LESLIE: Now we’re going to take a roofing question from Joe in Nebraska.
Joe, what’s going on?
JOE: Well, I’ll tell you what the problem is. I’m going to have my house reroofed and I’m going to go with the asphalt shingles, which like are currently on it. The roof is about 25 years old, so it’s really long past due.
LESLIE: So it’s about time.
JOE: My question is, when I talk with my friend the roofer, what kind of shingles should I ask for that would be the best to use for asphalt shingles and yet not be too expensive?
TOM: Well, you have a lot of choices today in asphalt shingles; everything from your basic, flat, black shingle to one that’s dimensional. There’s asphalt shingles that look like cedar shingles, there’s asphalt shingles that look like slate tiles, there’s asphalt shingles that even look like terracotta tile.
LESLIE: So I guess the more detailed or architectural you get, the higher the cost.
JOE: What I’m wondering is – I’ve heard that you can get it with fiberglass and that sort of thing. What should I be looking for?
TOM: Well, the asphalt shingles are fiberglass-reinforced today. They’re pretty much all fiberglass-reinforced. Now the other issues are do you want one that’s mildew resistant – you know, in your part of the country maybe that’s not as important as, say, in South Carolina or Georgia. You want to consider the pitch of your roof, too. What’s the pitch of your roof? Is it pretty steep?
JOE: No, it really isn’t. It’s relatively easy to walk up.
TOM: OK, then it’s also very important that you install ice and water shield under the front edge of the roof.
JOE: OK.
TOM: Because if you don’t put that on there, then you could get ice damage pretty simply.
JOE: OK, and what is that?
TOM: Ice and water shield is a product that seals the front edge of the roof and prevents ice dam damage. So when the snow melts up higher on the roof and the water runs down and freezes at the roof edge, it won’t back up into your house.
LESLIE: And lift those shingles off.
TOM: Yeah, and leak in the house.
JOE: Like when you have big icicles.
TOM: Well yes, like that.
LESLIE: Exactly. Icicles are bad. Even though they’re pretty, they’re not good.
TOM: (overlapping voices) Yeah, icicles are pretty but they’re bad. Yeah.
JOE: OK, well I rarely get those.
TOM: Yeah, I would look into ice and water shield because if you’re replacing your roof, it’s absolutely necessary that you put it on there. It’s not that expensive, in the course of that project, to do that. We not too long ago talked to a lady who didn’t do that and got severe water damage inside of her roof. So it’s very inexpensive. The best product is made by Grace – G-r-a-c-e; Grace Construction products. You can go to Grace.Construction.com and look up that product.
JOE: OK, that sounds great.
TOM: Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT, 888-666-3974.
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