HOW A ROOFGETS BUILT.
Tear-off to magnet sweep, and the details that decide how long it lasts.
- GUIDES
- 4
- GLOSSARY TERMS
- 22
A good installation and a bad one use the same materials. The difference is nailing, flashing, ventilation and how the eaves are protected, and every one of those gets covered by a new layer of shingles within hours.
Knowing what should happen, in what order, is the best protection you have. It lets you ask the right questions before the job and recognise a shortcut while it's still fixable.
- What happens on the day my roof is replaced?
- Why does attic ventilation matter so much?
- What are underlayment and ice and water shield for?
- How do I get my house and yard ready?
READ THEM IN THIS ORDER.
- 01Roof replacement, day by dayWhat happens on your roof from the morning the shingles arrive to the final walkthrough, in order, and what you'll see and hear along the way.
- 02Attic ventilation explainedWhy your attic breathes, how much vent area the building code asks for, which vents do what, and how a badly vented attic shows up as ice dams, frost and mould.
- 03Underlayment and ice and water shieldThe layers under your shingles that actually keep water out when the shingles can't: what they are, what the code requires in Alberta, and where corners get cut.
THE BASICS
Plain-language primers. Assume nothing.
Roof replacement, day by day
What happens on your roof from the morning the shingles arrive to the final walkthrough, in order, and what you'll see and hear along the way.
Preparing your home for a roof replacement
A checklist to get your house, yard, family and neighbours ready for roof replacement day, plus the questions to ask your contractor before it starts.
DEEP DIVES
For when you're mid-decision, mid-claim or mid-argument.
Attic ventilation explained
Why your attic breathes, how much vent area the building code asks for, which vents do what, and how a badly vented attic shows up as ice dams, frost and mould.
Underlayment and ice and water shield
The layers under your shingles that actually keep water out when the shingles can't: what they are, what the code requires in Alberta, and where corners get cut.
THE INSTALLATION GLOSSARY.
- Air sealing
- Closing gaps between the living space and the attic, such as around light fixtures and hatches, so warm, moist air stays out of the attic.
- Attic ventilation
- The system of intake and exhaust vents that moves outside air through the attic. It helps control heat and moisture and keeps the roof deck cold in winter.
- Baffle
- A channel fitted between rafters or trusses at the eave that holds insulation back so air from the soffit vents can flow into the attic.
- Balanced ventilation
- Attic ventilation with intake and exhaust split evenly between the eaves and the upper roof. Shingle warranties often expect it.
- Box vent
- A static exhaust vent, also called a roof louvre, set into the roof near the ridge. Box vents work when there are enough of them, and they shouldn't share an attic with a ridge vent.
- Drip edge
- A metal edge installed along the eaves and rakes that directs water off the roof deck and into the eavestrough and protects the edge of the deck.
- Eave protection
- Membrane or underlayment along the eaves that protects against water backing up under shingles. Building codes and manufacturer instructions set how far up the roof it must extend.
- Flashing
- Thin metal or membrane that directs water away from the joints where a roof meets a wall, chimney, skylight or another roof plane.
- High-wind nailing
- An installation pattern that uses extra nails per shingle, often six instead of four, for windy areas or steep slopes. Some manufacturers also require hand-sealing for their higher wind warranty.
- Ice and water shield
- A self-adhering rubberized membrane installed at eaves, valleys and around penetrations, where ice dams and wind-driven rain can push water under shingles.
- Magnet sweep
- Rolling a large magnet over lawns, garden beds and driveways after a roofing job to pick up dropped nails.
- Nail line
- The marked strip on a shingle where nails are meant to go. Nailing above it weakens wind resistance and can void a manufacturer's warranty.