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I’ve got an addition on the back of my house with 2 sections of low pitch roof. The roof over the den has just over a 2.5/12 pitch and the roof over a porch and storage area is right at a 2/12. Prior to my buying the house 2 years ago a new 3 tab shingle roof was installed using low slope installation procedures in the low pitch areas. I was assured it wouldn’t leak by the roofer and the home inspector. They were Wrong!!!
I’ve had 3 roofing companies come out and all suggested a “mopped down modified bitumen.” My question comes with the warranty, there was a $1000 difference in the three estimates and the most expensive offered a 3 year warranty on the roofing. Mid price guy offered a 7 year warranty with the option to extend that by 4 years at an additional cost and the low cost estimate offered an 11 year mfg.’s warranty??? What kind of warranty
should I expect to get out of this type of roofing?? How about life expectancy, is it a good product does it last?
How do you guys feel about the different type of vents? I know I need more ventilation so I asked the roofers to give suggestions. High guy suggested the stacks that turn, mid price guy said “turtle backs” and low price guy suggested cutting in a ridge vent.
Thanks in advance!!!!
Dux
Replies
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Dux - As far as I know, there's no manufacturer's warranty for mod bit in residential applications (as there are for shingles). So what you're being offered is likely a roofer's guarantee which is as good as the roofer. I'd read the fine print and check out the roofer carefully, especially if you are paying for an extension.
Your post supports the feeling that 3:12 should be an near-absolute minumum for shingles, even with special attention to full underlayment, etc.
I would think you could normally expect 10-15 years from the roof, but THAT certainly is no guarantee!
Jeff
*mod bit can be coated every five years to last a lifetime. It's UV that ages it. A pitched roof like this wouldn't suffer from ice damage much.
*DUX, I have a flyer from a company that manufactures modified bitumen products that would seem to indicate that the material can be warranted by the manufacturer for up to 15 years.I imagine that to secure that manufacturers warrranty the material would have to be installed by an installer certified by the manufacturer and to the manufacturers specified installation procedures.Lots of luck meeting all those requirements.Regaurding warranty from the contractor----A warranty is only as good as the company issuing said warranty.Of what value is a 7 year warranty if the company has only existed----say 2 years?the company offering you an 11 year manufacturers warranty is in fact not offering you a warranty at all---you will be left trying to hold the manufacturer to a warranty----lots of luck collecting there also.given the information provided----the company offering the 3 year warranty would appear to be the only one that actually intends to honor its warranty if called upon to do so.just my opinion,Stephen
*i the material can be warranted by the manufacturer for up to 15 yearsYes - but NOT for residential applications. If you call them and find that this applies to residential work, please let me know.Jeff
*Thanks for the replies, I called all 3 contractors and all said they use the GAF Ruberoid Granule Surface Modified Bitumen. So I called GAF and was told that the product comes with a 12 year warranty (pro rated similar to 3 tab shingles) for residential installations. Think I'll take Stephens advice and look closer at the contractors before making a decision.Still would like your thoughts on vents. I'm leaning toward the ridge vent but wonder if problems arise from cutting one into an existing roof???Thanks,Dux
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I've got an addition on the back of my house with 2 sections of low pitch roof. The roof over the den has just over a 2.5/12 pitch and the roof over a porch and storage area is right at a 2/12. Prior to my buying the house 2 years ago a new 3 tab shingle roof was installed using low slope installation procedures in the low pitch areas. I was assured it wouldn't leak by the roofer and the home inspector. They were Wrong!!!
I've had 3 roofing companies come out and all suggested a "mopped down modified bitumen." My question comes with the warranty, there was a $1000 difference in the three estimates and the most expensive offered a 3 year warranty on the roofing. Mid price guy offered a 7 year warranty with the option to extend that by 4 years at an additional cost and the low cost estimate offered an 11 year mfg.s warranty??? What kind of warranty
should I expect to get out of this type of roofing?? How about life expectancy, is it a good product does it last?
How do you guys feel about the different type of vents? I know I need more ventilation so I asked the roofers to give suggestions. High guy suggested the stacks that turn, mid price guy said "turtle backs" and low price guy suggested cutting in a ridge vent.
Thanks in advance!!!!
Dux