Quote:
Originally Posted by FlyingScot
Another case cracked! Amazing how one thing, such as poor ventilation, can make any other fix impossible. It was a fun thread  |
HAHA! Yes, another case cracked. I was amazed at how many issues grew out of the roof problem. Who knew a tarp on the roof would lead to extremely high humidity in the upstairs, and that mold would then grow between the window panes and in the air conditioner, making the upstairs uninhabitable? Who knew a bat would take up residence under the tarp and then somehow find his way into the house? (Had to call the police at night for that one. Stock response from the dispatcher: "We do not deal with bats. Google 'pest control.'" My reply was persuasive and two officers came and trapped the intruder.)
I learned that old houses may have no membrane or felt under the shingles. If you have only one layer of shingles and the shingles are blown off in wind storms, you're in trouble. Hence the necessity of finding out how many layers of shingles are up there to judge the urgency of the situation. That's where my story went terribly wrong, when the first roofer I hired said there were two to three layers and it turned out to be one with no underlayment. I was very lucky that the decking was in good shape throughout and there were no extra costs beyond the roofer's quote. Even the lead chimney flashing was good.
I learned about contractors too. I got three quotes. There was a 30% difference between each one, which is substantial. I went with the guy in the middle for reasons of character and his willingness to negotiate the materials. I learned that some roofers want you to buy specific materials from their supplier, where they probably have financial incentives, not because those products are better for your needs. I naively assumed that the contractor was going to be doing the work. Nope. He was only onsite briefly, leaving the work to a motley crew. In the end they saved me $400 for a new lawnmower by telling me I only needed a new blade, which turned out to be true.
By the way, after a lot of research and thought, I went against advice here about putting shingles and "cheap" synthetic felt on a low-slope porch roof. I'll report back in 6 or 12 months on how it holds up. For the moment it "looks" great.