Bauer Roofing Blog - Ventilation

What Happens When A House Isn't Vented Properly?

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:32:00 -0400

I received a phone call this morning from a lady who said mold had begun forming in their attic. Now, that isn't uncommon, but the way she said it made it seem as though it was a lot of mold. She said it had just started recently and was quickly getting worse.

So, as usual, I set a time to meet her at the house and look at the problem. To her and her husband (he's been in the attic to see the problem), it appeared that there was a roof leak; and through this roof leak, mold had formed on the underside of the roof decking (1/2" plywood). When I went into the attic, what I saw was bright gray and greenish-gray mold growing on the plywood. And it wasn't a little spot, it was the whole front of the house. I've been in thousands of attics, literally, and I've seen mildew and mold on plywood, but this was one of the worse.

Now came the obvious question: What was causing it? Was it a roof leak? And if so, where was the water coming from and why was it causing that much condensation? Again, I've seen tons of leaks in attics and they don't cause this much mold, not even really bad leaks.

Upon further inspection, and after some general questions, I discovered that they had new vinyl windows installed about 2-3 years ago. Also, I realized that there was no ventilation in the attic and the soffits were wrapped in vinyl and vented poorly. So basically, the moisture that used to be able to flow out naturally was being trapped in the house and attic with nowhere to go. It is equivalent to taking something steaming and wrapping it in a plastic bag.

The house was suffocating.

Ideally, when the windows were installed, the contractor would have informed the homeowners of the downside to air-sealing a home, and either fixed it or referred them to someone who could. Think about it: the moisture from taking a bath and doing dishes and washing clothes has to go somewhere. Now don't get me wrong, new vinyl windows are an excellent idea, but make sure you have proper ventilation all around the house or they can cause major problems.

What did we do to fix this ladie's problem? You'll have to wait....I'll post the solution soon.

In the meantime, check out this post I wrote earlier this year, titled, "Ventilation is Vital to the Life of Your House."

Roy Bauer

Asphalt Roofing Project: Downtown Columbia, SC

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:37:00 -0400

If there is one thing that I like about my job more than anything else, it is getting to know an old, downtown, South Carolina home. I’ve had the privilege of walking through the attic of houses that were well over a hundred years old, and have seen some interesting things. From 60 year-old newspapers to beams (or trusses) that were made out of logs –milled from the trees that were on the property—and still had the pine bark on them.

Maybe I’m just a nostalgic, but I think that’s fascinating.

This house, in downtown Columbia near the river, is a beautiful house that the homeowner was fixing up. When I measured the house and went through the attic, rotten wood was found around the chimney on the front and throughout the house in different spots. On an old house, more often than not, you are going to find broken and split boards, due to years of heat and moisture.

The front of her house has a chimney that is nearly at the bottom of a steep valley. It had been leaking for years, causing serious damage to the inside. From the initial pictures I could see where roofer after roofer had tried to fix the chimney with all kinds of remedies, but it wasn’t until we got the shingles off that we could actually tell what needed to be done and how. We ended up custom making a “cricket” that would shed water in three different directions. You’ll have to look at the pictures to understand.

Also, the vinyl siding that had been installed years before didn’t have any soffit vents cut into them. Obviously, in order for the house to breathe, it must have intake and exhaust. When the existing siding was taken off, it was discovered that it had been leaking and a good bit of the fascia was rotted. We removed the old siding and installed new siding that was perforated all the way around. Now, the eaves can provide the proper air-intake allowing the ridge vents do function at maximum efficiency.

Once last thing that we did was remove two old windows in her kitchen and install a giant garden window. This window was roughly 6'6" wide and 4'6" tall. It was custom made with a Corian bottom, side windows that open and a wire shelf in the middle.

As for the shingles, the homeowner chose to go with a CertainTeed Landmark 'AR' architectural shingle. The color that was chosen was Hunter Green and it was a perfect choice for this particular brick and trim color.

Take a look at these pictures. If you are interested in having a new roof installed, give us a call at 803-955-0374 or click here to have a representative get in touch with you

Can Asphalt Shingles Qualify for the Energy Tax Credit?

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:26:00 -0400

Yes, but...

Let me explain.

