I am having a problem with my roofing contractor. They have now installed three roofs on my house plus the original. I was told they are going to replace the roof again, this will be the 5th roof on my osb wood roof deck. How many re-roofs can you put on osb wood deck?
Most building codes and most building inspectors limit reroofs to one plus the original. Four is out of the question, and five is outrageous.
You will get longer life and better performance and appearance from your new roof if you strip down to the sheathing. Be prepared to at least re-nail and probably replace some or all of the roof sheathing.
If you're in a cold climate, this is your chance to install waterproofing shingle underlayment on at least the lower edges of the roof, extending to at least 2 feet inside the inside wall surface, and in all valleys, if any. If your roof is 3/12 or less pitch, it's not a bad idea to cover the entire roof with the underlayment before shingling.
Architect (NY) and Home Designer (PA)
Posts: 2500 | Location: Tobyhanna, PA | Registered: 24 October 2005
Each roof has been removed to the wood deck. My question is about the condition of the osb wood deck. How many roofs can you install and remove before you need to replace the osb wood deck?
Oh. As long as the sheathing is in good condition, there is no limit to the number of roofs you can install. It should, of course, be carefully examined when the roofing is removed, and any needed repairs done. Typical sheathing issues are delamination due to water damage, or perhaps it may need to be re-nailed. That's about all there is to it.
Architect (NY) and Home Designer (PA)
Posts: 2500 | Location: Tobyhanna, PA | Registered: 24 October 2005
Why were there so many roofs? If all it took was for roofing felt to be placed, somewhere between the first and last it could have been added. Are you saying they kept replacing the roof but all that was needed was the felt?
Posts: 12 | Location: suburban Philadelphia, PA | Registered: 08 February 2005
i saw your web site and all i can say is wow. however, when dealing with a giant like home depot would you expect any less? the reason home depot can offer such great prices on products and services is because of their massive buying power, because they create so much buisness for their suppliers and contractors they pay less for the product or service, because they pay less for the product or service you get less as the end consumer. take a look at home depots in stock cabinets, faucets, or tile. their in stock cabinets are suck cr@p that half the time you cant get them together without ruining them, their faucets are supposed to be installed with 90% plastic parts making up the faucet, and the majority of home depots tile is seconds, meaning its the stuff the manufacturer couldnt sell to its higher end clients and passes off to home depot to sell to you at slightly less then you would pay for good stuff in a local tile shop. like you said, home depot pays their contractors 5 dollars less an hour to do your roof, do you think the contractor doing your rof is going to allow his guys to take the same amount of time to do things right, or just tell them to get it done? as for the work they did to your roof, in nj ice sheild is required on the perimeter of the roof and felt paper throughout the center. replacing your drip edge, i guess thats between you and home depot if that was supposed to be done, i generally dont replace drip edges on the roofs i do. flashing, when i strip a roof i try to reuse flashing if i can, if it is not in good condition of course it will be replaced, but i try to reuse it as it can be dificult to install under exsisting siding. cleaning your gutters, i usually do it as a courtecy since im up there, but dont nescisarily concider it included as something i am obligated to do as a condition of the job, however any debris from stripping an old roof should definatly be removed from the gutters and your yard. i hope things work out for you, and like it was said before, your sheathing should be good for a number of roofs as long as there is no root and no signifigant damage from restriping your roof numerous times it should be in good condition. oh well good luck but id have my doubts...
