TOPIC: Roofing question....

I did an inspection on a new construction today. Everywhere I looked the underlayment was 3 to 4 inches back from the drip edge and rack edge flashing. I called 3 roofers, 2 told me it was fine, 1 said it needed to be fixed. I'm not a roofer but all I can see is bad things that could happen. Any comments?

I think you are correct. If your opinion is it is not a good install, then report it, your clients are paying for your opinion. Water will definitly work its way back up to the decking and cause problems.

Remember the roofers you called, when you need a new roof, DON'T CALL THEM!!

Davin, here is a link to a PDF from Elk roofing (GAF). I even used your state as a reference on Elk's site. Pay particular attention to page 2 with the installation details. You were right and two of the three roofers you called are stupid.

www.elkcorp.com/application_instructions/domainashford.pdf

Davin, here is a link to a PDF from Elk roofing (GAF). I even used your state as a reference on Elk's site. Pay particular attention to page 2 with the installation details. You were right and two of the three roofers you called are stupid.

www.elkcorp.com/application_instructions/domainashford.pdf

I have to agree with Drew and Mike here. You get snow there, or sideways(driving) rain? Water WILL get pushed up underneath there at some point and time, if there is no underlayment, it will hit the sheathing, and then run down underneath and behind the drip edge/flashing. Then what?  Rotted fascia board, posssible mold, maybe truss damage, endless possibilities. Homeowners gonna want an answer then, and guess who he will call first? You definitely need to bring this to their attention and DOCUMENT it in your report. Good advice guys.

Thanks everyone for the comments, appreciate the clarifications. It was put in the report, the clients were just looking for a degree of severity. It's not good when the so called experts give conflicting advice. Realtor is worried about client walking away if the builder won't fix it. You know that game..... but we don't work for the realtor!!!

Davin Strand

I concur with Michael and Drew.  I really like Drew's link!  I concur with Ian's concurrence...  or something like that.  Water wicks upward if given a path.  That is why roof shingles should extend at least 1", but not more than 1.5" over the ledge they abut.  Too short and they wick water; too long and they bend and crack and leak water.  Looking at the sheathing under the shingle you lift up, it appears stained, perhaps wet.  Wicking water?

Before you discount the two roofer's opinions everyone has jumped on, be sure they understood what you meant.  Sometimes the mental image we try to paint with our words ends up as something other than we think is understood.  Extending shingles is a roofing theorem and not usually disobeyed by roofers.  It is disobeyed by an unprofessional, however - due to ignorance of technique.