Inspecting Cedar Shake Roof

Widespread splitting has reduced sidelaps to less than 1 inches over a large part of the roof.

Inspecting cedar shake roof.

Harsh chicagoland elements like wind rain snow and hail are known to affect the roof of homes but however a well built properly maintained roof will reduce the effect of atmospheric elements to the barest minimum. Why should i be inspecting my roof. A roofing inspection can extend the life of your cedar roof. It s not ideal but not uncommon to have an asphalt roof installed over cedar shakes.

While the removal of original shakes is the best way to go from the roof integrity ventilation preventing termite infestation moisture problems and rotting of the wood and engineering perspective maximum weight that your roof trusses can support it can be. The home has a cedar shake roof. The photo above shows a shake roof at the end of its useful life. However before mounting the roof start inspecting the wood shingle or shake roof from the ground.

Avoid getting on the roof if the condition is bad. Generally after 10 years exposure to weather one third of edge grain and two thirds of flat grain shakes and shingles will have splits. Be careful as dry wood roofs in good condition can be tricky. The gap or space between adjacent wood shingles should be between 1 4 and 3 8 in width.

A simple visual inspection twice a year will help you maintain your roof identify issues early and extend the life of your roof. It s the original roof about 32 years old 15 40 life expectancy. Inspecting your cedar shake roof. Once the wood roof is properly cleaned the infestations and moisture are removed allowing the shakes to breathe again and stay dry.

Shake roofs installed using the 2 ply method in which the roof is covered with two layers of shakes at any given point in the roof system must have interlayment installed. The roof looks rough from the ground although looks like high quality shakes. Asphalt shingle in 2020. Cleaning vital to cedar shake roof lifespan.

If you do get on the roof try to walk across the roof not directly up and down from the eave to ridge. I did a drive by on a house that i will be inspecting later today for the seller. Three ply systems should never be used on roofs with a slope of less than 4 12. The shingle bureau points out that the gap observed between shingles or shakes on a wood roof will vary depending on ambient moisture conditions as moist wood shingles or shakes swell which is why we need a.

The roof on your home is the first line of defense against the elements. It is important to identify any areas that need roof repairs immediately before the problem escalates into something bigger which will cost more to fix. Your roof is protecting the rest of your house and taking a constant battering from the elements. A 3 ply roof can be installed over either spaced board or solid roof sheathing.

Shingles do not lay flat in 70 of the roof that i observed in fact they look like they stand off the roof horizontally. Wood shingle or shake keyways or gaps.