Wrapped Corner Method

There are two good ways to handle corner flashing. The first bending two pieces and caulking the joint is the most common because you can do it immediately with the flashing at hand. If you bend crisp corners and nail carefully, you’ll only leave a tiny hole to caulk at the corner.

Remember to place the flashing under the weather barrier on the dormer. If you’re flashing a masonry chimney, nail the flashing to the roof as far up the flashing as possible. Cap flashing (counter flashing) inserted into mortar joints will cover the top edge.

Bend a flap down

Run the base flashing 4 to 5 in. beyond the dormer and cut the top section along the dormer edge. Bend the flap down and nail along the top edge.

Notch the step flashing

Notch the first step flashing, leaving a 1-in. flap to bend around the front of the dormer. Nail along its upper edge. Add shingles and additional step flashing.

Caulk

Squeeze a thin bead of caulk over the leftover gap and along the bottom joint.

Soldered Corner Method

The second, forming and soldering a custom piece to fit the corner, is the best because it doesn’t leave any potential leak spots (at the caulked gaps). Unfortunately, you can’t solder aluminum flashing, and soldering galvanized steel is difficult. You’ll have to measure your roof slope and have a sheet metal or gutter-making shop make one for you. You may have to nail the lower edge to the roof to hold it flat. If so, cover the nail head with a dab of silicone.

Lay soldered corner flashing around the corner and over the base flashing. Nail the flashing to the dormer near the top edge and continue with the shingles and step flashing.

The post DIY Roof Flashing Techniques for Outside Corners appeared first on Family Handyman.

Gable Roof

A child drawing a picture of a house is most likely to depict it with a gable roof. That’s partly because it’s easy to draw. and partly because it’s one of the most common roof designs.

It’s composed of two sloping flat panels that join at the peak, giving the roof an A-shaped cross-section known as the gable.

A gable roof is easy to build. The slope can be adjusted to maximize rain and snow runoff while preserving attic space. The lack of seams helps prevent leaks, but the design is vulnerable to high winds.

To protect the gable ends, builders may construct a variation known as a clipped gable, bullnose or jerkinhead roof. In this version, small hips flat sections that slope downward are added to the gable end peaks to deflect the wind.

Asphalt shingles are the most common roof covering. In windy locations, rolled or metal roofing or heavy tiles (clay or slate) may be a better choice.

Here are some roof problems that you should keep in mind for making the right choices.

The post What Type of Roof Does Your Home Have? appeared first on Family Handyman.

After earning her business degree from Iowa State University in 1997, she left construction for corporate management. By 2012, burnt out on corporate America, she teamed up with her brother and his wife to found Feller Roofing and Remodeling. Four years later, Feller left to launch her own company, Feller Roofing of New Braunfels, Texas, now called Roofer Chicks.

Today, Feller wholly owns and manages her company, while her brother and sister-in-law have their own roofing business a few towns over. She also runs the YouTube channel @rooferchicks, dedicated to helping laypeople understand what’s up with their roofs.

We asked Feller for her thoughts on the state of the roofing industry.

Q: Why did you want to leave the corporate world?

A: I always thought working for corporations would be what I did because I had a business degree. But I hated corporate America. I hated the red tape and having to implement decisions that didn’t make any sense. I hated the long hours and being away from my daughter.

One day when we were in the shop with a broken down truck, I called my brother in tears, asking if this was all there was to life, working and working until you die? That’s when we started Feller Roofing.

Q: Are you happy you made the switch?

A: The most important thing is that I haven’t missed my daughter’s life. When she was four and I worked in corporate America, I was only seeing her awake for about 30 minutes a day. Now she’s 15, and I get to tailor my life around being there for her.

I have also really enjoyed being part of my community. I had lived in New Braunfels for almost 10 years, but really only knew my immediate neighbors. I didn’t even know my way around town. It was just a place to rest my head.

Now I’m a chamber and rotary member. I’m going to all the festivals, volunteering at the food bank and learning every street, as we do in roofing. I’m really proud to be involved in the community.

It’s also fun to be a female roofer because I’m unusual. I get to change people’s perceptions.

Q: Where do you find so many women roofers to work for you?

A: My W-2 employees are about 75% female, and while my 1099 shingle crews are run by a woman, they’re mostly male. I like having a mix. I hope to reflect the community with both gender and ethnicity.

Admittedly, it’s very hard to find female employees. Sometimes I have to talk them into it, and then their husband, boyfriend or dad might talk them out of it by telling them they can’t do it. It isn’t for everybody even men. It’s hard, dirty work, which takes a special breed.

I found my initial women crew from a mom’s group on Facebook. Funny enough, some of the ads I post looking for women employees on Facebook get taken down for being sexist, which is crazy, because in roofing, 0.05% of laborers are female. It also takes patience, because it takes a long time to recruit six women for a crew.

Q: Any advice for women looking to get into roofing?

A: One nice thing about roofing is there aren’t really any barriers to entry. You don’t have to have a degree or do an apprenticeship. At least at my company, you don’t even need to have any experience. If you really want to try it, find the right company to go work for, which is important because not all roofers are nice.

And remember, you can work on a crew swinging a hammer as well as in sales. There’s money to be made, and women do really, really well at sales because homeowners trust them especially women that spent some time on a crew and know what they’re talking about. It’s definitely an industry where paying your dues pays off.

Q: What changes have you seen in roofing over last decade?

A: The price per square has risen from $175 in 2012 to over $500, which is huge.