I’ve contacted the three major asphalt shingle manufacturers that we see used here in South Carolina: Certainteed, GAF/Elk and Owens Corning. I’ll list the shingles and colors that I’ve been told are Energy Star Rated, and if they are available to us here in the south.

Certainteed

Their “cool shingle” line is called Landmark Solaris. It is an architectural shingle that comes with a Lifetime Limited Warranty but isn’t available in any other warranty length at this time. The problem with this shingle is that it is currently made only in the Northwest. But I’ve been told, by a distributor, it could possibly be shipped here to South Carolina –I’m still waiting on a cost. It is available in these four colors: Burnt Sienna, Weathered Wood, Resawn Shake and Heather Blend.

I was told that, as of this week, the colors Mist White and Silver Birch have passed the tests and are now energy star rated in the regular Landmark Series. However, only those two colors.

In the 3-tab shingle arena, their Star White is energy star rated in the XT-25 shingle.

The Star White, Mist White and Silver Birch are readily available to us here in South Carolina, but the verdict is still out on the Landmark Solaris.

GAF/Elk

The “cool shingle” line by GAF-Elk is called the Timberline Prestique 40 HD Cool Color Series. This shingle is energy star rated in three colors and comes with a 40 Year Limited Warranty. It is not available in a 30 year, 50 year or Lifetime warranted shingle. It is currently only stocked in two places in California and, like the Certainteed Solaris, I am waiting on confirmation about availability and pricing. The colors available are: Cool Weatheredwood, Cool Barkwood and Cool Antique Slate.

GAF-Elk does have a regular 3-tab shingle, Royal Sovereign, that is energy star rated if you get the color White, and is available here in the south at anytime.

Owens Corning

Owens Corning has come out with their “cool shingle” and it is called Duration Premium Cool Shingles. I talked with Owens Corning this morning and this shingle has met the initial requirements for energy star rating but hasn’t received the Energy Star designation. The Duration Premium Cool Shingle won’t be fully Energy Star rated until August of 2010 (it takes three years for the certification). This shingle is offered in four colors and comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty. But again, for us South Carolinians, it is currently only made in California and parts of Nevada. The four colors are: Frosted Oak, Harbor Fog, Sage and Sunrise.

Owens Corning does have a 3-tab shingle available that is energy star rated. Shasta white, in both the Classic (20 Year) and Supreme (25 year) line of shingles, is readily available for us here in the south.

Ventilation

I have been asked recently if the ventilation that is installed in a home can be used towards the Energy Tax Credit. Homeowners have asked if Ridge Vents, Soffit Vents and Baffle Vents qualify for the tax credit. So, I called the manufacturers of the ventilation we use, AirVent, and asked them. They said that only the Solar Fans qualify, not any other product.

Conclusion

A few miscellaneous notes. The Energy Tax Credit is not per occurrence. Meaning, you can’t get a $1500 tax credit for your roof + $1500 credit for new windows + $1500 tax credit for new insulation. Also, you can only apply it once during the next two years. Meaning, you can’t get $1500 this year for the roof and $1500 next year for new windows or insulation. However, you can combine different projects. Meaning, you can get $700 credit for windows + $800 credit for insulation. The Energy Tax Credit is 30% of material up to $1500.

If you live in South Carolina and have any questions or would like for someone to look at your house, please give us a call at 803-955-0374 or fill out our simple Request an Estimate Form and a representative will call you back.

Current Project: Downtown Columbia, SC

Tue, 05 May 2009 10:45:00 -0400

NEW PICTURE UPDATES AT THE BOTTOM: 5/20/09

There are certain parts of Columbia, South Carolina where the houses are all 60+ years old and typically have leaks and broken boards. We, as a company, make it a policy to inspect the attics whenever we go to a house. I want to know whether or not the wood is in good shape, whether or not the insulation is okay, and whether or not it is leaking and, if so, where. As a homeowner, it wouldn’t do any good to have a roof installed that should last over 30 years if the wood it sits on is in critical condition.

Upon inspection of the house, we found multiple places in the attic where water was getting in and rotting out the wood. Both chimneys had issues as well as the steep valley over the front door –where three roof lines converged. Also, on the back was a small flat roof that had standing water on it –something you definitely want to avoid. The last thing we noticed was that the bathroom vents weren't vented to the outside. They were just sitting on top of the ceiling joists, collecting moisture.

