs and adjustments as needed. You may also adjust the shingle’s position after a windstorm.

Max Boughner

Tiffany Larsen said...

It’s great that Chris found that the shingles had worn off. This could have severely damaged the whole house if had been overlooked. Anyway, how was the roof on the south side now? I hope its surface is still looking good and not being worn out by the sun’s heat.

Unknown said...

It would be best to check sealants around the roof from time to time. Check for cracking or other damage. Old, worn sealants should be replaced and recoated, so that water seepage would not cause major problems and cause the whole roof to deteriorate.

Willie Norman

Lino Kosters said...

I agree with Brendan that cleaning and maintenance can make the roof last longer. It is also advisable to apply a roll-on shingle roof coating on your roof. This would add more protection on your shingles and would definitely help in increasing its service life.

Lino Kosters