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Manufactured Housing

Choosing the shingles for your new roof

By LEN BONIFIELD
Published November 26, 2005

Second of four parts.

Asphalt shingles are the most common form of roofing, and new manufactured homes are delivered with the traditional three-tab asphalt shingle. Depending on the pitch of your roof, the location and a few other variables, a new roof can last 8 to 15 years. Roofers who recently inspected my 10-year-old roof estimated we'll get one or two more years out of it. A few shingles were cracked and none were missing, but all are beginning to lose the granules that protect the shingle from sun, wind, rain and minor foot traffic.

Manufactured homes older than five years should be inspected yearly for damage, cracks, loose nails, seals around vents and skylights. Two roofers I interviewed discourage homeowners from walking on the roof and from cleaning stains with bleach or other mixtures, saying that doing these things hastens the loss of the granules on the shingles.

Both roofing companies recommended shingles supplied by either Tamko or GAF with warranties that range from 20 years to 25 years to 30 years. All are UL Class-A fire rated. The longer warranty means that the shingles are heavier and coated with a different kind of granules.

Architectural shingles are growing in popularity. These are heavier, without tabs. This shingle has a bead of sealant across the bottom, so it is stronger and more resistant to wind damage. Architectural shingles cost $20 to $25 more a square than three-tab shingles and look much more attractive. Usually you can select from 8 to 12 colors.

The roofing companies I interviewed use virtually identical procedures to replace a roof. After removing existing shingles, they replace base roofing material if it is damaged. Older homes may have particle-board sheathing that needs replacing if there were leaks; they replace it with plywood. All vents are replaced, and stacks are replaced as needed. Flashing is added where necessary, such as along the seam between the carport and the roof. Asphalt-saturated organic felt is applied as an underlayment over the roof deck. The shingles are nailed in place and the vents and roof cap are sealed.

I asked the two roofing companies to estimate the cost of a new asphalt shingle roof for my home and the cost of an architectural shingle roof. Their bids were very close, and the difference between the two varieties of shingles was about $400.

Now you have to weigh the advantages provided by single membrane and metal roofing to see if the additional cost pays off for you.

Next: single-membrane roofing.

- Send comments or questions to Len Bonifield at elb@gate.net or write him at 2914 Dollar Bonnet Lane, Lakeland, FL 33810. Please include your e-mail and mailing address. Because of the volume of mail, he can't respond personally to every query. Bonifield is a manufactured-home resident and a past HOA president and former officer of the FMO District 1 board of directors.

[Last modified November 25, 2005, 09:00:07]