We started by removing the shingles, old tar-paper and the old nails. We then went through and fixed the broken and rotten boards. Next we installed a liner in all of the valleys and covered the house in a fiberglass underlayment –instead of that old #15 or #30 felt.

In the front where the three valleys came together, we installed an angled valley to run the water off, as opposed to it just sitting there and causing problems, like it was before.

Around the big front chimney, we removed all of the old flashing material and installed both step and counter flashing. Black counter, or cap, metal was used to blend in with the color of the shingles. Most roofers around here, for some reason, use regular silver aluminum and then paint it. After a couple of years it looks horrible. Luckily for homeowners, we have found a much better looking way to install it.

As for the small flat roof in the back, we installed new rafters to put a slight slope to the roof and then installed a very heavy grade modified underlayment. Next we will be installing a rubber roof. (in progress)

To ventilate the house, we installed AirVent ShingleVent II ridge vent, which features external baffles. To help homeowners better understand ventilation and what type is best for their house, I’ve written a post, What Type of Ventilation is Best For Your House. Check it out.

To vent the bathrooms, we simply cut in a vent from the outside and plugged the bathroom vent hose to the bottom of it from the attic.

As you can see, the homeowners picked the perfect color for their house and the finished product is turning out great. I’ll post more pictures as they come in.

If you live in South Carolina and would like for a representative from Bauer Roofing to take a look at your house, please give us a call at 803-955-0374 or fill out our simple Request an Estimate Form and a representative will call you back.

royb

PICTURE UPDATES:

Ventilation is Vital to the Life of Your House

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 09:51:00 -0400

Like a person, when a house can’t breathe bad things happen. Or you may say it is more like a car: it has intake and exhaust and if one or other is broken the engine shuts down. Quite often we take for granted the “breathing” ability of our house. It isn’t something we think about much.

Let me give a little history of the problem by starting with a statement I hear from homeowners, “Why do I need to ventilate now, the house is 40 years old and it’s been fine all this time?” When houses were built pre-1970’s or so, they could breathe naturally. The windows were drafty, the doors were drafty, the attic was drafty; air moved throughout the whole house and vented everything and no one really thought much about it. But when the “siding and windows” craze started in the 1980’s, all of a sudden all that air movement was cutoff. No longer could the house breathe naturally because the windows were airtight, the doors were airtight and the attic was airtight. A house that had been venting naturally was wrapped so tight that all of the moisture that used to go out through the windows and doors now rises up through the sheetrock into the attic. So what is happening, is the attic space is now required to vent the entire house and has to be modified to do so. If you live in a newer home the modifications have more than likely been made, otherwise you’ll need to make sure they are when the roof is redone.

So what I see, quite often, when I go into an attic is moisture, in forms of mildew or mold. And if you have a cathedral or vaulted ceiling, the problem is compounded a hundred fold. Why? Because the air can’t move up the cathedral ceiling and out the attic vents because of insulation crammed in there. If you have a very low attic space (usually a ranch-style house falls into this category) then you need to pay special attention to the ventilation system in your attic. And if you have a FROG or cathedral (vaulted) ceiling anywhere in the house, then you need to be extra-specially careful about venting your attic space. Again, because of the lack of air movement.

The following pictures are examples of houses that weren’t vented properly:

So, the questions are, what can be done to fix it and how do I know if I have a problem? First of all have a contractor look through your attic spaces thoroughly. I know that very few roofers actually go into the attic and look around to see if there is a problem, but insist that they look and make sure that everything is ok. The last thing you want to do is put a new roof on your house, spends thousands of dollars, and still have the same problem 4 years down the road. It would have been much easier and cheaper in the long run to just get it all fixed at the same time. Secondly, sit down with the contractor and have him explain everything in detail. There are options out there that work and some are cheaper than others. Spend some time getting to know your options. The more you know up front the better prepared you’ll be when it comes down to choosing the right specifications and contractor.

As far as the options go, it depends on the style of house you have. If you have a vaulted or cathedral ceiling than you may need to install baffle vents. If you have a mansard or gambrel style house, you may need baffle vents but you’ll also have to make sure the vents can feed into the main attic up top. Depending on whether you have a gable-style house or a hip-style house, ridge vents or power fans can be used.