The technology of shingles has also gotten better. GAF [a leading shingles manufacturer] has come out with a 50-year shingle, up from 30 years. Now they have an unlimited 15-year wind warranty, which is amazing. They’ve also gotten algae resistance up from 10 years to 30, which is big in Texas.

Another trend I love is an increase in recycling efforts. They’re not super efficient yet, but they’re trying, and I know GAF is making a lot of efforts along that line.

It makes me sick to see roofs being dumped in the landfill. It’s such a waste. So I am passionate for the day when that actually stops happening. This year so far we’ve recycled almost 60,000 pounds of old shingles! It’s not a lot in the grand scheme of things, but it’s a start.

Q: How do you use social media for your business?

A: I’ve done a lot of how-tos on YouTube directed at customers and homeowners, from how to deal with insurance to how to replace one shingle. People watch them all the time, and I get a lot of satisfaction knowing that someone might have saved hundreds of dollars by being able to repair their own roof.

We also showcase projects and products people don’t see every day, like our chimney flashing, which we custom-make on site. We also use Facebook, which has been a huge generator of customers; Instagram; and we’re starting to focus on TikTok, so we’ll see what comes of that.

Q: What are your key roofing tools?

A: Cougar Paws shoes are amazing to keep you stuck to the roof. They’re like magic. I feel like Superman on the shingles.

I like the Estimator Boot, because I am mostly doing sales and they look like hiking boots. My crew folks like the Performer Boot, because it’s a bit more rugged.

A good extension ladder is also critical. I prefer my teams use a 28-footer, because 24- and 26-foot ones don’t always reach the second story. And I use aluminum because I can’t lift the fiberglass. It’s also very handy to have a really nice fold-up ladder, because a lot of times you have to go from one ladder to another, or get in somebody’s attic.

Then a hook blade for utility knives really helps cut through the face of a shingle. They come in packs like normal razor blades, and you can just stick them in your utility knife. A pry bar is amazing to get in between shingles, and it has to be the right kind because the narrow ones don’t work; they tear the shingle. Don’t forget sidewalk chalk, for marking up roofs!

And then for me personally, there’s Job Nimbus software. I don’t think I could run my company or live my life without Nimbus. It stores all of our pictures, invoices and contracts. We can make material orders in there, and work orders for our crews and suppliers. It’s also my appointment center. If anything ever happened to it, I don’t know what I would do.

Ami Feller Bio

Before starting Roofer Chicks, Ami Feller worked in high-profile corporate management positions for Caterpillar, DHL Express and Coca-Cola. Today she prides herself on her civic involvement and her company’s sterling reputation.

Roofer Chicks is certified as a GAF Master Elite contractor for residential and commercial buildings. It’s also a member of the Roofing Contractor Association of Texas (RCAT), and holds a Tile Roofing Industry (TRI) certification for concrete and clay tile roofing and an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

The post The Eleven Percent: Meet Ami Feller, Roofing Contractor appeared first on Family Handyman.

I built this portable sauna with accessible and affordable materials you can find at your local building center. The simple design enables you to easily construct the four walls, floor, roof and benches on-site or in your garage, then transport it to a remote location.

The sauna is five feet wide x four feet deep x 7-ft. 8-in. tall. Build your sauna to the size that meets your needs. See Figure 1 for a look at how it all goes together.

Before you start cutting boards and pounding nails, put together a flat work surface such as a 4×8 sheet of plywood on sawhorses. This will make assembling and maneuvering the components of the project much easier. Enlist a helper to assist in lifting walls and roof components.

When purchasing materials, always buy a few extra 2x2s and 2x4s for your project. You can often return extra building materials you don’t use.

Figure 1

Overall dimensions: 95-in. H x 6-in. W x 48-in. D.

Cutting List

The Sauna Floor Base

• Lets start this project from the ground up and build the floor base first. Start by cutting and assembling four pressure-treated ground contact 2x4s for the floor outer base frame using #9 x 3-in. deck screws.
• Next, measure the inside of the outer frame to get the dimensions for the inner frame. Then cut and assemble the inner frame adding support boards evenly spaced as shown above.
• Insert and attach the inner frame to the inside of the outer frame, letting the inner frame stick up 1-1/2-inches from the top edge of the outer frame.

Install the Floor

• Cut a piece of 3/4-in. plywood the size of the base inner frame.
• Before attaching the plywood floor to the base, insulate the spaces between each stud with 1-1/2-inch foam board insulation.
• Attach the plywood to the floor base using #8 x 2-in. exterior screws.

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]]> https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/how-to-install-metal-roofing/ Mon, 23 Aug 2021 18:50:32 +0000 With its sleek, modern look, metal panel roofing was our first choice for the Getaway. It has no visible seams and is maintenance free — even a light rain will wash leaves and sticks off the roof. Even better, it won’t grow moss and algae in the shade of the Wisconsin woods.

A metal roof will reduce cooling costs by reflecting heat and last 50 to 70 years. Armed with a basic understanding of the anatomy of a metal roof, along with a few tips, you can install one yourself in just a few days.

Pro tip: It’s all about the layers. When it rains, a roof sheds water from one layer to the next until it runs off the roof. Build roof layers the right way and your home will stay dry inside for its entire life.

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]]> Apply the underlayment

• The first layer on top of the plywood or OSB roof deck is underlayment. For this, we chose a self-healing ice-and-water membrane to protect the shallow-pitched roof deck.

