Safety
AROUND YOUR HOME

Bill Campbell

Each year, at this time, I take a look at the roof on my house. I always wonder, "Will it last another hard, snowy winter? Am I going to have to form a bucket brigade to bail water following one of our common five-inch spring rains?" This reminds me of the old song by the Serendipity Singers that includes the lyrics, "...don't let the rain come down, my roof's got a hole in it and I might drown."

I like to consider roof soundness during July and August, because if something needs to be done, this time of year typically affords the least chance of a week of storms once I remove my old roof. These months are also most likely to have hot, sunny days which will help seal asphalt shingles before a wind storm can tear the tabs from your new roof.

Notice I said "remove my old roof." There are two schools of thought for roof replacement. One says the extra layer of shingles will give you a "double roof" and the other says a house only needs one roof at a time. I am from the latter school, but let's discuss the merits of both.

Placing new shingles over old does have some advantages. You do end up with two layers of protection if this is done right. If you lay the new shingles on the old incorrectly, you will significantly shorten the life of the new roof. Correct placement of the new shingles requires that the new shingle be the same vertical length as the old. Place the butt edge of the new against the tab edge of the old. This will provide a flat surface for each course of new shingles. Half of the surface will be the previous course of new shingles and the other half will be the tabs of a course of old shingles. This pattern prevents open pockets between the two layers. These pockets can cause the new layer to buckle and crack as it is heated by the sun.

The other advantage of placing a new layer over an existing layer is that you will not have to dispose of the old shingles (this time). It will mean that whoever replaces your roof in the future will have twice as much to haul away.

The option of laying new shingles over old should NOT be carried to extremes. If old shingles are curling, or if there are already two layers, you should remove all shingles before installing the new roof. Some types of shingles are not suitable for additional layering. The "fake shake" or simulated wood shingles are perfect examples of roofing that should never have additional layers installed.

As I said, I am from the school that believes you should never layer shingles. Additional layers add weight to the roof. This takes away from the amount of load your roof could carry in the event of an extremely bad winter storm. It can also be difficult to match new and old shingle length and thickness to eliminate the "pockets" during installation. Peeling the old shingle layer also gives you an opportunity to inspect the roof sheathing for damage. Repairs to facia boards and soffits are also easier if shingles are removed.

As always, think safety as you consider your roofing jobs. If you don't have good ladders and other equipment so you can handle steep roof slopes safely, check into equipment rental businesses or consider hiring a contractor. The final safety precaution is to look up. Determine where all power lines are located and avoid them to prevent electrocution.

Don't try to beat an approaching thunderstorm as you shingle. Get off the roof at the first sight of lightning.

Roofing jobs can be done by the do-it-yourselfer. A little instruction and the proper tools will make installing your own roof a safe and rewarding task. Look over your own roof the next couple months. Does it need some work? Will it last for another year? If not you might want to replace it, because as Glen Yarborough stated in his song, "Baby, the rain must fall."

Bill Campbell is an Extension Educator, Farm Systems, at the Springfield Extension Center, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Illinois. You can write to Campbell in care of Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfield, IL 62708. Telephone: 217-782-6515. E-Mail: campbellw@idea.ag.uiuc.edu

14 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING JULY 1996