The important thing is to make sure that when the house is finished, it can breathe and that air can move fluidly from the intake vents in the soffit out through the ventilation up top. If it can, then it will cut out the chance for mold, mildew and rotten wood.

Find a contractor willing to go over the specifics with you. If he/she doesn’t have the time to make sure you understand exactly what is needed up front than they definitely won’t be around to help you if there is ever problem with the roof they install.

If you live in South Carolina and would like for a representative from Bauer Roofing to take a look at your house then please give us a call at 803-955-0374 or fill out our simple Request an Estimate Form and a representative will call you back.

Roy Bauer

Things to Look For When Buying a New Roof

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:00:00 -0400

If you are in a hurry you can skip down to the list, but I encourage you to read the reasons for the list first. It will help shed some light on why it is important to look for certain things. It may also help you to understand why you have been so frustrated with buying a new roof.

The Reason for Needing The List:

Yesterday I met with a homeowner who was confused about the specifications on his new roof. He had already met with a few roofers, he didn’t say how many, and each one seemed to be doing something different.

Some of them wanted to put in a ridge vent. Some wanted to leave his one power fan. Some wanted to tear off the old shingles but leave the old felt. Some wanted to leave the shingles. In the valleys, some wanted to put ice and watershield, some didn’t even mention it. Some said gutters would help with the water runoff, and some said a rain diverter would be fine. Some wanted to run the ridge vent to the edge and some wanted to stop it a few feet short. And I could go on and on.

When you start the process of buying a new roof it is confusing. You have questions like, “Who do I call?” “What shingle do I use?” “What should I pay?”

And you would think that as the process moved forward the confusion would subside and you’d be left with a simple task of picking the one you like.

Yeah right, the further along in the process you go the more confused or frustrated you get. And at the end you are sitting there with 4 estimates, with a huge range in price and specifications, and you still have no idea what to do.

If this is you, you are not alone. In fact, you are in the majority, and this explains why the internet has thousands upon thousands of articles and information on choosing a contractor; because we, as roofers, are self-serving idiots when it comes to helping homeowners decide what is best for their house.

We, again as roofers, either don’t take the time to explain why we are doing what we are doing, or we haven’t learned enough to know why we do what we do. Some of us just do it a certain way, whether right or wrong, because that is the area standard or that is how our dad did it.

On behalf of all roofers, I apologize. I am sorry that we actually make a difficult buying decision worse.

So, what I want to do is give you the information you should have been given in the beginning. The information that focuses on what really matters: you, your house and what is best for it.

The List of Things To Look For When Buying a New Roof:

** A Note: This list is assuming you are interested in buying an asphalt roof. If you are considering a metal roof, which is a good idea, all of this applies except #2 (What Shingle?). I’ll post a separate list of things to look for when considering a metal roof, but this one first. If you are interested metal roofing, click here, but first read this list.