• The tricky part in laying the underlayment is keeping it flat and wrinkle-free. Unroll the underlayment across the roof while removing the bottom half of the adhesive backing. Overlap the previous layer by six to eight inches. Once the underlayment is rolled out, cut it flush and pull the rest of the adhesive backing out from underneath.

The post A Full Guide to Metal Roof Installation appeared first on Family Handyman.

Start the project by tearing off the old roofing, shingles and underlayment. If you have movable items near your house and are worried they might get damaged, relocate them. Invest in a few large tarps to protect your plants and landscaping and catch the thousands of nails that will rain off the roof. Removing old self-stick ice-and-water underlayment can be downright impossible, so it’s OK if you have to leave it in place. Whenever possible, I park a dumpster close to the house to toss in the old shingles right from the roof, simplifying the clean-up.

The most efficient tear-off procedure is to pry off the ridge cap shingles with a pry bar and then transition to a roofing tear-off shovel for the rest. Starting at the ridge, work the shovel underneath the shingles and underlayment, prying them up and pushing them down toward the eave. It’s important to remove all the old nails or pound them flat because protruding nails will tear holes in the new shingles.

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If your roof includes a chimney or sidewall, youll have to make a notch. I do this in two steps with two tools.

Cut Across the Panels

After marking the notch, I start by making the cuts across the panel, which means youre cutting over the ribs. The BEST way to do this is with a profile nibbler. Instead of cutting the metal, it actually makes several punches, which allows it to cut over the ribs. Profile nibblers do not track straight so move slowly.

For Long Straight Cuts

For the straight cut up the flat part of a panel I use a double cut shear. It’s fast, cuts straight and leaves a nice finished edge. Double cut shears make a 1/4-in. wide cut that creates a thin, sharp metal coil, so wear gloves and keep it from scratching the panels.

Prevent Ice Dams

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Damaged Plumbing Vent Boots

Plumbing vent boots can be all plastic, plastic and metal, or even two-piece metal units. Check plastic bases for cracks and metal bases for broken seams. Then examine the rubber boot surrounding the pipe. That can be rotted away or torn, allowing water to work its way into the house along the pipe. With any of these problems, you should buy a new vent boot to replace the old one. But if the nails at the base are missing or pulled free and the boot is in good shape, replace them with the rubber-washered screws used for metal roofing systems.

The post 15 Silent Signs You Have a Damaged Roof appeared first on Family Handyman.

Look Uphill to Find Roof Leaks

When tracking down a leak,start by lookingat the roof uphill from the stains. The first thing to look for isroof penetrations items poking through the roofing are the most common source of leaks.In fact,it’s rare for leaks to develop in open areas of uninterrupted shingles, even on older roofs.

“Leaks are most commonly found along penetrations in the roofs’ surface, like near skylights, vents, or other areas like valleys that experience heavy drainage,” advises O’Brien. They might be several feet above the drip or to the right or left.

The post 12 Tips for Finding and Fixing Leaks In Your Roof appeared first on Family Handyman.

Enhance Decks with Lighting

Landscape lighting may seem like a complicated DIY project, but low-voltage lighting systems are actually a job any beginner can tackle. And if you make your deck the focus, the extra visibility will even add a certain level of safety. Low-voltage systems are much less dangerous than standard household wiring because the system relies on a transformer plugged into a standard GFCI receptacle. That converts power from 120 volts to 12 volts, then the current travels through outdoor cables to supply power to the fixtures.

The post 20 Home Renovations That Instantly Increase Your Home Value appeared first on Family Handyman.

Delaying Necessary Repairs

Waiting too long is one of the most common bad roof maintenance habits out there. Adding a new roof or repairing damage isn’t cheap, but the last thing you want is to put off a small repair and watch it become something much worse.

The post 12 Bad Roof Maintenance Habits to Stop Doing Immediately appeared first on Family Handyman.

Meet the Chimney Maintenance Pros

Jim Smart owns Smart Sweep Chimney Service. He and his son Jesse are certified professional chimney sweeps. Together, this father/son team inspect, clean and repair fireplace chimneys in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Jim also holds a certificate in forensic chimney fire analysis.

If you use your fireplace or woodstove regularly but cant remember the last time your chimney was cleaned, its probably overdue. In many cases, you can clean the chimney yourself and save a few hundred dollars.

Removing ordinary chimney soot is pretty simple. But if you have heavy creosote buildup, youll have to call in a pro. Well show you how to inspect yours to see if it qualifies as a DIY job. If it does, just follow these steps. Otherwise, hire a certified chimney sweep.

Is Fireplace Cleaning a DIY Job?

Clean creosote buildup from all parts of the chimney. Most chimney fires start in the smoke chamber/smoke shelf area, so its the most important area to clean (Figure A). Since that area is hard to reach in some fireplaces, check yours to see if you can reach into it and still have room to maneuver a brush. If you cant reach it, this isnt a DIY project.

Figure A: Chimney Cutaway

Next, see if you can access the fireplace chimney crown. If you have a very steep roof pitch or arent comfortable working on your roof, this isnt a job for you. Call a certified chimney sweep. If you decide you can handle the heights, make sure to wear a safety harness.

Chimney Fires Destroy Homes

Creosote buildup may not look dangerous, but it ignites at a mere 451 degrees F, and once it starts burning, it expands like foam sealant. In less than a minute, it builds to more than 2,000 degrees F and can engulf your entire chimney and destroy your home.

Even if you clean your chimney regularly, you should still have it inspected by a qualified chimney sweep once a year. Certified chimney sweeps are trained to recognize chimney deterioration and venting problems and can assess your fireplace chimneys condition.

