Ventilation

A critical component of any roof system, whether low slope or steep slope and whether torch on, metal, concrete or clay tiles, tar and gravel or asphalt shingles is ventilation. Ventilation is made up of two components – Intake and exhaust. Intake is commonly achieved through soffit vents and exhaust is commonly achieved through roof vents near or along the ridge.
Advancements in technology have now developed vents that are installed on properties that do not come equipped with soffit vent possibilities. These vents are sometimes called “smart vents” or “edge vents” and are installed along a row of shingles just upslope of the external wall(s)
Exhaust vents can come in various shapes and sizes. The standard choices are turbines/whirlybirds, static air vents or ridge vents. I choose a good quantity of static air vents and present a very good case for my position in discussion. Check out our Gallery page on this website for photos of my work.
The two roof systems that do not overtly benefit with specific attic space air vents are cedar roofs and concrete tile roofs. These two roof systems are very air-permeable by nature and allow air movement between each and every shingle and tile.
In a perfect world, venting is balanced. Equal intake to equal exhaust. However, without a slide rule and a trigonometry calculator this is difficult to absolutely achieve. Therefore, I defer to a substantial amount of exhaust vents with the strategy of at least allowing or encouraging the air to escape the enclosed area of the attic or ceiling space.
It is a proven fact that proper ventilation contributes to a longer life cycle for your roof system and a more comfortable interior living environment. For further information on ventilation please contact Greg at Crucial Roof Services Ltd. We are your roofing specialists in the Greater Vancouver Regional district.
The attached photo shows what a worse-case scenario looks like when you don’t have adequate exhaust. The air pressure inside the ceiling space of this house was so strong that it forced these blisters into the roof membrane. The moral to this story is find a roofing contractor who understands that proper and adequate ventilation is critical to a well performing roof system and your living environment below it. CRUCIAL DOES.

Shingle Roof Leak

The most common asphalt shingle roof leak happening today has to do with T-lock or Interlocking shingles. These are also known as duroid shingles and should not be confused with a metal shingle made by Interlock. Back to the leak issue: Of course, as previously blogged, leaks commonly happen where there is a protrusion or change in direction of the roof plane. However with these T-lock shingles, leaks can show up anywhere. First let’s get a history of this shingle. No longer in production today, this organic shingle was originally sold promoting the feature of wind uplift resistance. It’s my understanding that these shingles were sold with a 20-25 year life expectancy but current evidence details that most roofs in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland area are not achieving that extent. Technically, the unique design of this shingle allows for water to get in behind a corner of the shingle but escape out from underneath, lower down on the shingle. This critical water-entry point is where the tabs or T-Locks interlock with the below fastened shingle. This is all fine and dandy while the shingle is lying flat but as this ORGANIC shingle ages, it becomes dry and curls. It is at that age point the shingle systemically fails. Because of the curling, water will begin to travel sideways…which is never a good idea on shingle roofs…and leaks become inevitable. Because this shingle is no longer in production and extremely rare in ability to acquire, (I found some guy in Richmond BC selling bundles that used to cost $20 for $100 on the internet) roofers are left to try and stop the leak with our magic muck called mastic. BUT, unless the repairing roofer is aware of the “unique” feature of water entry and exit on this shingle design, he could potentially cause more problems than benefit by applying the mastic at the exit point and actually trapping the water under the shingle. If you have a shingle roof leak and want the best in service, contact Crucial Roof Services where “Your Satisfaction Is Crucial”.

Comparing Roof Estimates

Tar and gravel roof systems are commonly being replaced with torch on membrane roof systems. There are many different combinations of materials and processes that can be called a torch on roof system. It is important that you are able to tell the difference so you can make an informed decision. All torch on roof systems are not created equal. The guarantees may be similar but the performance and life expectancy will certainly not be. You want to ensure you are comparing exact systems when collecting competitors’ quotes. The saying is “Apples to apples and oranges to oranges”. Do not be misguided by a contractor naming his roof system a two-ply, three-ply or other. A name is just a name and naming is not governed by any agency. For example, I could call my roof system a “ten ply”. Would that make it any better than what it really is?

The critical component of any torch on roof system is this: Ensure the first layer of material put down is a rigid board so the remaining roof system components (layers of membrane) have a firm and solid surface to build on. This board is known by several names including Torchsafe Board or Sopraboard. You then need to determine how many layers of membrane are fully torch applied to that rigid surface. Ensure that they do not have nails holding them down. It is not a layer of waterproofing if it has nail holes in it! Finally, make certain the perimeter edge receives the required additional layer called “stripping” (as per Manufacturer’s specifications) on both the base sheet ply and the cap sheet ply. This is a step that is, unfortunately, commonly omitted as it is both time and material consuming. Do not be misguided – stripping is a critical component.

Other components adding to the quality of the roof system are using aluminum plumbing vent stacks and not the old fashioned lead plumbing vent stacks. Insist on a 26 gauge baked enamel flashing. Both 28 and 30 gauge are available but they are lighter and thinner and therefore inferior. Ensure adequate exhaust ventilation is added. This will help keep the attic or ceiling space cooler in the summer time and thus your living space more comfortable also. Not to mention it will extend the life span of the torched roof system as it will not be “baking” from the underside.

I was reading my 2 year old daughter the story of the Three Little Pigs and I thought it was an interesting comparison tool to that of roof systems. You can buy a straw house, a wood house, or a brick house. The important thing is that you know which one is the straw house, which one is the wood house and which one is the brick house. You don’t want to pay for a brick house and receive the quality of a straw house. It’s the same with roofing. You have the good, better and best options. You need to know what quotation is specifying which quality of roof system. It is only then that you can make the correct decision for you.

Call Crucial Roof Services for all your roofing needs: 604.561.8798, or request a torch-on roofing quotation.