There is no one answer to this question due to the multiple factors that can affect the performance of the shingles. The first thing to understand about shingles and their longevity is that the granules, or ceramic stones, embedded in the shingle acts as protection to the other materials in the shingle. So once your gutters become filled with granules, start paying attention to how the shingles lay. Loss of granules means less protection from the environmental elements that cause deterioration.

Other visible signs that it’s time to replace your roof is cupping or curling of shingles, cracking,  shingle blow-off and of course, leaking.

Michigan building code does state that 2 layers of shingles are acceptable. With that said, other factors like style (3-tab or architectural), the condition, and the age of your existing shingles can sway the simple decision of installing a second layer of shingles.

Three-tab shingles are much easier to go over because they are a single layer whereas architectural shingles are made of 2 layers overlapped, making for an uneven surface and difficulty getting the recovered shingles to lay flat.

The condition of the existing shingles also matters. Old shingles that are deteriorating or curling can make installing a second layer impossible. Also, older roofs do not have the ever-changing and improving building code updates, such as ice guard and ventilation installed, which hurts the longevity and performance of the new shingle.

Most installs can be completed in one-day, with the material arriving the day before from the supplier. Our crews and dump truck will arrive first thing in the morning, before we remove a single shingle we will prep the home, laying tarps over brushes and shrubs and covering exposed doors and windows with plywood. Once the installation is completed we will do a thru clean-up of the property, including cleaning out the gutters and downspouts and magnet sweeping the entire area. After we completed the job, we will then ask the homeowner to do an inspection to make sure the house, roof, and property are left in a manner satisfactory to the homeowner.

This is the most frequently asked question and the answer varies depending on the contractor. The best way to understand home improvement warranties/guarantees is to understand that when you purchase a product from a contractor there are 2 warranties. The first is from the manufacturer because ONLY the manufacturer can warranty its product. All shingle manufacturers provide similar warranties, a 10-year non-prorated warranty, and a lifetime warranty on defects. The 2nd warranty or guarantee is from the company performing the work or labor and this will vary depending on the company.

The example I have used for years to help my customers understand this often confusing question (confusing because everyone tells you something different), is to think of cars and how they are sold and warrantied. Ford produces cars but doesn’t sell them directly. The automobile companies have authorized dealers to sell them and provide the warranty. If anything goes wrong with your car and it is still under warranty, the dealership will fix it and usually at no charge. But, who pays for the broken part, the dealership or Ford the manufacturer? The answer is Ford. They produced the car and are the ONLY ones able to warranty it. The only warranty the dealership can provide is on the labor from the mechanic that works on the cars for them.

At Horizon Roofing and Construction, no matter what service or product we are installing, a representative from the company will be there at the beginning of the job to make sure the scope of work is discussed with the crew leader and all related material is on-site for the completion of the job.

Once the job is completed, an inspector from Horizon will be out to do a thorough inspection and walk around with the homeowner to ensure that the project is completed in the manner discussed and agreed upon in the written contract.

We are fortunate to live in a state where we enjoy all four seasons, but with the winter season, ice damning is a possibility on all shingled roofs. Unfortunately, ice damning is impossible to eliminate, but it can be reduced by following a couple of simple steps when installing your new roof.

The first preventative measure is to make sure your roofing contractor installs Ice & Water Shield to all heated eaves. Michigan building code calls for Ice & Water shield to be a minimum of 2 feet inside your heated wall, not 2 feet from the edge of the roof. At Horizon Roofing we install a minimum of 6 feet of ice & water shield on all eaves, around all chimneys, and where all step flashing is installed.

Another way to deter the build-up of ice on your roof is to install a balanced air system, which includes a sufficient amount of exhaust vents (Box or Ridge) which is also accompanied by an equal amount of air intake (Vented edge or soffit). By creating an intake system, you allow for cool dry air to be introduced into your warm humid attic and because cold air weighs more than warm air, it pushes the warm air down producing air movement. That, in turn, reduces moisture produced where the attic’s warm air collides with the cold outside air temps at the roofline, reducing the possibility of ice damns.

The final step we suggest to help reduce ice damns is installing new or making sure your existing insulation is at the D.O.E. suggested R-value. Southeastern Michigan is located in Zone 5 with a suggested Insulation R-value of 49 or roughly 14-16 inches.

This is really up to the customer and their preference in most situations. The exception to the rule is a Cathedral ceiling, where ridge vents are required by Code. But remember when installing ridge vents on roofs with attic space, make sure your gables are closed. If left open, your attic will not have the proper air movement needed to remove the heat and moisture that accompanies it. Creating higher energy bills, more ice damns, and rotten decking, not to mention a Code Violation.