Composition shingles over torch-down

[Ponyboy]

Need an opinion on this roof. New 30 year composition shingles were installed directly over an old torch-down roof, (3/12 pitch). The torch-down is buckled up in several areas and the new shingles are also buckled. The old torch-down still acts as built-in gutters and you can see the cracking in the old roofing material. I also found several areas of soft sheathing when the roof was walked. Will it last or should it be torn-off? Also, I would think the manufacturers warranty on the shingles would be void with this installation. I am supposed to be sent the roofing contractors warranty for the installation.

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[hausdok]

Hi,

Well, comp below 4:12 isn't good anyway; unless the reveal is reduced. I'm guessing that they felt that the modbit would function like IWS but it's not.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Richard Moore]

A few things...

Brad's roof is crap (he asked for an opinion...that's mine). A what-will-look-good-from-the-street flip. If there was a "roofing contractor" involved, which I doubt, any warranty they provide is worth the paper it's written on, maybe less. I don't see any decent roofing company installing over buckled torch-down, and not addressing the cracked material in the gutters is almost criminal.

While all the manufacturers have more stringent requirements for 2-12 to 4-12 roofs when it comes to the underlayment, I can't find any suggestion that reveal should be reduced on these types of architectural shingles.

It looks like the days of the 30 year and 40 year warranties are numbered. Certainteed, GAF, Owens Corning, IKO now only have "lifetime" warranties for their laminated shingles. It seems that Tamko still has some "30"s but I suspect they will eventually fall in line.

Finally, I wonder how many buyers actually take whatever steps are required by the various manufacturers to transfer the warranty on a new or recent roof? I'm guessing it's a small percentage.

[Marc]

I'd recommend tearing it off. It's not any one feature of this install, it's all of them combined, including the fact that the 30 year shingles are new. The expectation from the buyer is that the covering is good for 30 years, unless the inspection report says otherwise.

I'd be scrutinizing every other detail of this install for more justification on this recommendation. I'd likely also change the focus of the entire inspection to reveal what other 'looks good from the street' features this DIY'er did (to borrow Richard's term).

Marc

[Ponyboy]

This house is a flipper. I have a long list of other needed repairs. Was finished and has been sitting vacant for about a year. I was recommending a tear-off to my clients but needed some more justifications for the report. Do home inspectors sleep? Mike responded at 1:00 AM and Richard at 3:00 AM. I usually start at 5:00 AM. Thanks.

[Tom Raymond]

The legal definition of 'lifetime' is 25 years. That's considerably closer to the actual useful service life of comp shingles manufactured today than the previous 30/40/50 year designations.

The roof in the OP needs to be stripped.

Got a pic of the built in gutters? I can't imagine what that looks like on such a low slope.

[Ponyboy]

Got a pic of the built in gutters? I can't imagine what that looks like on such a low slope.

The second picture is of the gutter material.

[Tom Raymond]

I was hoping for an establishing shot.