The Graham Roofing Roof System
Visualizing Your Roof Replacement
Roofing Underlayment
Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Fully synethetic underlayment is double layered directly on top of your roof deck and nailed down with cap nails.
Peel and stick or "ice and water" shield, is fully adhered onto your roof decking which will completely water proof your decking but may make it impossible to remove without damaging your decking in the future. Peel and stick is always installed in valleys, roof-to-wall, eaves, and around any penetrations like pipe jacks or chimneys.
Peel and Stick
Fully Synthetic vs
Shingle Manufacturers We Work With
We only work with manufacturers that we have gained a trust for through decades of roofing and thousands of roof installations. Click a manufacturer above to explore their color options.
Warranty and Protection
10 Year Workmanship Warranty
Lifetime Manufacturer Warranty
When it comes to protecting your home, the installation is only part of the equation. We provide an extensive, 10 year, in house workmanship warranty along with the Lifetime material warranty provided by the manufacturer.
More Details on Your Shingle Roof Replacement
First things first when it comes to installing any roof, we gotta tear the existing one off. After moving any valuables in your yard away from the house, we set up our tarp system around the perimeter of your home to protect your property. Once the roof is torn off, we inspect the decking and replace any wood rot and renail your decking before we start installing the new system.
Synthetic underlayment is the standard option for replacing your roof. Synthetic is an upgrade from the old school tar paper because it repels any water that might get underneath your shingle, whereas the tar paper will absorb the water and it will lead to wood rot or even maybe a leak. This is installed to the decking with cap nails.
In Florida, we are required to put a double layer of this underlayment as the bare minimum to meet code requirements.
Synthetic Underlayment
Peel and Stick or "ice and water shield" as it might be called depending on what latitude you're at is an underlayment that fully adheres to your roof decking. This is the best option to prevent leaks, however it has it's downsides because when it's replaced again tearing off that peel and stick could potentially compromise your decking.
Peel and stick is always installed in your valleys, any penetrations like pipe jacks or chimneys, and any place where your roof meets a wall. Peel and Stick is also always installed on metal and tile roofs.
Peel and Stick
The highest grade of underlayment we can install is called a "base sheet" which is a commmercial grade, flat roofing material. This is almost identical to the regular peel and stick, but just has a little more stick to it and can seal around the nail penetrations better.
Base sheet is also the first layer of any flat asphalt roof like modified bitumen or "hot mop" rolled roofing. Some commercial and flat roofs may need a "taper system" installed first to create a slope if there is not currently a slope.
Base Sheet
Then we install the Underlayment
Replacing your Roof Components
Your roof has many components on it other than shingles. From kitchen and dryer vents to chimneys. This is where our attention to detail really sets us apart from our competition.
It's often the roof components that fail after an install and can leak. Let's take a look at each component.
All ventilation components on your roof will be replaced during your roof replacement. Above is shown a bathroom vent or commonly known as a "pipe jack".
We also replace any kitchen vents, dryer vents, and out take ventilation vents for your attic like a box vent, off-ridge vent, or ridge vent. Any one of these penetrations is installed first by sealing the penetration with peel and stick and topping it off with roofing cement before installing the component
ALL Ventilation Components
This is where our experience and expertise really come in hand. Often times contractors just ignore the flashing because building code doesn't require it to be replaced. We understand that your roof to wall areas need that extra tender love and care.
There is a very specific way to install flashing and counter flashing and this is where we shine as "real roofers" and not just subcontracting our work out.
Roof to Wall Flashing
Chimney flashing is much like roof to wall flashing, however in cases like the picture above, we need to put more work into ensuring the chimney is water shedding.
This is a cricket which was installed to divert the water away from the chimney. Many times a chimney will leak if the roof slopes directly into the chimney wall. This is an extra component that some contractors may ignore or not understand how to install properly.
Chimney Flashing and Crickets
Different types of components on your roof
A valley is a part of your roof where one slope meets another. This is another area where our experience and skilled labor puts us in a position to ensure your roof is installed with the best of workmanship.
There is a specific way to cut the shingles installed in the valley, or "closed cut". To save time, some of our competitors will do a "speed valley" which can lead to leaks, we understand that there is only one way we should cut them and that is the closed cut.
Valleys
Drip edge is installed on the eaves and rakes of your roof, creating a "border". This helps water flow and rain to be pushed away from the side of your home and prevents the cohesive water molecules from traveling back towards your house and potentially under your roof system.
If you have existing gutters that are spoked through the existing drip edge, we may need to detach and reset them under the drip edge, otherwise we will have to "notch" or cut the drip edge around the spokes to prevent from damaging your existing gutters. Drip edge comes standard in white, black, or brown but can be custom ordered or painted.
Drip Edge
So What is a Shingle?
Asphalt shingles are made by coating a fiberglass mat with asphalt and lamenating mineral granules to for color and durability.
We don't have a specific manufacturer we prefer the most, but we only install "architectural" shingles. These are also known as dimensional, lamenated, or 3D shingles.
We understand that your decision for your roof is personal and want you to understand the different options available and find what you want specifically.
Architectural Shingles we prefer to install
Starter Strip Shingle
Starter Strip is a type of shingle that either comes in a bundle or a roll and is installed along your eaves and can also be used along your rakes. Your shingle is then installed on top of the starter shingle.
This shingle provides an extra layer of sealant and protection from the edge of your roof, where when it rains water is coming directly off of.
Hip and Ridge Shingle
Many contractors skip the hip and ridge shingles and just use the cheaper "3-tab" shingle as the hip and ridge shingles, the problem is this practice goes against manufacturer's directions and also these shingles aren't meant to bend!
We don't try to cut corners like this and make sure to follow each manufacturer's directions so their warranty will be honored. We match the hip and ridge shingle to your shingle choice.