Do you need one? Sounds obvious, but make sure. How do you know if you need a new roof, or if a repair is good enough? These 3 things will determine if you need a new one or not.
1. How old are the shingles? If they are older than 10-15 years then repairing won’t do much good.
2. Is it leaking in one spot or all over the house? This may not be visible from the inside but from the attic (ask the roofer to look through the attic and see)
3. If they are curling or buckling it is time to replace the roof because once a shingle starts pulling up it won’t reseal and it will begin allowing water to get in.
What Shingle Should I Install and Should I Tear Off The Old Roof? That sounds like a loaded question, doesn’t it? I’m not talking about what manufacturer but what type; 3-tab or architectural. In short, at least from what we’ve seen here in South Carolina, 3 –tab shingles won’t last more than about 10-15 years. In many cases, less than that.
1. What Shingle?
  1. Why not 3-Tab Shingles? 1) they have slots in them that leave a portion of your roof with only one layer. The slots also are the reason there are so many corners on a shingle (isn’t that what is curling?”). 2) they are thin.
  2. Architectural shingles are laminated, meaning 2 (or 3 or 4) pieces are glued together to make the shingle the way it is. What that means to you is this: it has no slots in it. There aren’t any corners to curl up and no areas left with only one layer of shingle. Yes there is a tiny space in between each shingle, but that is inconsequential compared to the gaps left in a 3-tab shingle
2. Do I Tear off My Old Roof? My answer is YES. For two reasons
  1. The manufacturer admits there are advantages:
    For example:
    - If there are any defects in the roof deck, they will be revealed when the roof is torn off. These defects should be repaired before applying the new roof.
    - If condensation problems exist in the attic, they too will be revealed when the roof is torn off. Properly designed attic ventilation can then be installed in order to help eliminate such problems.
    - When the old roof is torn off, waterproofing shingle underlayment can be installed before applying the new roof. This will help protect against leaks created by cyclical ice damage and wind-driven rain. (CertainTeed)
  2. From a practical stand point, I want to know, as a roofer, what I am dealing with. If you leave the old roof on then there are unknowns that I am not comfortable with. Besides the fact that the shingles on top will look older then they really are, if you leave the old roof on, any rotten wood around a chimney won’t be seen. I can’t confidently look a homeowner in the eye and tell them it is a good idea to leave the shingles on when installing a new asphalt roof. One note on tearing off the old felt. Here is South Carolina, roofers, sadly, are famous for tearing off the shingles and leaving the old felt. It is absolutely ridiculous the level of incompetence and outright selfishness that would allow a roofer to tell a homeowner they are tearing everything off and then leave the 20+ year old felt on there. There is no reason given that even remotely makes up for the lack of sense and laziness this takes.
Is Ventilation Important? And if so, Then What Type? Making sure the attic is properly ventilated is essential when having a new roof installed. If you don’t have adequate ventilation in your attic, the manufacturer won’t give you a warranty on your shingles. Or, if they do, it will be a very limited one. Proper ventilation in a house is one of the most important things you can have. It will keep the house cooler, saving you money on air-conditioning, and it will keep the moisture level in check, saving your insulation from losing R-Value (which will keep heat from escaping in the winter). But there some very important things to consider when updating your ventilation. I have posted on this topic before so I am just going to place a link to it here. Read it. It may really help keep you from letting a roofer do something stupid to your house, like install a ridge vent and leave the old turbines or power fans.
Who Should Be Installing My Roof? Isn’t this the mother of all questions? Because if you get the right contractor, won’t everything else fall into place? So how do we know who the right person is? Make sure you put as much research into the Contractor you are hiring as you do the shingle he is installing! Here are some things to look for and questions to ask:
1. Do they have a permanent place of business?
2. Do they carry insurance and is the coverage adequate?
3. Are they a licensed, registered contractor and in good standing with the trade association and Better Business Bureau?
4. How long have they been in business as the same company? (a lot of roofers close down due to complaints and law suits and open up under another name)
5. What is their record for complaint resolution?
6. What is their workmanship warranty? (don’t believe a 10-20 year warranty when the company isn’t even that old)
7. Do they provide sufficient details for the project being performed?
8. How do they handle unforeseen or unknown extra costs?
9. Can they provide references for you to talk to?
How Do I Know The Price I’m Paying is Fair For What I’m Getting? Unless you buy roofs all of the time, and you might, how do you know the roofer is not trying to rip you off? You would think getting multiple estimates would help, and it could, but usually you end up with 4 estimates ranging from $5,000 to $12,000 and they are all doing something different. So there really is no way to compare on price, which is hard because comparing price is all we as consumers know how to do. If everything were equal; the specifications were the same, the insurance was the same, the shingle was the same, then comparing on price is easy, but that just isn’t the case very often. Here are some questions to ask and/or things to look for when deciding if the price you are given is fair for the job they are doing:
1. Has the contractor done work in the neighborhood? Nothing will spread faster through a neighborhood then someone ripping people off. If they haven’t worked in the neighborhood then talk to people, with a house like yours, that he has worked for.
2. Has the contractor done houses similar to yours? Here in South Carolina, like most areas, we have neighborhoods that are twenty-five years old and some that are a hundred. Make sure the contractor has a handle on the specifics of houses like yours or he could be estimating it too high or too low, both are bad.
3. Make sure you know what is included and what isn’t. Get a price per linear foot or square foot (whether it is a board roof or a plywood roof) up front so you know what to expect if they find something rotten around the chimney. Be leery of roofers who say all of the woodwork is included. Think about it…how is that possible unless they have a crystal ball? What happens if they find more woodwork than they expected? Basically you get screwed because he won’t be doing it.

Now obviously following this list of things to look for won’t insure you have a problem-free roofing experience, but it should be pretty close.