Replacing a roof is not something that people have to go through often; most roofs last more than 20 years, but when it does happen, it can be a large project. A quality roofing replacement goes through a few stages and each needs to be performed correctly for you to get another roof which will last 20+ years. The first stage of the roofing process, after all the plans have been laid out, is the tear off procedure.
What Is Tear Off?
When a roof needs to be replaced, it is due to the fact that a part of or the whole roof has aged and become damaged. This could mean that it is just the paper that is worn out, or it could mean that other parts of the roof are also failing. The tear off process involves removing all the parts of the roof which need to be replaced. What exactly gets removed is dependent on the roof, but often the roof is stripped down to the wooden base. A tear off normally takes around a day to perform, but the timescale varies depending on the type and size of the roof.
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Why Is It Done?
A tear off doesn’t only remove failing components of the roof such as tiles, flashing and waterproofing membrane, it also allows the roofer to perform a full inspection of the structural components of the roof such as the wooden base. Often with failing roofs, the roof has leaked for a while causing water damage to the wood, and making it soggy and it may sag. Damaged boards need to be replaced or the new roof could become dislodged and blow off. If you don’t do a tear off, you wouldn’t find these damaged boards until it was too late.
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How Is It Done?
Roofers will normally schedule your roof replacement around the weather and aim to have it done during a few days of clear skies. The tear off process is the first thing to be done. To prepare for it, the roofers will lay tarp over your garden to protect it from debris coming off the roof and all the debris (old tiles, waterproofing, nails, etc.) will be taken away in a skip, once the tear off is finished.
Once your house is protected, the tear off begins. Workers will start at the ridge and begin pulling the tiles off. They will work down the roof, pushing the tiles off the roof into the skip. Along with the tiles, they will also remove all flashing as it has a similar lifespan to the tiles. Once the tiles and flashing are clear, then the felt and the old waterproofing will be removed, leaving only the base wood. The workers will ensure that all the nails have been removed and safely disposed of. Once the roof is bare, the roofer can inspect it for any damage and if any damaged boards are found they will be replaced to ensure that there is a solid base layer for the new roof to be placed on.
At this point the tear off is complete and the house is ready for the new roof to be nailed down. If there is not enough time left in the day, then the roofer will use tarp to ensure that your roof is waterproof through the night and that no moisture will get in, before the new felt and tiles can be laid down.
VIDEO NARRATION
A tile roof has a lifespan of approximately 20 years. Once your tile roof has lived its life cycle. it will need to be replaced. A new tile roof installation is a four-stage process: tear off, mop in progress, tile install, and final roof check.
The tear off is the first step in the re-roofing process. Before a new roof is installed, the old roof has to be completely removed.
While this may sound like a messy and obstructive task, if handled by professionals, it is a painless and unobtrusive process.
The tear off begins by removing all the old tiles from your roof. Next, the underlayment is taken away and any excess debris left behind from the old roof is cleared.
Once your roof has been stripped right down to the wood deck, it is inspected for any existing damage, such as rotten wood. If any rotted or compromised wood is found it is replaced with new wood and re-nailed along with the remaining deck to meet South Florida Building Code Standards.
After the wood deck is addressed the dry-in process is completed by nailing in a 30-pound base sheet. This prepares the roof for the second stage of the reroofing process.
On the average sized roof, tear off takes approximately one day to complete. The bigger the roof the longer it could take.
All waste from the tear off process is removed by our own dump trucks and correctly disposed of at the landfill. There are no dumpsters left blocking your driveway.
Tune in to the next episode to see the second stage of your roof installation process – mop in progress.
At ABC Roofing we have you covered. We are here to answer any questions you may have about your roof. Visit our website for more information.