If you burn mostly green (wet) logs, have your chimney cleaned or inspected every 50 burns. If you see moisture bubbling out the ends of the logs when theyre burning, the wood is wet. This green wood doesnt burn cleanly and sends a lot of unburned particles (smoke) up the chimney, where they build up as creosote and soot. Dry hardwoods, such as oak and birch, burn hotter and cleaner. With them, have your fireplace chimney cleaned or inspected every 70 burns.

How To Tell If Your Fireplace Chimney Needs Cleaning

A quick way to tell if your chimney needs cleaning is to run the point of your fireplace poker along the inside of your chimney liner. If you find a 1/8-in. or more layer of buildup (the thickness of a nickel), call a chimney sweep.

Chimney sweeps may see 40 to 50 chimney fires a year, and more than half of the chimneys they service require extra cleaning because the homeowners wait too long before calling. In extreme cases, the hardened layer of buildup requires cleaning with special tools or chemicals.

A professional cleaning includes an inspection for soot buildup, obstructions, cracks in the chimney liner and signs of water damage. Older chimneys often have gaps between clay liner sections where the mortar has fallen out.

When hiring a chimney sweep, look for someone whos certified and insured and will provide an upfront cost estimate. (For a list of certified chimney sweeps, contact the Chimney Safety Institute of America at csia.org.)

Do an Inspection

Strap on goggles and a respirator, clean the ashes out of the firebox and remove the grate. Then open a door or window and wait a few minutes before opening the damper so the pressures equalize. Then open the damper and wait a few more minutes for heat to rise from the house.

Grab your brightest flashlight and a fireplace poker and lean into the firebox. Shine your light into the smoke chamber and flue and use the poker to scratch the surface. If the soot has a matte black finish and the scratch is 1/8 in. deep or less, its a DIY job. But if the buildup is deeper or has a shiny, tar-like appearance, you have heavy creosote buildup. Stop using your fireplace immediately and call a professional chimney sweep.

Get the Right Cleaning Tools: Match the Brush To the Flue Liner

• Buy a metal bristle brush for a clay flue liner and a brush with plastic bristles for a metal liner.
• Buy enough rods to handle the entire height of your fireplace chimney.

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Winterize Your Gutters

When gutters fill with leaves, sticks and other debris, this can cause clogs and result in water creeping under the roof and sometimes, into the foundation. Clogged gutters can also lead to ice dams in the winter. Thats why its important to be cleaning out your gutters every so often.

The Best Way to Clean Your Gutters:

An old plastic spatula makes a great tool forcleaning debris from gutters! It doesnt scratch up the gutter, and you can cut it to fit gutter contours with snips. Grime wipes right off the spatula too, making cleanup a breeze.Your plumbers snake is a great tool for pulling clumps of wet leaves out of clogged downspouts.

Dont feel like putting in that much elbow grease? Consider agutter cleaning robot.

How Often Should You Clean Your Gutters:

You should clean your gutters at a minimum of once a year and you should do it more often if you have overhanging trees and after a big storm.

Make Cleanup Easier:

To make cleanup easier, spread a tarp underneath your workspace to collect all the gutter gunk and protect your lawn and landscaping. Once youve removed the debris from the gutters, use a garden hose to flush the gutters and downspouts and clear out any remaining debris. This will also show you if you have any leaks.Need to replace your gutters? Heres how to install them.

Set aside some time now to complete these simple fall maintenance tasks so you can rest easy, knowing youre prepared.

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Dark vs. Light Shingles

Lighter-colored shingles reflect more light and stay cooler in sunlight. And lighter-colored roof shingles help keep attic temperaturesand your air conditioning billdown.

Some shingle colors have been shown to lower attic temperatures, but whether this means light shingles will last longer than dark shingles is more problematic.

Plus, a broken shingle is both ugly and a leak waiting to happen, so you’ll want to know how to replace damaged shingles.

Be aware! Here are some silent signs your roof might be failing:

Testing the Difference of Roof Shingle Colors

But when it comes to comparing the life spans of dark vs. light, all bets are off. One major shingle manufacturer we spoke with said its tests showed no difference. Its position is that a properly ventilated attic provides enough cooling to offset the increased heat retention of dark shingles. Here are things to consider before replacing your roof.

But some studies dispute that. They claim that since heat always increases molecular activity, and since dark shingles always run hotter, the heat factor alone dictates a shorter life for dark shingles. Yet another study suggests that the sun’s UV rays play a much bigger role in shingle degradation than heat.

Our Shingle Advice

Just about all the experts agree on the importance of proper attic ventilation for longer shingle life. So our advice is to make sure you have more than enough roof and soffit vents and pick whatever color you like. Unless you want to save money on coolingthen you should choose a lighter color.

The post Do Light Colored Shingles Last Longer? appeared first on Family Handyman.

First, remove the skylights counterflashing. On some units, you have to remove the whole glass frame. On other models, you simply unscrew a metal channel from the curb. Next, pry off the old shingles, carefully pulling nails to save the flashing.

To reassemble, follow the steps outlined below, and youll have a leakproof installation. Note that the metal flashing pieces dont need to be sealed to each other. Since water runs downhill, they only need to be installed in the right order. So put away that roofing cement.

If youre hiring a roofing crew, ask them to carefully remove the old flashing and reuse it if its in good shape.

The post How To Install Skylight Flashing appeared first on Family Handyman.

