Roofing Questions and Answers

• Is it OK to install shingle roofing in the winter? 
• Why do shingles crack? 
• How do asphalt shingles work? 
• Does the weight of the shingle matter?
• Is there a difference in fire ratings between organic and fiberglass shingles? 
• Why do roofing estimates vary so widely? 
• Should I install a ridge vent on my roof when I install my new roof? 
• Can I install a third layer over the two I have? 
• I have a chronic problem with ice dams on my house. Will re-roofing solve that problem?

Don’t see your question of interest?  Contact GE-HI today to learn more, or to request our Home Energy Assessment.

Also see Homeowner FAQs, Replacement Windows FAQs, and Siding FAQs.

Is it OK to install shingle roofing in the winter?

In the hands of an experienced professional, and with a few exceptions, it is acceptable to install shingle roofing during the winter months. The primary exception is coastal high wind areas.

Why do shingles crack?

Asphalt shingles, both organic and fiberglass, are subjected to considerable stress from extreme temperature variations and roof deck movement once they are applied. It is this stress that may cause a shingle to crack, tear, ‘fish mouth’ or split. Poor installation also has a hand in shingles cracking.

How do asphalt shingles work?

Slate is the perfect shingle. Its biggest problems are expense, weight, and the rusting of nails over time. In the late 1800’s an industrious inventor experimented by soaking felt paper with tar and sprinkling crushed slate particles on top. Asphalt shingles had arrived. They were lighter, cheaper, and they worked, although life expectancy was cut by 70 to 80 percent.

Weather was the enemy. The tar dried and cracked with expansion and contraction. Then the crushed slate particles fell off and the roof began to leak. Over time the technology improved, making asphalt shingles a cost effective means of protecting your roof.

Does the weight of the shingle matter?

Yes. More stones and more asphalt mean a greater life expectancy for the shingle.

Is there a difference in fire ratings between organic and fiberglass shingles?

Yes, fiberglass shingles have a Class “A” rating and organic shingles a Class “C.” Class A shingles have the highest fire-resistance rating. Class C has the lowest.

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Why do roofing estimates vary so widely?

Roofing costs are heavily weighted to labor and insurance. Generally insurance is the difference. Contractors who don’t have insurance or who have restricted insurance will be less expensive. (For you, this savings may be no savings at all if something goes wrong.)

Legal disposal of old asphalt shingles is important and a growing cost. The Massachusetts DEP has taken the position in court that the property owner, not the contractor they employ, is responsible for the debris removed from their property. Make sure your contractor is disposing properly of your materials.

Should I install a ridge vent on my roof when I install my new roof?

If possible, yes. However there are some circumstances that you must consider:

• Are your soffits currently vented? If not, the ridge vent will not work
• Do you have enough soffits area to vent? Some homes do not
• Is the insulation in your home installed over the venting area of the soffits? If so, you have to move it
• Do you have gable end or roof vents? If so, they must be closed or rendered useless
• If you have insulation in your attic, is the vapor barrier facing the heated side of the installation? This problem must be corrected whether or not you install a ridge vent.  Terrible mold conditions can result

To be effective, ridge vents rely on a flow of air from the lowest section of the roof rising to the vented peak or ridge. The benefit is keeping the roof deck as close to the outside temperature as possible, a condition which extends the life of the shingle.

Certain homes can benefit significantly from adding a radiant barrier assembly.  The assembly will direct the vented air flow properly and reflect the suns summer radiant heat away from the living space. The result is a well vented, solar controlled attic that makes a home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. 

Can I install a third layer of shingles over the two I have?

It depends on your town’s building inspector and whether or not you want a warranty. Shingle manufacturers void warranties of all shingles installed over two existing layers. The reason is that the sustained heat retention causes the asphalt to dry up and stones to fall off more quickly.

Some homeowners want a quick fix before listing their home for sale. We recommend strongly that you don’t take short cuts prior to a house inspection. Inspectors are justifiably picky about roofing. It is a major cause of lawsuits against them. Your best move is to get the roof done right and add the cost to your selling price.

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I have a chronic problem with ice dams on my house. Will re-roofing solve that problem?

New roofing alone will not stop Mother Nature. Causes of ice dams vary widely. Before you roof, investigate why so much heat is escaping from your heated space and melting the snow on your roof.

A good rule of thumb is that the unheated space in your attic should not be different by more or less than ten degrees from the outside temperature.

The real solution to ice dams is a combination of air sealing, venting, radiant barrier, and insulation.  The only sure method is to separate the “conditioned” living space from the “unconditioned” attic.

Have a question? Contact GE-HI for the answers.  We’re here and ready to help.

General GE-HI and Home Improvement FAQs

For more information about GE-HI and Home Improvement, visit our General FAQs page.

Service Area

We improve homes in Boston, Newton, Canton, and throughout Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. We have remodeled homes and have replaced roofs, siding, windows, doors in many towns and neighborhoods including:

Abington, Acton, Amesbury, Andover, Arlington, Ashland, Attleboro, Avon, Ayer, Bedford, Bellingham, Belmont, Beverly, Billerica, Braintree, Bridgewater, Brockton, Brookline, Burlington, Cambridge, Canton, Chelmsford, Chelsea, Concord, Danvers, Dedham, Dover, Dracut, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Everett, Fairhaven, Fall River, Foxboro, Framingham, Franklin, Hanover, Hanson, Haverhill, Hingham, Holbrook, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Hull, Ipswich, Kingston, Lakeville, Lawrence, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Lowell, Lynn, Lynnfield, Malden, Manchester, Mansfield, Marblehead, Marlboro, Marshfield, Mattapoisett, Maynard, Medfield, Medford, Medway, Melrose, Methuen, Middleboro, Milford, Millis, Milton, Natick, Needham, Norfolk, North Andover, North Attleboro, North Billerica, North Easton, North Reading, North Weymouth, Northborough, Norton, Norwell, Norwood, Peabody, Pembroke, Plainville, Plymouth, Quincy, Randolph, Raynham, Reading, Revere, Rockland, Salem, Saugus, Scituate, Sharon, Sherborn, Shrewsbury, Somerset, Somerville, South Easton, Southborough, Stoneham, Stoughton, Stow, Sudbury, Swampscott, Taunton, Tewksbury, Wakefield, Walpole, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Wellesley, West Bridgewater, West Roxbury, Westborough, Westford, Weston, Westport, Westwood, Weymouth, Whitman, Wilmington, Winchester, Winthrop, Woburn, Wrentham

In Boston - Allston, Boston, Brighton, Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Mission Hill, Roslindale, South Boston, West Roxbury

In Newton - Auburndale, Chestnut Hill, Newton, Newton, Newton Center, Newton Corner, Newton Highlands, Newton Lower Falls, Newton Upper Falls, Newtonville, Nonantum, Waban, West Newton

In Rhode Island - Lincoln, Providence, Pawtucket, Cumberland, Central Falls, East Providence, Cranston, Warwick, Smithfield, North Smithfield, Johnston, Woonsocket, Tiverton, North Providence, Portsmouth, Glocester, Coventry, Scituate, East Greenwich, West Greenwich, West Warwick, Barrington, Warren, Bristol.

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