Mark P Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 This is only my 2nd or 3rd wood roof in the past 4 years. Iââ¬â¢ve spent the last couple of days rereading articles, etc on wood shake / shingle roofs. However, considering the size and COST of this roof Iââ¬â¢d like a more experienced opinion. The roof was replaced 3 years ago. This is shake and there is felt between each course. There are soffit and roof vents. The shakes are installed over plywood. The valleys are metal. There are some shakes that are lifting up an inch or so. They do not look excessive. It has not rained for awhile here. It is my understand this is because they dry out and is to be expected and is okay??? I'm not to confident about this and am uncertain what to say. Can anyone determine if this is in fact cedar? I read that shakes are made of other types of wood too. Can you share a boiler plate you include in you reports on care and maintenance of this type of roof? As always any assistance is appreciated. By the way this is a bank repo. Click to Enlarge 65.56 KB Click to Enlarge 86.6 KB Click to Enlarge 75.56 KB Click to Enlarge 57.63 KB Click to Enlarge 73.3 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 Hi, It's cedar; the uniform silver discoloration pretty much confirms that. There's nothing really wrong with anything that I can see. Some shakes lift, some don't. Solid sheathing is acceptable in areas with wind-driven snow and I'm pretty sure that Illinois would definitely be an area of wind-driven snow. Cedar breather or battens under the deck over solid sheathing are only required in high humidity areas. Is your area one that's considered high humidity? Sorry, I don't really have any boilerplate maintenance comments for shakes; just make sure your clients understand that fungi will literally eat the roof, so they need to keep it free of moss and that pressure-washing with high pressure (anything over about 100psi) is strictly verboten. In that price point, he probably won't be doing his own roof maintenance, but make sure that he ensures that whoever does the roof maintenance is insured 'cuz those babies are slick when they are even a little bit damp. A shake roof needs annual tuneups; someone literally needs to climb up onto it once a year and replace shakes that slip out, remove and replace rotten shakes, replace ridge shakes as necessary, clean it and then treat it with a real preservative - not some rust-colored dye. Cost of having a shake maintenance company, that really knows what it's doing, maintain the roof over the lifetime of the cover can easily equal replacement cost but can double its service life so it's a wash. The best maintenance company around here used an HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) method of cleaning shake roofs. Take care of it and it will remain leak-free for a long, long time; ignore it, or hire the wrong toadstool with legs to do maintenance on it with a pressure washer and a bucket of rust-colored dye, and it will leak and not last nearly as long as one would expect it to. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randynavarro Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 Yea, what he said. I don't see problems with that roof. If the curled shakes bother the buyer, they can be replaced easily (albeit the new shakes will be a completely different color) Maintenance is key with these roofs. Personal opinion: I don't see the benefit in cedar anymore. It's expensive and high maintenance. Why install it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 I agree with everything Mike & Randy said. The lifting shakes are a complete & total non-problem. Don't get distracted by them. Out here, in the land of shake roofs, most of roof maintenance contractors don't know squat about how to care for a shake roof. I imagine it's even worse in your neck of the woods. I'll bet you a dollar that house will need a new roof in about 10-12 more years. - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Whitmore Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 I agree with everything above. The felt is called interlayment, if you care to know. You can read up on shake stuff here: http://www.cedarbureau.org/installation/roof-manual.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted July 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 Thanks everyone that sets my mind at easy. I was anxious over the cost of the roof, I did not see any problms, but allways beter to ask. Thaks Brandon, I allways care to know. I've been all over that website, and included it in my report. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted July 31, 2009 Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 The most common issues that I find with shake roofs are: The headlap is sometimes wrong The sidelap is always wrong Many agents insist that I'm full of crap when I discuss the very short life expectancy of recent shake roofs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bain Posted July 31, 2009 Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 I don't see many wooden roofs either, Mark, and have never taken the time to learn much about them. Like you, the last time I saw one I relied upon the collective wisdom of our friends. https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum ... IC_ID=6015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Simon Posted July 31, 2009 Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 The most common issues that I find with shake roofs are: The headlap is sometimes wrong The sidelap is always wrong Many agents insist that I'm full of crap when I discuss the very short life expectancy of recent shake roofs. But, but...what about slot-damage...? Youz guiz don't get hail? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted July 31, 2009 Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 Yeah, We get some nasty hail sometimes but it's not going to do much to a shake roof. They can take a pretty good beating. OT - OF!!! M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted July 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 I learned from the previous resident that the roof cost $34,700 3 years ago. !$! Wow !$! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.