• Make sure the ground where you’ll be working is flat and level.
• Add a ladder stabilizer to your ladder. “As always, ladder safety is key,” Larsen says. “Stabilizers are a good thing to have, especially if you’re trying to do the project yourself.”
• Lean your ladder against the house, observing the 4:1 rule: For every 4 feet of climbing height, move the bottom of the ladder 1 foot away from the wall.

The post How to Fix a Roof Drip Edge appeared first on Family Handyman.

Cleaning gutters is a daunting, unpleasant, yet important, task. In spring, you have to trudge up the ladder and get to work. And then, before you know it, it’s fall, and you’re back at it. Plus, if you have messy trees that are taller than your house, expect to clean those gutters even more frequently. Have you considered having a gutter cleaning robot do this work for you?

Check out these 25 hints for fixing roof and gutter issues.

Who Needs a Gutter Cleaning Robot?

There are some key reasons why you should consider purchasing a gutter cleaning robot.

1. You may have no business being on a ladder due to your age or health issues.
2. Your gutters are difficult to reach because they are multiple stories above ground, over a carport or above a landscaping feature.
3. You’re afraid of heights.
4. You’ve tried cleaning your gutters and know that it is a disgusting task.

How Does a Gutter Cleaning Robot Work?

A gutter cleaning robot is a remote-controlled device that you place inside the gutter. The cleaning tool travels on rubberized tracks, making its way down the gutter trough, breaking up clogs and dislodging debris from the gutter with an auger. The auger, which has soft, spinning blades at the front, punches clumps of twigs, dead leaves and other debris in front of it. Meanwhile, brushes, situated behind the blades, pick up the remaining, tiny bits of debris for a final sweep.

Create stronger, better-looking gutters by modifying standard gutter systems. Here’s how to install gutters.

Does a Gutter Cleaning Robot Really Work?

What’s thebest gutter cleaning robot?Only one gutter cleaning robot has made it to market thus farthe iRobot Looj 330. This device is made by the same company behind the Roomba series of vacuum cleaners and the Terra robot lawn mower. And, right now it’s hard to say if this gutter cleaning robot will ever live up to its promise. As of now, the verdict is no. The Looj was discontinued in 2017.

If you really want to try one out for yourself, you can still find the discontinued gutter cleaning robot on Amazon from third party sellers. Reviews remain mixed.With 3.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon, some people claim the gutter cleaning robot is worth it.

One positive review: “I bought this robot with the hope of helping my husband with the gutter cleaning chore. We are very very pleased with it. When the gutters and flashing have been installed correctly, there is enough room under the gutter hanging straps for the robot to proceed through the gutters without any problem. It successfully removed leaves and other tree litter, as well as sections of dirt and moss that had colonized the hard-to-reach segments of the gutter.”

One negative review: “As other reviewers have said, not quite ready for prime time. I really wanted this to work because I hate climbing the ladder multiple times to clean the gutters. I ensured it was fully charged before starting. I also tied the string on it in case it got stuck (glad I did). I started with the bigger blades to see how they did and immediately switched to the smaller blades as it got stuck easily. I tried the rotation as directed so it didn’t spray the gunk up under the shingles but then it threw everything back up on the roof. So I reversed the rotation and had it spew gunk up under the shingles but out of the gutter. It was messy and not a great job when it was working. It bogged down and got stuck often. It ran out of juice after one and a half gutters. Probably 50 linear feet. Thank you Amazon for easy returns.”

Buy it now on Amazon.

Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links,wemay earn an affiliate commission.

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• Staple guns are smaller and better balanced. Coil nail guns are literally fed with a coil of nails, and the holder for the nails makes the gun much bulkier.
• Staples are far less prone to jamming up in a gun than nails.
• Staples cost less money.
• Staples are much more compact; a roofer can hold a bunch of sticks of staples in their pocket and reload their gun very quickly. Nail coils take up a lot more space, they take more time to reload, and they need to be treated carefully; if a coil of nails gets dropped or stepped on, it deforms the coil and makes it much more prone to jamming in the gun.

Staples are used because they make the roofers job easier; they dont equate to a better installation.

The problem with stapled shingles is that they have a much greater chance of coming loose or blowing off the roof because staples are so easy to install improperly. When a roofer holds a staple gun and fastens a shingle, the staples will have a tendency to be driven at an improper angle.

Staples are often improperly installed because its somewhat awkward to hold a staple gun completely perpendicular to the shingle. For someone who is right handed, its much easier to shoot the staples on the left side of their body at an angle similar to a forward slash, and the staples on the right side at an angle similar to a backward slash. The two super-crude diagrams below should help to illustrate what Im talking about.

When staples are installed properly, they work fine, but theyre just too easy to install wrong. This issue doesnt happen with nails, because they have a round head; as long as a nail is driven in to a shingle straight, it doesnt matter which way the nail gun is turned. To know if a roof has been installed with staples, you can sometimes see the outline of the staples pushing through the shingle above.

Also notice, these staples arent perpendicular to the shingle. This is the installation problem that typically happens with staples.

If you have a roof thats been installed with staples, is it a defective installation? If it was installed after 2003, technically yes, because staples arent allowed any more. If every staple was perfectly installed, the installation would work just as well as perfectly installed nails, but Ive found improperly installed staples at every stapled roof Ive inspected. If you have a roof with stapled shingles, you dont need to replace the shingles as a rule of thumb, but youre taking on some risk. If shingles start blowing off on a regular basis, youll probably want to have the roof covering replaced. This will be less costly and less of a hassle in the long run than having to deal with constant roof repairs.

