Question about my roof
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Frequently frozen MN
Question about my roof
Hi,
I have an icing problem with my roof. Not on the edges, but where the house meets the garage.
It's a 70's home, and it has the mild slope typical of the era. It's somewhat worse because it has a cathedral ceiling on that side, so the insulation is pretty much touching the roof.
The last time I had it roofed, they put in vents on both sides of the divide, as well as at the base of the garage end. (There's also a ridge vent). This helped considerably, but I still get some leaking into the garage once or twice when things start to thaw.
Yes, I sometimes have it shoveled. Maybe not often enough.
I've fought with the issue for years, and it finally dawned on me to ask about it here.
Any thoughts?
Thanks.
hj
I have an icing problem with my roof. Not on the edges, but where the house meets the garage.
It's a 70's home, and it has the mild slope typical of the era. It's somewhat worse because it has a cathedral ceiling on that side, so the insulation is pretty much touching the roof.
The last time I had it roofed, they put in vents on both sides of the divide, as well as at the base of the garage end. (There's also a ridge vent). This helped considerably, but I still get some leaking into the garage once or twice when things start to thaw.
Yes, I sometimes have it shoveled. Maybe not often enough.
I've fought with the issue for years, and it finally dawned on me to ask about it here.
Any thoughts?
Thanks.
hj
FTE Legend
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 56,542
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From: In my own world
where is the leak? near the top, or bottom?could be the flashing between the 2 buildings is not properly installed. shoot a picture, and post it, so we can better understand the area your talking about
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,476
Likes: 224
From: Frequently frozen MN
Sorry if I'm not being clear. It's an attached garage, and the roof just goes straight down from the peak over the garage. I get icing because, even though the garage is insulated (somewhat), it's colder than the house.
I'll try to get a pic in a day or two.
hj
I'll try to get a pic in a day or two.
hj
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
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From: EXTREME southwest CT
Melting ice in the affected area won't help if it re-freezes and ice dams farther down over the garage.
For heat tape to work it would have to extend all the way to the eaves, across the entire garage roof.
Ford2go, you say you have a low pitch. Just how low? 2, 4, 6in 12?
Your roofers really should have installed an ice&watershield membrane over all, and at least 3' past any eaves or other unheated space beneath the roof.
A shallow pitch just exacerbates the problem because it is easier for melt water to back up under the shingles.
Shallow pitch was never a good idea in snow country. (IMNSHO)
Many older homes here in New England built before membranes and electricity have a 12/12 pitch and standing seam metal pans at the eaves to keep ice from building up.
For heat tape to work it would have to extend all the way to the eaves, across the entire garage roof.
Ford2go, you say you have a low pitch. Just how low? 2, 4, 6in 12?
Your roofers really should have installed an ice&watershield membrane over all, and at least 3' past any eaves or other unheated space beneath the roof.
A shallow pitch just exacerbates the problem because it is easier for melt water to back up under the shingles.
Shallow pitch was never a good idea in snow country. (IMNSHO)
Many older homes here in New England built before membranes and electricity have a 12/12 pitch and standing seam metal pans at the eaves to keep ice from building up.
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Sewanee, Tennessee
Would a false roof to catch the icing help, rather than have the ice collect on the roof proper? A small peak running the length of the affected area?
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pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
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From: EXTREME southwest CT
If the garage roof is all part of a larger roof plane and such a shallow pitch I can't really see how that would work.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Frequently frozen MN
Your roofers really should have installed an ice&watershield membrane over all, and at least 3' past any eaves or other unheated space beneath the roof.
What exactly is this membrane -- it certainly sounds like it would help.
As for the heat tape, I agree that I'd have to run it all the way to the edge or it would just refreeze.
Thanks for the responses, pics are coming.
hj
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
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From: EXTREME southwest CT
Any number of manufacturers make it but Grace has that tradename, just as you would ask for Aspirin, Bandaid's or Kleenex.
GAF's brand is Storm Guard/WeatherWatch, there are others but these are the market leaders in my area.
Usually comes in a 3' wide boxed roll that covers two to two and a quarter square (200-225 square feet) 67 or 75 feet long.
You still haven't answered about the pitch but I would always use it for any pitch of 4 or less.
...If I had to shingle.
I think a TPO or EPDM roof would be better at pitches as shallow as this.
Grace Roofing Underlayments: All Types
GAF-StormGuard
GAF Roofing
GAF's brand is Storm Guard/WeatherWatch, there are others but these are the market leaders in my area.
Usually comes in a 3' wide boxed roll that covers two to two and a quarter square (200-225 square feet) 67 or 75 feet long.
You still haven't answered about the pitch but I would always use it for any pitch of 4 or less.
...If I had to shingle.
I think a TPO or EPDM roof would be better at pitches as shallow as this.
Grace Roofing Underlayments: All Types
GAF-StormGuard
GAF Roofing
FTE Legend
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From: In my own world
we call it ice & snow here, it has a glue on the bottom, with a plastic film you pull off once you get it placed where you want it. be careful, when the film is being pulled off static electricity builds up, and it will zap you. it goes under the shingles, and over the tar paper, should be bent to go part of the way up the side,just like flashing. it is sticky in the middle, so when you nail down the shingles through it, it heals itself. at my mom's, I used it, but the real problem there, was that the plywood was rotten, and allowing the ice to raise the shingles, and then it would run under them. was so bad,the water ran out of the boxing. you could not tell what the problem was, until the shingles came off
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
Likes: 40
From: EXTREME southwest CT
We never put it over tar paper, just Instead of, at eaves, valleys and rakes.
Why would it be adhesive if you were going to put it on top of paper?
Installation guidelines spec adhering it directly to the roof deck.
Why would it be adhesive if you were going to put it on top of paper?
Installation guidelines spec adhering it directly to the roof deck.
Last edited by ArdWrknTrk; Jan 20, 2011 at 05:10 PM. Reason: First response was from phone. Clarity.
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Ice and water shield goes directly over the decking. Then if you want you can put felt over it but it is not necessary. As a rule of thumb, you want it to start at the roof edge, and go up the roof deck past the exterior wall and continue up 3' past the exterior wall. This will help prevent ice daming as this occurs when the snow/ice melt above the interior space, but refreezes at the overhangs. If the roof slope is 3/12 or less, I ice and water shield the entire roof (and for GAF shingle warranty it is a requirement). EPDM and TPO is going to be alot more expensive, plus you will need snow guards all over the place to prevent large chunks of snow flying off the roof. In my experience, it is not a real good idea unless that roof area is draining onto other types of roofing.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Frequently frozen MN
Just got a pic
I haven't had a chance to look at all of the latest responses.
I don't know exactly what the pitch is, but I'll try to figure it out.
On my first reroofing, they put some stuff over the middle area -- called it ice something or another. Also on the eaves ( it's required here).
The stuff in the middle didn't work out well, and the last roofer -- from a larger company -- gave me an explanation that I'm struggling to remember.
Really appreciate all of the help, and I'll try to post more later
I haven't had a chance to look at all of the latest responses.
I don't know exactly what the pitch is, but I'll try to figure it out.
On my first reroofing, they put some stuff over the middle area -- called it ice something or another. Also on the eaves ( it's required here).
The stuff in the middle didn't work out well, and the last roofer -- from a larger company -- gave me an explanation that I'm struggling to remember.
Really appreciate all of the help, and I'll try to post more later