# Rain and Roofing



## Jesse Benson

Does anybody gamble with the weather when doing roofing. I have 60% chance for light rain and am thinking I should delay the job but it is so tempting to just go for it. With my luck it will be beutiful if i delay. What do you think. What do you guys do?


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## Ed the Roofer

Do vertical sections of tear-off, then felt in, then do the next vertical section, then felt in. When enough vertical spans have been torn off to cover with a tarp, then do so.

Also, keep an eye on the latest NWS local animated radar graph.

Ed


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## dougger222

I usually post-pone with a 20% or more chance of rain. If it's a big job and can take up to 2-3 days like to see at least the first days report to be 3 days straight with no chance of rain.

Roofing in the rain is bad. Learned it on doing roofs in the middle of Winter and during the rain for builders who were more stressed with getting the roof on than anything. Nails will pop over time. For some reason never noticed any problems roofing in the rain/frozen decking with staples, they seemed to stay in the roof better. Always was big on stapeling just right with just the right amount of air pressure and rarely had blow offs, except New Horizons, but it has to be 50 mph+ for them to give.


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## red_cedar

You can have a brand new tarp already wrapped over the ridge ready to fold down. 
Or you can tear off from the top down like usual and apply the underlayment horizontily from the top down as you go.
We paper from from the top down almost all the time anyway. First you are minimizing foot traffic on new underlayment. Second, if it does rain while the tear off is in progress you are minimizing the area of the interior rain can do damage and no area rain can get under the underlayment. 
It has worked for us pretty well. It actualy took a tear off and for it to rain to do the paper from the top down, even on walkable roofs.


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## reveivl

Here in BC if I only did roofing with a guaranteed three day window I'd only be able to work for six weeks in the summer, and even that might not work.

As everyone said, keep tarps on the roof, felt immediately. 

If you're pulling shakes off the roof, throw a tarp over the bin and save yourself some money at the dump! I hate paying by the ton to dump water.


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## AaronB.

Shingles are the only thing we can do in semi-rainy weather using the methods used by these guys.

And yes, if you call off, the sun will pop out 20 minutes after your help leaves.


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## Rooflion

I dont agree with work in the rain other than emergency leak repairs. Even if you are able to prevent water from going into the house, you still run the risk of shortening the life of the roof by trapping moisture between the felt and the shingles. Just as we wouldn't risk mopping over wet plys why would you shingle over wet felt. There are enough dry days to make your money without ruining your reputation or risking liability. Heck if I could I would only do repairs, what other trade can protect the entire assets of a home with 2 hours of work. Time for a price increase !


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## roofwiz74

lol there is a big differance between shigles in the rain,and hot asphalt getting mopped out in the rain.


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## Glasshousebltr

50% and I call off .....but that's if it's scattered and I can see it coming, however, I use the precautions mentioned above ........If it looks constant and I can feel the humidity, I'll call off around 20% or 30%.

I had a customer push me on the roof with a 70% scattered one time. She threatened not to pay after I continuously refused. Tree's all around the house so I couldn't see crap. 12/12 with new ply. Abrastinkingkadabra ......down pour .......My pouch filled with water trying to button up ......Then she tried to hit my insurance.:no: ......I told my agent what happened and the adjuster told her to F herself.

I've had 1 or 2 bad customers over the 20+ some odd years in the biz, but that stinking beeeouch took the cake.


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## AaronB.

Do shingles somehow trap moisture? That sounds like someone who either doesnt know, or doesnt want to work.


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## tcleve4911

Reroof from the top down......................:whistling


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## Ed the Roofer

You would have to high nail every upper course of shingles to do it that way. Unless you were going to either leave the roof improperly nailed or go back and lift up every single shingle to re-nail it properly after you were done.

Ed


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## mattp

Ed,
Do you not agree with the top down method in some cases. I've done it several times on 12/12 roofs. It's nice not to walk and put wear on the new shingles. I'm asking your opinion though because I can tell by your posts your alot smarter than me.


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## Ed the Roofer

I've been a roofer for the past 29 years, so I think that tells you about how smart I really am. Not to dis any roofers who take offence, but, I have limited my potential substantially by being in such a competitive industry.

I have read about the top down method, and the pro's of it from those who do it on a regular basis, may be warranted.

It just does not make logistic sense though. If you are worried about scuffing the shingle with your toes from the roof boards, then lay a strip of foam rubber down.

Not only will it minimize the scuffing, it gives your hip and leg a place to rest on without getting scalded from the heat of the shingles in the summer time. It also aids in slippage from the roof, but do NOT use this as an alternative to proper safety guidelines and requirements.

Ed


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## mattp

Ed,
The comment made about you being smarter than me was not an act of sarcasim. I've learned alot from your posts and thats why I wanted your opinion. We do use the foam cushions they do help, I've just found top down roofing to be an advantage from time to time. One example is if you lay your toe boards out right when felting up you will only have to set up toe boards once.


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## Ed the Roofer

Oh, I didn't take it as sarcasm. I was just being snide to myself.

As I stated, those that have learned to do it that way seem to be in favor of it. I am not one of those, but if I saw an installation in progress, I could always have my mind changed.

After all, this one is getting old and tired.

Ed


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## dougger222

I only paper from the top down if I'm on a tear off and it's raining. If I'm on a new roof and it's raining it's from the bottom up.


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## parkerfairfield

Ed the Roofer said:


> <snip>
> 
> It just does not make logistic sense though. If you are worried about scuffing the shingle with your toes from the roof boards, then lay a strip of foam rubber down.<snip>


I used to pay my guys $5 per large couch foam cushion they could scrounge up... cuz on the steeper jobs they foam came in real useful... comfort AND anti-scuffing.

As to high nailing ... look to Ed. I've no where near a 1/10th the experience.

As to toe-boards and scuffing... here in the 'East Bay' of the SF Bay area... when the roofs are hot enough to scuff (meaning all summer, 1/2 of the fall, and 1/2 0f the spring) the roofers are starting and ending early ... as they don't want to be in the heat.



As to the % chance of rain ... when we worked in the winter we never remove any existing valley metal until ABSOLUTELY necessary, and we would only tear section by section - so that we could felt in.

And then 'felting' in really meant using a new waterproof underlayment ... our preference was FELTEX ... as their spec was to use roofing nails to nail it down... and as all of our guys had nail guns, and 1 roll is 10 sqs... and 4' wide, you'd be STUNNED how much you could put down in a pinch. Not to mention it is no more sliperry than WET felt.

PAF


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## parkerfairfield

Greets Ed.


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## daniel martin

I have been roofing for almost 40 years. I have been reading many of the posts about high roof nailing.
This is not a common pratice. When shingles are nailed high it is not where the manufacturer wants it done. The shingles will blow off and your guarantee will be void. It is best to do the job right and reset your planks. Most of the comments I have read are not by profesional roofers. 
I think some of the answers should be looked at before they get posted. If home owners read these comments they will do them and the job will not come out right. Most home owners should not be doing roofs. This is the most important part of thier home.


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