General Roofing FAQ's

Yes. The Brevard County area has high salt content in the air and shingles typically have a high copper content. The algae growth reacts to the steel to cause it to corrode prematurely.

The simple answer; install as much as possible. Ventilation prolongs the life of the roof system. Powered vents, installed correctly, provide the best results, however solar vents are the most economical in the long run.

Mixing systems can potentially cause a short circuit in the air flow. For instance, if you install solar powered attic vents and leave the ridge vents in place, the air will be pulled in from the ridge vents and out of the solar powered vents, making the ridge vents the input. In a well-designed system, the ideal scenario is to pull the air from the lowest and coolest section of the roof, the soffit.

This is open for debate. Insurance company's want you to use a fully adhered underlayment (peel& stick), however there are several other choices. Basically, some will allow for a easier roof removal, in the future, to repair or replace as needed. Some types of underlayments bond permanently and directly to the sections of the shingles. This makes for a very difficult, if not impossible to repair or re-roof.

Mechanically installed underlayments allow for easier repairs and re-roofs, however the insurance companies will not allow the swr discount for this type.

Plank decks tend to split when nailed, therefor the roofing nails lose their holding power. This could cause a leak due to the lack of seal to the shingle. As the roof pitch is lessened, this becomes more of a problem. The irregular deck's condition, caused by unaligned planks, may cause water to track under the shingles. Most shingle manufactures recommend that you do not install shingles on plank deck .

Yes it is, if it's installed correctly and the metal is aluminum not steel. Brevard county has a high salt content and most metal roofs will corrode prematurely. The closer to the ocean the faster this happens. There are lot of metal roof options; thickness, finish, colors, material and type of fasteners. When it comes to metal roofs, it is best if you do your homework.

Shingles are designed to be used on a sloped roof. Downward movement creates a shedding system, which shingles rely on to keep the water out. A flat roof doesn't have enough pitch to move the water so a water tight system is necessary.

This is a regional question. In Florida, the roofs don't last as long as a roof in North West Georgia. Heat, weather wind and salt all play a role in how long a roof will last. For instance, a galvalume roof on the beach will not last as long a s the same roof in Orlando. Shingles that do not use stainless steel nails will not last as long as shingles with stainless steel nails. Installation techniques play a big role in how long a roof could last. A roof is a system and if one aspect of the system fails then the entire roof fails. Saving a few dollars on material may cost you a lot in the long run.