High-quality shingles are important, but an effective, long-lasting roof involves so many other layers, too.
There are many parts of a good roof, and all of them have to be high-quality materials and installed correctly.
Unfortunately, some Sarasota-Bradenton roofing contractors try to cut costs, cut corners, or straight-up don’t know any better and wind up leaving your roof without the protection it needs.
Here at Blue Collar Roofing, Sarasota homeowners can rest easy knowing our full-time crew is made of experienced experts who put their heart and soul into every job. We give you straightforward information and we don’t cut corners, because as a locally owned roofing company, we’re always serving our neighbors.
And we want to make sure our neighbors are armed with accurate information, so that you can be sure your roof is being properly installed—no matter who’s doing the work.
Here are some of the many parts involved when it comes to properly installing a good Sarasota roof.
Roof Decking
The very first layer of your roof is the decking, flat, straight piece of plywood that everything else is built on top of.
A roof replacement in Sarasota typically won’t require entirely new decking, but if some of the wood is damaged or rotten from a leak, you might need new decking material in certain places. Be sure to ask your roofing contractor how much new decking material is included in your contract.
Underlayment
On top of the decking, we place the underlayment, which is like a sticker. Peel-and-stick underlayment, which we use at Blue Collar, is a self-adhering, waterproof roofing membrane that seals directly to the roof deck, creating a secondary water barrier under shingles, tiles, or metal. It’s ideal for vulnerable areas like valleys and eaves. And it’s also fantastic for extreme weather! Peel-and-stick underlayment gives your roof superior moisture protection compared to traditional felt paper. Vitally, quality underlayment can save you money on your homeowner’s insurance.
It’s vital that the underlayment be properly installed throughout the roof; otherwise the wood of your deck will be exposed to the elements, and it won’t last long.
At Blue Collar Roofing, we use a peel-and-stick underlayment that ensures firm adherence and full coverage. It’s a fantastic product, but the quality of the product is only as good as the quality of the crew installing it. Our crew members are experts and making sure the underlayment is firmly secured throughout so that no moisture will be trapped underneath.
Drip Edge
Some of the most vulnerable areas of your roof are the edges. That’s because the roofing material has to stop somewhere, and wherever it leaves off creates a seam for moisture to penetrate.
The drip edge is a metal strip along the perimeter of your roof that keeps that area secure so that water doesn’t creep in under your roofing material.
Valley Flashing
Every roof is different, but most residential roofs in Sarasota have valleys or channels where two parts of the structure meet at different angles. Valleys are where the rainwater runoff from two or more parts of your roof will meet and then flow down off the roof.
In other words, valleys see a lot of water.
Valley flashing is a piece of metal installed in the valley to reinforce the waterproofing there.
Shingles
Finally we get to the roofing material itself. Shingles are installed by first securing a starter strip and then layering each new shingle on top of the last, so that there is a thorough overlap to protect from infiltration.
At Blue Collar, we proudly use Tamko Titan XT shingles, which are known for their performance and longevity.
Ventilation
As mentioned in our previous article, ventilation is a key component in a healthy roof, and it’s your roofing contractor’s responsibility to confirm that all of your roof’s vents are adequate and clear. This includes the lower vents that allow air in, as well as those vents at the top of your roof that provide exit points for that air.
Not only is ventilation vital, but the vents themselves still need to be safe from leaks. Ask your contractor about their ventilation strategies.
Every Layer Counts for a Good Sarasota Roof
No single layer on a roof can do it all. It takes a whole system, properly installed, to keep your property safe from the elements.
When you hire a roofing contractor in Sarasota, you should feel comfortable asking them about their process and the materials they’re using for each layer. If they’re hesitant to answer, or they downplay the importance of a layer, we highly recommend you seek a second option!