When I inspect a house with shingles that have been improperly installed, I tell the same thing to my buyers; the shingles dontneedto be replaced, but they might cause some headaches. If shingles have already started coming loose and obvious repairs have been made, I typically recommend replacement of the roof covering.

P.S. Special thanks toroof guruand fellow home inspector Mike Moser for always knowing the answer to any technical roofing question right off the top of his head.

Reuben Saltzman is the President of Structure Tech Home Inspections

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Vinyl Recoiling Sleeves

These install with a simple strap and automatically unfurl as they fill with water.

Pros: They move water away from the foundation by dispersing it sprinkler-style, then recoil when it stops raining. They work well when you need to move water only 3 or 4 ft. away from the house to a slope where it will then run off naturally.

Cons: You need to remove the end clip to push out built-up debris, and you should remove the entire sleeve in freezing temperatures to prevent damage.

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How can you get rid of ice dams?

Here are a few ways to combat this seeping invasion.

Option 1: Attack the Snow

One way to get in front of potential ice dams is to remove the snow that causes them before it has a chance to melt. This does not involve climbing onto a snow and ice-covered roof and putting yourself at risk! Instead, use a tool designed to remove the snow from the safety of the ground. There are a number of these devices available, usually called handled roof rakes or roof shovels. Look for a model that uses a protective buffer (such as wheels or bumpers) to prevent damage to the shingles while removing bulk quantities of snow. And a telescoping handle is a mustthe entire idea is to limit risk, not force you to climb onto a ladder or roof in inclement weather.

Obviously this snow removal tool has its limitations. It works best when there’s enough snow to get a hold of, but not so much that it becomes unwieldy. Also, the height of your home and profile of your roof will have to be taken into consideration.

Option 2: Warm the Eaves

Remember that ice dams originate in roof valleys and eaves, where the lower temperature freezes fresh snow melt. This means that you don’t need to attack the entire roof of snow. One popular method is to use an electrical cabling system that boosts the temperature of the eaves just enough to prevent ice dams from forming. Some people claim that putting calcium chloride ice melt (the same material used on sidewalks and driveways) in a pair of pantyhose and laying it across the eaves will prevent ice dams. We checked into this claim and found out that it’s a bust.

Apart from this ice dam pantyhose hack, DIYers have also devised other ways like roof deicing cables to deal with ice dams more safely.

Option 3: Freeze It on the Inside

This clever technique attacks ice dams from the inside. If your home is beginning to suffer the leaks indicative of an ice dam, take a fan (a box fan or small air mover) into your attic and direct it at the section of roof suffering the leak. This blast of cold air will usually be enough to refreeze the fingers of the ice dam, while the snow and ice is melting away on the outside of your home. Once that exterior pressure is relieved, the remaining ice will melt away and run off the rest of the roof. This is a great way to stop the leak in its tracks without having to wrangle any equipment outside, but it’s ultimately treating the symptoms, not the cause.

Option 4: Attack the Root Cause

Ultimately, the goal is to prevent the ice dams from forming. A thermal analysis of your attic will often reveal what’s allowing the temperature of the roof to raise higher at the edges than on the eaves. By stabilizing this temperature you can stop ice dams before they occur.

This can be done with venting, protection from interior warmth, insulation or a combination of these factors. A good starting place is to look for things like bathroom fans or dryer lines that vent into the attic instead of the outside.

Up next, check out some of the best snow and ice removal products.

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Chimney leaking? Look for flashing problems

Figure A: Chimney flashing details

Chimneys are notorious for leaking, and the culprit is almost always the sheet metal flashings. Just ask any roofer. But it doesn’t take an expert to spot problemssimply look for water-stained ceilings or other telltale signs of leaking in the vicinity of your chimney. Sowhat is placed around a chimney to prevent leaks?

You’ll want to install new chimney flashing if it’s missing, rusted through, falling out or completely covered with roofing tar (a typical short-term fix that’s sure to be hiding bigger problems). It’s also a good time to install new flashing when you put on new shingles because you’ll want it to last as long as the new roofing (25 to 40 years).

In this article, we’ll tell you how to order new flashing and install it on a brick chimney. Our roof has asphalt shingles, but the procedure is the same for wood shingles. Slate and tile roofs require special flashing techniques that are best left to the pros. Flashing a chimney is an advanced DIY project. For starters, you have to be comfortable working on a roof. Then you have to measure, cut and bend sheet metal to fit precisely around the chimney and layer all the parts so they shed water. Even so, if you’re handy with tools and carefully follow our instructions and diagrams, you’ll be able to flash your chimney in a day. And as far aschimney flashing repair cost goes, by doing it yourself, you’ll save hundreds of dollars.

Gather all materials first, then remove old flashing

Pry, chisel and scrape off old metal flashings and roofing cement.

Before you do anything, get your ladder, roof brackets and safety harness set up so you can work safely and efficiently on the roof. Then measure the chimney and order the saddle and flashing parts (see How to Buy Chimney Flashing, below).

We ordered all our 26-gauge galvanized metal flashing bent to the correct angles and dimensions from a sheet metal shop specializing in roofing. The shop did a great job. I dropped off the dimensions and three days later the stuff was ready to pick up. Even with the custom-made saddle, the flashing was inexpensive. In addition to the flashing and shingles, buy a roll of self-adhering roofing membrane (also called ice-and-water barrier), two tubes of polyurethane caulk, and a package of 25 drive-in expanding anchors from a home center or roofing store.

