Asphalt Shingle Roof Replacement in Madison, WI

Most leaks we trace start at the flashing, not the shingles. Step flashing behind siding lifts, rubber pipe boots crack around the collar, and sealant at a chimney dries out and lets go. We pull the shingles above the stain, find where water actually got under, and replace the failed piece with new metal or a new boot. Wind-torn tabs get matched and hand-sealed. If the deck underneath is soft, we show you.

We walk the roof, then we go into the attic. Up top we look for granule loss, curled or cupped shingles, popped nails, cracked boots and open seams where valleys meet walls. Inside, we check for daylight at the deck, dark staining on the sheathing and damp insulation. The median home here was built in 1979, so we also check for a second layer of shingles and old plank decking. You get photos of everything.

A replacement starts with a full tear-off down to the deck. We don't shingle over an old layer. Every sheet of sheathing gets walked and checked, and anything rotted or delaminated comes out and is replaced to match. Ice and water shield goes along the eaves and through the valleys, synthetic underlayment covers the rest, and new drip edge runs every edge. With about 36" of snow a year, the eaves get close attention.

This is where a roof gets made or lost. Shingles go on with the nail pattern the manufacturer specifies, set in the nailing strip, never high. Starter strip runs at the eaves and rakes so the first course seals down. We cut valleys clean, step-flash every wall course with new metal, and pair ridge vent with enough soffit intake to feed it. The failures we see on newer roofs usually come from shortcuts: high nails, reused flashing, blocked vents.

We walk the roof and then go into the attic before we talk about anything else. Up top we look for curled or bald shingles, lifted tabs, cracked pipe boots and flashing that has pulled away from the chimney or sidewalls. Inside, we check the underside of the deck for water stains, darkened plywood and daylight at the nail lines. The median home here was built in 1979, so we also count how many shingle layers are already on.

The estimate lists what we found and what we plan to do about it, line by line. It names the shingle line and color, the underlayment, where ice and water shield goes, the drip edge, and whether each piece of flashing gets replaced or reused. Deck repair is written as a per-sheet item, since nobody can see every soft spot until the old roof is off. We handle the permit, and the estimate says so.

Tear-off goes down to bare wood. Shingles, felt, old flashing and every nail come off, because a new roof laid over an old one hides problems and adds weight the framing was never built for. Tarps go over landscaping and against the siding first, and the dump trailer sits as close to the eaves as the driveway allows. On a sloped lot, we rope off the downhill side so debris stays where we can pick it up.

Once the deck is exposed, we walk it and sound it underfoot. Soft plywood, delaminated sheets and rotted board sheathing get cut out and replaced with new sheathing of matching thickness, so the new roof lies flat instead of telegraphing every dip. Older plank decks with wide gaps get sheathed over or replaced in sections. Loose sheets are re-nailed to the rafters. Shingles are only as good as what they are fastened to.

Ice and water shield goes on first: a self-adhering membrane laid along the eaves, up the valleys and around chimneys, skylights and pipe penetrations. The area sees about 36 inches of snow a year, and snow sitting on the eaves is where melt water tries to work back under shingles. Synthetic underlayment covers the rest of the deck, lapped and fastened to spec. Metal drip edge goes under the membrane at the eaves and over the underlayment at the rakes.

Starter strip runs along the eaves and rakes so the first course seals down at the edge. Architectural shingles go on in straight courses, nailed through the manufacturer's nailing strip; high nails are the most common reason shingles blow off. Valleys are closed-cut or open with metal, depending on the roof. New step flashing is woven in at every sidewall, counterflashing goes into the chimney, and ridge vent with ridge cap finishes the top.

Before the crew comes down, we go over the roof course by course. We look for exposed or high nails, shingles that have not seated, flashing that is not tight to the wall, and any spot where the ridge vent opening is not cut clean. Then we go back into the attic and check that intake and exhaust venting are clear. Anything that is not right gets fixed then, not written down for later.

Cleanup is part of the job, not an afterthought. We run a magnetic sweeper across the lawn, driveway, flower beds and street edge more than once, because a missed roofing nail ends up in a tire or a bare foot. Gutters get cleared of granules and debris, and downspouts are checked for flow. Tarps come off the plants, the trailer leaves, and we walk the property with the homeowner so they see the roof and the yard as we left them.