A Look At Replacing Your Roof Deck When You Get A New Roof Installation
A new roof installation becomes a bigger job if your old roof has a lot of damage. If your roof has water damage, the old roofing has to be torn completely off so the roofer can check the deck. It's possible a large part of the deck will need to be replaced, too. It doesn't matter if you have an asphalt shingle, metal, or tile roof. They all need a dry and sturdy deck for the new roofing material to rest upon. Here's a quick look at replacing the deck when you get a new roof.
The Deck Doesn't Always Need To Be Replaced
If you've taken good care of your roof, the plywood may still be dry and in good shape. If that's the case, the roofer may not need to replace the deck. That could save money on your new roof installation, and that's why regular roof maintenance is important. If your roof only had a few leaky areas, the roofer might just replace small portions of the deck rather than replacing large portions or the entire thing.
Roof Leaks Cause The Deck To Rot
If your roof deck needs to be replaced, it's probably because the plywood has rotted due to rain getting under the shingles. When the deck is rotten, it has to be replaced or the condition will get worse. Your roof can sag or even fall through. That's why checking the condition of the deck is an important step in a new roof installation. You don't want to put new shingles on a rotted deck or your new roof won't last very long.
Replacing A Roof Deck Is A Two-Step Process
Replacing the deck can be dangerous work since rotted plywood is weak and can break apart when walked on. The first step in replacing the rotted deck is to remove all the old decking that needs to come off. Decking is made of pieces of plywood that are nailed to the frame of the roof, so the deck comes off in small sections. That's why it's possible to replace small parts of the deck if that's all that is needed.
When the old deck is off, the roofer can see the frame of the roof and verify that it is still dry and sturdy. If the frame has rotted, too, the roofer may need to repair or replace part of it. The second step in replacing the deck is to nail the new pieces of plywood to the roof frame. Putting on a new deck isn't too difficult or time consuming, but it adds to the materials cost and labor involved in getting a new roof.
Contact a local roofer to learn more about roof installations.
