If you are considering a roof replacement, it makes sense to get a better picture of what that entails. There is no denying that replacing your roof is an investment. When making such an investment, you definitely want to learn as much as you can about it so you can be as well-informed as possible going forward. Fortunately, the process of replacing a roof is not terribly complicated — it’s just a lot of hard work and requires a skilled and trained hand to ensure that every component is properly installed and integrated with every other component.

It takes a qualified roofing professional​ to install a roof that will live up to your standards, one that will last for decades and protect your home as it should.

Roof Replacement Basics — What You Need to Know

There are five major steps to the process of replacing a roof:

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1. Prepping the work area.

Replacing a roof requires removing the old roofing material, which means your contractor will need a large dumpster to collect all the shingles and other materials. Your contractor wants to keep the time it takes to remove the old roof to a minimum, which means making it as easy as possible for the roofing team to throw away the old roof and get started on the new one. To ensure maximum efficiency, you need to prepare the work area around your home. The dumpster should be placed as close to the home as is reasonable so that the roofers can discard the old shingles into the dumpster with a toss instead of needing to walk a long distance.

Safety is also a major concern. The roofers will need to set up a system to protect the workers from falls and to protect those walking below from falling materials. They will need to wear safety harnesses​ and set up a perimeter around the home for safety.

2. Remove the old roofing material.

It can be tempting to try to install new shingles over old shingles, but no reputable roofing company is going to recommend this approach. Adding an extra layer of shingles can put too much pressure on the structure of your home because shingles can be heavy, especially when you are dealing with thousands of them. Putting on another layer over the old layer also guarantees that you will be able to see that the job was not started fresh.

Instead, the roofers will need to remove all the old shingles and underlayment. That means prying up each shingle and throwing it in the dumpster, along with the underlayment that covers the actual wood surface of your roof.

3. Change out the flashing.

Flashing is the metal material used to cover the joints in your roof. If you have a chimney you can see flashing along its edges where the shingles meet the chimney. Flashing should be replaced when you install a new roof. The roofers will need to strip out the old flashing and install new flashing in its place. Flashing is a major part of your roof and must be done right to avoid water seepage​ under your shingles. There are many ways that flashing can be done wrong, so make sure you hire an experienced roofer to guarantee that the flashing will be installed correctly.

4. Install the underlayment.

The underlayment is the layer that goes on before the shingles, on top of the sheathing that serves as the flat foundation for your roof. Even the best-built roofs will allow a little water to penetrate under the shingles. The underlayment will ensure that any water that does get under the shingles is shed down to the edge of the roof and allowed to fall away from the home. Your roofer may also install an ice and water barrier beneath the underlayment, depending on your preference.

5. Install the shingles.

The last major step is to install the shingles on top of the underlayment. Shingles are installed in a specific way to ensure property fit and to maximize the shedding of precipitation from your roof. It takes time to install shingles, but by the end, you will have a clean, protective barrier on the top of your home that will protect it for decades.

Contact Us for a Roof Replacement Consultation

If you are considering a roof replacement, Bird’s Eye Roofing can help. Our professional and trustworthy team proudly serves Atlanta and its surrounding areas and will guide you every step of the way as we work to replace your roof in a timely and safe fashion.

Contact us today so that we can help you protect your home and make it look as beautiful as you want and expect. We look forward to speaking with you.