Besides basic hand tools like a hammer, tape measure, 2-ft. level and square, you’ll need a few special tools for working with sheet metal and cutting and drilling masonry. Buy a good pair of straight-cutting tin snips, a 3/16-in. masonry bit and a grinder (a great excuse to buy this useful tool) or a circular saw fitted with a drycut diamond blade for grooving the mortar (Photo 7).

Don’t forget safety equipment. You’ll need a sturdy extension ladder to get on the roof, and roof brackets and top-quality 2×10 planks to work safely once you get there. For maximum safety, especially if the roof is steep or high, buy a personal fall arrest system consisting of a safety harness, lanyard, rope-grab, rope and roof anchor.

How to Find Your Roof Slope

Find the slope of the roof. Label one edge of a 2-ft. square scrap of plywood or cardboard roof and lay the labeled edge against the roof. Draw a level line at least 12 in. long on the plywood and label the line run.

Measure 12 in. along the run line and make a mark. Use a framing square to draw a square line from this mark down to the edge of the plywood labeled roof. Label this line rise. Measure the length of the line labeled rise to determine the slope, expressed as inches of rise for every 12 in. of run. In our case, the roof slope is 6 in. of rise for every 12 in. of run.

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Cupola Project Overview

When I decided to build a cupola to dress up my bland garage, I began by taking a walk. Most of the shed cupolas in my neighborhood are purely decorative. But the really old onesthose that sit atop garages that were once carriage houseswere built for both decoration and ventilation. In the days before roof and ridge vents, a cupola was the most effective way to ventilate a stable, barn or even a house.

Old or new, most of the cupolas I saw had some peeling paint or rotting wood. There were two typical trouble spots: the saddle, the part of the shed cupola that sits directly on the roof, and the sill, which rests on the saddle. To make my saddle maintenance-free, I wrapped it in aluminum flashing. To avoid problems at the sill, I beveled mine and left no flat areas where water could stand. I also used a vinyl brick mold, rather than wood, to frame the vents.

This article will show you how to build and install a shed cupola with these maintenance-saving features. The cupola’s structure is fairly simple, and all the dimensions, curves and angles are provided. The curved witch’s hat roof may look like the work of a master carpenter, but the entire cupola is an intermediate-level project. In fact, a novice with just a little carpentry experience can do a satisfactory job. After all, minor mistakes won’t be visible from the ground. But you will need several power tools (table saw, jigsaw, circular saw, drill and router) and at least three full days to build this shed cupola.

Note: A shed cupola mounted on a garage or shed will keep the building cooler in hot weather and drier during damp seasons. But for your home’s attic, a barn cupola alone doesn’t provide adequate ventilation: By itself, it doesn’t let enough air escape, nor does it provide a place for air to enter the attic. For effective ventilation, install soffit vents along with roof or ridge vents. Here’s how to install soffits that are maintenance-free.

Cupola Details

Most home centers and lumberyards carry everything you need to build this cupola. Here’s your shopping list:

• One 8-ft. cedar 4×4 (actual size is 3-1/2 x 3-1/2 in.)
• Three 10-ft. cedar 2x6s
• One 8-ft. 2×2 (1-1/2 x 1-1/2 in.)
• One 4×8 sheet of 3/8-in. plywood
• One 4×8 sheet of 3/4-in. pressure-treated plywood
• Four 8-ft. pieces of brick mold. Vinyl brick mold is maintenance-free, but it holds paint poorly and is usually available only in white. If you want a different color, you’ll have to use a wood brick mold.
• Four 12 x 12-in. vinyl or aluminum gable vents. The dimensions refer to the louvered area, not the vent’s frame. Our 12 x 12-in. vents measured 14-1/2 x 14-3/4 in. Metal vents, which are usually white, can be spray painted. For a lasting paint job, lightly sand the vents with 220-grit sandpaper first.
• One bundle of shingles. Home centers usually stock a few common colors and can special-order many others.
• One 10-ft. long roll of aluminum flashing. Painted flashing usually comes with one side white, the other dark brown. But you can lightly sand and spray paint it after it’s applied to the saddle. The width of the flashing you need depends on the pitch of your roof; the steeper your roof, the longer the sides of the saddle (Fig. A).
• Galvanized screws (1-1/4, 2 and 3 in.), 1/2-in. self-tapping sheet metal screws, 1-in. galvanized nails, 3/4-in. roofing nails, construction adhesive, acrylic caulk, roof cement (two tubes).

Note: Figure A can be downloaded and printed from Additional Information below.

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What are ice dams?

If you live in a part of the country where snow accumulates on your roof in the winter, you likely know all about ice dams. Ice dams are ridges of ice that form along the edges of your roof during the freeze-melt-refreeze cycles and they prevent the melting snow from draining off the roof. Ice dams can cause water to back up and leak into your home, causing significant damage to your roof, walls, insulation and ceilings.

Does the ice dam pantyhose hack work?

While there are some tried-and-true methods for getting rid of ice dams, one popular method is a waste of time: salt-filled pantyhose won’t melt away your ice dams. This method, which is a total bust, involves filling pantyhose with salt or some kind of deicing tablets and then hoisting the filled pantyhose onto the edges of your roof. The filled pantyhose, in theory, should melt the ice underneath and help the melted water flow down the gutter and away from the roof.

Why is the ice dam pantyhose hack ineffective?

Heat cables are a sensible, simple and inexpensive solution for ice dams.

Some testers of the salt-filled pantyhose method say while the salt in the pantyhose can melt the ice, melting just doesn’t happen fast enough to make much of a difference. If you are already having a problem with ice dams causing damage, the last thing you want is a solution that takes too long.

