What To Expect When You Have Old Asphalt Shingles Removed During A New Roof Installation

When you have a new roof installed, the roof deck has to be prepared first. This involves tearing off the old shingles and putting down new underlayment before the new shingles are installed. Here's a look at the process of tearing off old asphalt shingles when you're getting a new roof put on.

Prepare For The Job

The roofing contractor will have a dumpster delivered and parked next to your house so the crew can toss old shingles in it as they work. The crew might also need to cover valuable landscaping with tarps for protection. If the slope of your roof is steep, the crew might need to wear safety equipment. They may also place boards along the roof to stop shingles from sliding off on their own.

Take Precautions For Rain

If you have a large roof and rain is a possibility, the roofing crew might work in stages during the roof installation. They might remove the old shingles on one side of your roof and then put down underlayment before moving to the next section.

It's important to keep the roof deck dry, so the crew may need to cover the roof with a tarp if rain threatens or if they need to stop for the day. As long as a tarp or underlayment covers the roof, the roof deck and your home will be protected from rain.

Tear Off Old Shingles

Large sections of shingles can be torn off at once with a roof fork or shovel. The worker shoves the fork under a layer of shingles and forces them up as the worker moves down the deck. The shingles can then be lifted and thrown in the dumpster. Shingles that slide off are caught by the board attached to the bottom of the roof, and as the shingles collect, they can be tossed over the side of the house into the dumpster.

Tearing off shingles around flashing requires slower work. Sometimes flashing is removed as well, but other times the roofer might want to use the same flashing, so shingles need to be removed carefully so the flashing isn't damaged.

Collect Nails

When old shingles are removed with a fork, many of the nails are pulled out automatically. The roofer has to go back and remove any nails that are left behind. The nails get tossed in the dumpster with the old shingles, but ones that get loose roll down and land in the gutters so they can be retrieved. Once the roofing installation is complete, the roofer will probably use a magnet sweeper on the ground around your home to pick up nails that have fallen from the roof.

Install Underlayment And Shingles

Once all the old roofing shingles are removed and the roof has been swept free of debris, the underlayment can be put down. All this work might be completed in a single day. It might be possible for the roofing crew to put shingles on the same day too, but if not, they can be installed the next day.

To learn more about roof installations, contact a roofer.