Roofers in NJ handles shingle roofing from the deck up. We tear off the old shingle, check the roof deck for rot, and rebuild the roof system instead of covering a bad substrate.
That means an ice-and-water shield along the eave, a synthetic underlayment across the field, and flashing that keeps water out of the valley.
Trenton's hot humid summers with thunderstorms beat on the rooftop, and cold winters with snow and ice dams push meltwater under the shingles.
That is why we hang an architectural shingle, the thicker laminated, dimensional product, over a thin three-tab shingle. Higher wind ratings and a granulated surface hold up better when a nor'easter brings heavy rain and wind.
GAF Timberline HDZ, Owens Corning Duration, and CertainTeed Landmark Pro are the fiberglass-based lines we install most, and each carries an algae-resistance warranty that matters on a shaded roofline.
A Victorian rowhome from the 1800s, a mid-century bungalow, and a post-war twin home fail in the same places. The fix differs by roof pitch, not by age.
What a Shingle Roof System Is Made Of
- Asphalt shingle is the top layer, and the fiberglass mat inside it is what lets the granulated surface flex instead of cracking.
- An architectural shingle is laminated from two layers, so it resists wind uplift better than a flat three-tab shingle.
- Underlayment sits between the shingle and the roof deck, and we use a synthetic underlayment instead of old felt or tar paper because it stays flat in summer heat.
- Ice-and-water shield is a self-adhered membrane at the eave that seals around every nail and blocks an ice dam from backing water underneath.
- Step flashing, chimney flashing, and a pipe boot handle the joints where water wicks sideways, and a boot flashing or apron flashing covers the odd angles.
- Drip edge and rake trim send water off the roofline instead of letting it peel the fascia and rot the soffit.
- A ridge cap, ridge vent, and soffit vent let the attic breathe, which keeps the roof deck dry and the insulation working.
An attic fan is a band-aid if the intake vents are undersized. Fix the ventilation first and the shingle lasts longer.
Roof Types We Work Around
- We repair around wood shake and cedar shake, slate, and clay tile or concrete tile where a patch is the right call.
- Metal panel, standing-seam panel, and corrugated panel roofs get a different fastener and screw length because they move with heat.
- Low-slope sections use a membrane, TPO, EPDM, or PVC membrane, and some older built-up roof or modified bitumen surfaces only need a coating instead of a tear-off.
- Hips, gables, verges, mansard and gambrel shapes, and parapet walls with coping and a scupper each change how water leaves the roof.
- A canopy, awning, or deep overhang redirects runoff, and a purlin, batten, or counterbatten under a metal roof changes how it is fastened.
Warning Signs You Need Shingle Roofing Work
- Granule loss in the gutter and downspout means the asphalt is wearing thin and the shingle is at end-of-life wear.
- Shingles that curl, crack, or split let water seep under the field course and start rot in the sheathing.
- Water stains or mold on the attic plywood or OSB point to a systemic leak rather than one bad shingle.
- Ice dams at the eave after a snowstorm mean heat is escaping the attic and refreezing at the cold edge.
- A sagging roofline or ponding water on a flat section says a rafter, joist, or ridge beam has settled past a patch.
- Rusted or missing flashing, and caulk that has flaked off a skylight or dormer, are open doors for water intrusion.
How We Install a Shingle Roof
- We start with a roof inspection and a written roof estimate, and we itemize the line-item estimate if you are filing an insurance claim.
- We tear off the old shingle and roofing felt, drop a dumpster for the debris, and check the plywood or OSB sheathing for rot.
- We replace rotted decking, set a starter course, and lay staggered courses of field shingle with ring-shank nails into every rafter.
- We cut in the ice-and-water shield and underlayment, then set the step flashing, counter-flashing, and valley metal.
- We finish the ridge cap, ridge vent, and any skylight or dormer flashing, then hand-seal the details with roof cement or mastic.
On the job we set the ladder on a stable anchor, run a scaffold where the pitch is steep, and clip into a safety harness on anything over two stories.
A nail gun and an air compressor speed the field course, but a pry bar and roofing shovel still do the tear-off by hand so we can see the deck. A roofing square keeps the exposure and head lap even.
There is no torch on a shingle roof. We use a sealant and caulk at the penetrations, plus a vapor barrier and proper ventilation to keep the attic dry from the inside.
Waterproofing a roof is the whole system, not one product in a bucket. Tar, bitumen, and roof cement are repair tools, never a substitute for flashing.
If decay reaches a joist or a truss, that is carpentry before it is roofing, and we tell you that before we start.
We are a licensed Trenton roofing contractor, and every estimate is free.
