One of the reasons why asphalt shingles are so popular is because they are a great low cost roofing material. Asphalt shingles do a great job of stopping water leaks and last a decent amount of time. They are even very easy to work with if you want to throw down a new layer of shingle over them. Be aware though that you cannot just throw on shingle layer after shingle layer on your roof. Experts highly recommend that you don’t have more than two layers of shingle covering your roof at any one time.
Many people are not happy about this recommendation because it’s so much easier and cheaper not to have to tear off the old shingles before you put down a new layer. In this article we will give you some information as to why it’s best to follow the experts’ advice and never put more than two layers of shingle on any building or home that you own.
Don’t Forget to Check Your Local Codes Regarding Shingle Layers
Many times even if you desire to put a third layer of shingles on your roof it’s actually illegal to do it. That’s because a majority of state and local building codes specifically state you can have no more than two layers of shingles on any roof in their jurisdiction. If you get caught violating a building code there are usually some hefty fines associated with that violation.
Clearing Old Shingle off Your Roof Has its Advantages
Here is a list of some of the advantages to removing old shingles before you put a new layer of shingles down:
- Once the older layers of shingle are removed the roofing team can check both the underlayment and the roof structure to make sure everything is ok. It’s much easier to correct problems with roofing underlayment and roof structure without a layer of shingles covering them.
- Removing old layers of shingles decreases the amount of places where water can get trapped and rot the underlayment and other roof components.
- New shingle will lay down better if you take the old shingle off your roof. This makes your roof much more watertight and there is less chance strong winds will catch shingle and blow them off.
- It gives you a chance to put down new underlayment which is always highly recommended. Roofing underlayment materials are very cheap and they are good insulators too.
- It significantly lessens the amount of weight your roof has to carry.
Never Be Afraid To Seek Advice from a Roofing Expert
As is always the case, the best way to be sure you are laying down new shingles correctly is to seek advice from knowledgeable roofing professionals. Companies such as Evergreen Renovations & Roofing of Beaverton, Oregon know the local codes and generally accepted roofing practices very well. A simple phone call and inspection is all it takes to get their highly respected roofing opinions.