Testers also noted that putting salt directly on the ice dam is far more effective than using salt stuffed into pantyhose, but it still doesn’t work fast enough.

In addition, the salt-filled pantyhose look pretty ridiculous up there on your roof and there’s a chance that the salt residue will discolor your roofnot something you’ll want to deal with in the spring.

If you do have an ice dam causing issues and don’t feel you can deal with it yourself, it’s best to call an ice-dam removal professional.

The post We Tried the Popular Ice Dam Pantyhose Hack—Here’s How It Works appeared first on Family Handyman.

As with most jobs, the right tools can save you a great deal of aggravation in the long run. You’ll need a full-body harness, a spray pump, and a nontoxic, noncorrosive roof-cleaning chemical. You may opt for a special roof rinsing tool, which can make the process easier, but aren’t absolutely required.

Look for a roof-cleaning product that’s as noncorrosive and plant-safe as possible. Chlorine bleach is a corrosive agent that can damage metal flashing and gutters, and the runoff harms plants. Those perfect peonies you planted? You definitely don’t want to dump gallons of bleach on them.

O’Brien suggests starting with the lowest water pressure, gentlest cleaning method, and mildest cleaning solution. “We’ve seen instances where a homeowner got carried away with the pressure washer and created a lot of damage,” she says.

Remember, you can always add a more aggressive cleaner or use more pressure, but once you damage the roof, you’ve created a bigger repair to deal with.

The post How to Clean Roof Stains appeared first on Family Handyman.

How to Find Roof Leaks

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Roofing might seem daunting to the DIY enthusiast. There are so many terms, methods, and tools to understand. Among them, the term ‘birdsmouth’ stands out. The birdsmouth joint has been a mainstay in roofing for many years, and for a good reason. It offers a reliable solution for attaching rafters to wall plates. Lets delve deeper into this fascinating topic.

What Exactly is a Birdsmouth?

A birdsmouth is a specialized cut in the bottom of a rafter. This cut allows the rafter to sit flatly and securely on a wall top plate, ensuring the stability of the roofing structure. Essentially, it’s like a little notch or “mouth” that helps the rafter to have a better grip and alignment.

Components of the Birdsmouth:

• Seat Cut: This is the horizontal part where the rafter rests on the wall. Think of it as a bird’s perch!
• Heel Cut: The vertical cut which aligns snugly with the exterior side of the wall. This ensures a close, tight fit.

Why is the Birdsmouth Essential?

The design of the birdsmouth ensures that the weight of the roof is evenly distributed over the walls. This even distribution prevents undue stress on any single point of the roof structure, ensuring longevity.

How to cut the Perfect Birdsmouth:

A crucial aspect to remember when cutting a birdsmouth is to ensure the structural integrity of the rafter. As a rule of thumb, never remove more than one-third of the depth of the rafter. Overcutting might compromise the strength and reliability of the rafter, leading to potential roofing problems in the future.

Securing the Rafters:

Once you’ve made your birdsmouth cut, you’ll need to secure the rafter to the wall top plate. This can be achieved in a couple of ways:

1. Toenails: These are driven through the birdsmouth directly into the wall top plate.
2. Metal Rafter Tie Down Plates: For those looking for additional security, these plates offer an extra layer of protection.

A Note on Manufactured Trusses:

Manufactured trusses are unique. Because of their engineering and design, they typically don’t require birdsmouth cuts. It’s also essential to avoid cutting birdsmouths into trusses. As engineered systems, they’re designed to bear loads in a specific way. Cutting into them can compromise their structural integrity.

Summing Up Birdsmouth:

The birdsmouth is a time-tested, ingenious solution in the roofing world. Whether you’re considering taking on a roofing project or just looking to understand the craftsmanship behind your home, it’s intriguing to learn about techniques like the birdsmouth. Such techniques remind us of the ingenuity and thoughtfulness that goes into building safe, reliable structures.

The post What is a Birdsmouth Cut and How to Cut It On a Rafter appeared first on Family Handyman.

Before you start tearing into your roof, review the three S’s to ensure that this is a job you want to do yourself.

Savings

You’ll save money by doing your own tear-off, but make sure the savings are worth the strain. The cost of professional roof tear-off varies with location, the style of the roof, and how many layers of shingles it has. Some roofers will give larger or smaller credits to the overall job price, while others only give slight reductions to cover themselves in the case of homeowners who don’t do a thorough job.

Scope

Part of understanding a project’s scope is understanding your own skills and capabilities. As O’Brien points out, “Your roof is high, and it requires ladder safety as well! Many people have physical limitations preventing them from doing this job safely.”

“For your typical homeowner, I’d only recommend tackling a single-story home with a relatively low-pitched roof,” says Consolo. “Anything more challenging, it’s worthwhile calling in the pros purely from a safety and logistical perspective.”

If you have a large roof, it may make sense to tear off and re-roof one section at a time, or it might be more sensible to tear off the entire roof at once.

Scheduling

If you’re having a contractor apply the new shingles, coordinate the tear-off so the new shingles will be installed right away. Keep the time between the tear-off and re-shingling to a minimum, and wait until clear weather is forecast. Although the underlayment should protect against water infiltration, the felt paper can easily tear or blow loose, making your home vulnerable to rain damage.

Lastly, remember that roofing work is extremely obvious from the street, so local inspectors will likely be aware of your work. Before removing a single shingle, ensure you’ve met any permit requirements and local building codes.

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