Some people work as roofers for a summer or two. Others become lifelong devotees to the profession. Those who commit to roofing as a long-time profession really take the time to learn the details. Not only do they learn how to put roofs in place, but they also learn quite a lot about various roofing materials. This equips them to make good recommendations to homeowners who are looking for the right roof. We will also make some recommendations and tell you a bit more about roofers on this blog. While we are not roofers ourselves, we know a lot about the profession and are always happy to share.
Asphalt shingles are not too expensive and can be cared for with ease, which are reasons why it shows up a lot on residential roofs. If you're installing said material on your own roof, take these precautions for a less complicated setup.
Add Flashing Before Shingles
After getting your asphalt shingles, you may want to get them installed on your roof quickly. You need to avoid this initially and instead focus on putting flashing down. This material is supposed to keep your asphalt shingle roof from leaking.
If you apply flashing around certain parts of the roof first, it will be easier to apply asphalt shingles over the flashing. You'll get a flush placement that will ensure water isn't able to soak beneath the materials that you lay down and secure with the appropriate fasteners. Pay attention to the chimney area in particular as this is where water has the chance to leak through the most with residential properties.
Place in a Particular Direction
If you want this asphalt shingle installation to be more organized, then you need to make sure you place shingles going in one direction. Usually with this material, it's left to right. Doing this will keep your asphalt shingles spaced appropriately.
You'll also see the flow of your work a lot better rather than trying to address multiple areas in a haphazard way. Also, try going from top to bottom. Then you can ensure each asphalt shingle is placed over the next in a way that will keep water from getting underneath the asphalt shingles.
Inspect Work Periodically
After laying down several sheets of asphalt shingles on your roof, you want to check your work. Doing this on a pretty consistent basis is important for ensuring you're getting an even placement and also a setup that is visually appealing.
Whereas if you didn't inspect your work until after all of the asphalt shingles were placed on the roof, you could find issues that are then much more difficult to address. You would have to redo a lot of sections even for small issues that you might have missed.
Asphalt shingles can be applied to residential properties without a lot of specialized tools, which is why some homeowners will try to set them up themselves. If you're going this route, read up on proper placement protocol so that your efforts don't cause you to regret this DIY roof project.
For more information, contact a residential roofing contractor.