I am considering the purchase of a house in Los Angeles with a composite roof laid over an existing wooden shake roof. There was clearly some leaks prior to the composite roof being put on but it doesn’t look like there are any leaks now. Obviously we don’t get a lot of weather here but rain and wind are issues, as are earthquakes (shakes seem like a weak base for a roof)
Does any body have experience with this kind of roof? It seems like a lousy idea in general but I don’t know if there are specific problems with it.
Thanks for your help
Dean
Replies
is a composite roof the same as an asphalt shingle roof ?
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Yes Composite is the same a asphalt shingles.....That's just what they call it out here.
i've seen a lot of asphalt over wood shingles ( which are not the same as "shakes" )
sometimes , the shingles are installed on skip sheathing, in which case they become the nail base for the aspahlt shingles..no problem... until you get to the 3d layer..
then everything has to be stripped and a nailbase installed.. or the spaces filled in between the skip sheathing .. or the coursing has to be adjusted to match the skip sheathing..
so, in and of itself.. the asphalt over the wood shingles is not a bad thing.. it's just problematical.. and raises a red flag..
as previously stated, pay special attention to the flashingsMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Shingles or shakes? imho, not the best way, in any case. It was done to save $ by eliminating the cost of a new roof deck. If you do buy the house, when you go to reroof, that cost will fall on you. Double check the flashing, in particular where a single story meets a second story. The added height of the new roofing could cause problems by causing the water to run into the siding instead of where it's supposed to.
I come across roofs (?) all the time. Three layers is the max by code. But I dont take a chance. Off it comes, down to the rafters. New sheathing, 5/8" min., 3/4 is better. New drip edge, flashings, Ice & Water Shield, 30 lb. felt, and good shingles. Any other roof, get someone else, 'cause ice dams are a bitch, and can do a surpising amount of damage.
Unless things have changed since Iwas out there, LA county doesn't see too many ice damns.
Mike is right. Composition shingles over wood shingles is a fairly common thing in lots of the country. but a roof done like that won't last as long as putting down smooth new sheathing first..
Excellence is its own reward!
Dean,
Unless things have changed since I worked in LA County (7 years ago), those shakes are coming off that roof. Which means total tear off, plus sheathing, etc..
Check County and Local Building Depts, or get out the yellow pages and find a local roofing contractor.
It's all about the fire hazard.
Good luck, maybe you can get a price concession.
skipj
Dean,
Around here in NJ the roofers will go over the top of the shingles to even them out with what they call Horse-Feathers. They're about 4' long x 4" high, 3/8" at the bottom tappered to about 1/16"-1/8" at the top look a little like pieces of clap board. They butt the 3/8" bottom end up against the bottom of each coarse to even them out and then lay the ashphalt shingles on top.
It works. Not the nicest way to do it but for some it's affordable. Your best to put an Architectual shingle on top. You wont notices the waves as much.
A friend of mine was buying a house and someone mentioned that they thought the way the rafters were framed around the skylight didn't look right, so I went there and checked it out and it was fine.
See if you can find a roofer that can look at it for you.
Good Luck.
Joe Carola