Friday, June 17, 2016

Why a Roofer Should Never Leave a Layer of Shingles

Lots of potential customers ask this question:  Do I really have to remove old layers of shingles?  

People assume that the more layers you have on a roof, the more protection you have, but that is not exactly true. It is always better to tear off the entire roof: the under-layment, the shingles, and the flashings.  The number one reason for doing this is to inspect the underlayment for damage (roof boards).  At Quinn’s Construction, we never roof over a single layer of shingles for this very reason.
Rotten Roof Boards 


If you’re thinking of going with another roofing company and leaving the shingles on, consider these facts as well.  Even if your current shingles are ideal for installing a second layer, the new shingles will not line up to your current shingles. It creates an apron, essentially preventing the new shingles from sealing well. This can result in shingles blowing off easily in lower winds. Also, if you look at the roof from the ground, it will be visible that the shingles do not line up.

Another thing, has your roof been leaking?  Chances are that the under-layment (a waterproof material installed just under your shingles) is leaking. The under-layment is very important because it can keep water out even when your shingles don’t. If your roof is leaking, you should definitely tear off your existing roof and install a new one with the under-layment done correctly.  In the event you have two layers, it is important to avoid the temptation to take off the top layer and go over the bottom layer. You will not have a smooth surface to go over with the top layer. If you can imagine all the nails from the top layer that are left behind, you can envision the problems that occur when nails are pounded down, or pulled. Either way, the asphalt shingles in the bottom layer get pretty chewed up!

When a new roof is put on any structure, it is best to replace the flashings as well. Flashings help the shingles seal to the pipes, walls and other roof penetrations in areas that leak most often. During a re-roof it is common for the roofing contractor to seal to the old flashings. Sometimes, these old flashings are not as sound as new ones would be, and they tear off, causing problems for the building owner.

Simply put, the best option when re-roofing, is to remove the first layer and start over.

Why?
Replaced Rotted Side Boards before Siding
1. The roof deck (usually plywood or 1x slats) can be inspected for damaged wood that needs to be replaced for strength as well as giving the new roof system’s nails plenty of holding power.
2. You can make sure the under-layment is done correctly, giving the roof a longer life.
3. The shingles will seal down correctly, allowing the sealer strip to hold the shingles together during winds up to 110 miles per hour.

A tear off and re-roof will always have better and longer lasting results. What seems like a lot of extra money spent on a re-roof will actually end up saving you even more money in the long run. Quinn’s Construction will ensure your roof is installed correctly, resulting in less work for you as the building or home owner.  Contact us today (978) 957-1200 for a free estimate, or visit our web site:  www.quinnsconstruction.com

Remember that much of this roof advice holds true for siding jobs too.  Recently, we found this damage (see image) under siding we pulled off before starting the siding work.

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Great New Product - Celect® Cellular Composite Siding

One of the exciting aspects of the construction business, after being in it for as many years as I have been, is watching the amazing development of new products. One product that has me super excited to recommend to homeowners now is Celect® Cellular Composite Siding.  This siding is inspired by the aesthetics of wood yet possesses none of wood’s far-from-perfect maintenance demands.  It’s the best of both worlds – where you get the look, touch and timelessness of real wood without its inconveniences and expenses.
Celect’s interlocking joints keep moisture out and almost completely eliminates seams, which means it not only looks authentic, it will never warp, buckle or shift like wood…would.


Premium siding from Celect® Cellular Composite Siding by Royal® is made from recyclable, state-of-the-art cellular materials. Which means it faithfully reproduces the deep grain texture and solid heft of real wood. And every style is equally unaffected by mold, mildew, weather and the effects of time.

Here are some other good reasons to use Celect:
 
It is:

Maintenance Free:  With Celect, you can forget about mold, fading, deterioration, scrubbing and messy maintenance crews. You can also forget about painting, repainting, caulking, re-caulking and delaminating like fiber cement is famous for. Celect is all about virtually maintenance-free great looks that never quit. Year after year, decade after decade.

Recyclable, Sustainable and Seriously Green:  A life and neighborhood enriched with curb appeal is a beautiful thing. Even better is a home exterior that helps you reduce energy costs and save the environment as long as it's on your home.

  • Unique white substrate helps lower heat absorption
  • Kynar Aquatec® coating provides superior UV resistance and reflects energy back into the atmosphere—reducing the energy demands of heating and air conditioning
  • Insulates 70% better than wood
  • Has almost twice the R-value of fiber cement and wood

In fact compared to fiber cement board, some differences you will find are in:

Appearance:

  • Interlocking joint system keeps boards straight and aesthetically stunning
  • No gaps, buckling or wavy lines
  • Patented interlocking joint system makes Celect easier and faster to install

Installation:
  • No need for special equipment: Boards and trim can be easily machined with standard woodworking tools
  • Superior strength-to-weight ratio means easy loading onto scaffolding
  • Gravity lock feature keeps individual courses straight and helps reduce installation time
  • Low-VOC product emits no harmful particles or workplace hazards
Maintenance:
  • Factory-applied colors are designed to stay true so there's no need to repaint
  • Kynar Aquatec® coating staves off rain, dust, heat, wind and even pollution
  • Celect’s highly impact-resistant finish can handle heat, cold and errant baseballs better than anything
  • Instead of butting against itself, Celect siding snaps together perfectly, so there's no need to fill in the gaps
  • Easy to clean with a quick spray of the garden hose
  • Lower maintenance costs over the life of the home
And, if these reasons alone are not enough to get you to consider Celect, how about the 25-Year Warranty?
  • Celect Premium Siding won’t rot, split, crack, warp, twist, cup, box, blister, flake, peel, delaminate or suffer loss of structural properties due to termites, microbiological growth or other decay.
As I said at the beginning, Quinn’s Construction is excited to offer this new siding product.  If you would like to read more about this amazing new product, go here:  http://celect.royalbuildingproducts.com/celect/
If you would like to see how Celect looks on your home, go to the Celect Visualizer here:  http://celect.chameleonpower.com/
And, if you would like to see the colors and combination colors for siding and trim, go here:  http://celect.royalbuildingproducts.com/celect/products/color-combination/

Feel free to give Quinn’s a call for more information about Celect or for a free estimate for siding on your home. (978) 957-1200