New Roof, No Flashing!

Q: I had a new roof put on my house 2 years ago. It seemed to be fine & then the kitchen ceiling started leaking during a heavy rainstorm. We were shocked because the new roof should have taken care of that. We looked in the attic & the chimney was wet. We called the roofer who said it's probably because there is no flashing-I don't do flashing. We looked in the contract-it doesn't say anything about flashing one-way or the other. My questions are: shouldn't flashing be included in a roofing job? What damage could the leaking have caused in 2 years? Can I sue this guy for the price of what the flashing & repairs will cost me?

A: I have never heard of a roofer who doesn't do flashing. The flashing is an integral part of roofing and usually goes on before the final layer of roofing material.

You will have to inspect the attic for damage. It is impossible to say how much or how little damage you might have sustained.

I am not a lawyer, if he is licensed you might want to call your state licensing board. You could always try small claims court - it will depend on how specific the contract is - if it states; "I do not do the flashing" you are out of luck - if it says a "complete roof job" you might stand a chance.

Selecting the right contractor is very important. The link may help you choose a contractor for your next project.

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Roof Vent Installation

Q: We've been advised by a surveyor to increase the ventilation in the roof space by replacing a few of the slates with roof vents. We're pretty handy but not done anything on roofs at all. Our roof is asbestos cement fake slates. (It won't be high-level working as the house is a bungalow and the vents would be near the bottom of the roof.)

A: If you haven't performed any roofing you should consider a pro or finding a friend that has some experience. It is not an overly difficult project, but if the roof is not sealed properly, you will have no end of problems with water damage - a lot more than the pro would have charged for the installation of the vents. Also working with asbestos cement shakes requires a bit of practice.

I am somewhat surprised that the surveyor has recommended that the vents be near the bottom of the roof. Venting problems are usually because the hot moist air can't escape, not because the air isn't entering the attic space. To remove hot moist air, you want the vents closer to the top of the peak. However, if the surveyor believes that there is no airflow into the attic, it would make sense.

If the vents are needed at the low end, why not add vents in the underneath of the soffit? It is an easier project. You can purchase many different types of soffit vents from circular - where you just need to drill a large hole to square and rectangular - cut the soffit with a jig saw. You may have to pull back the ventilation from the soffit area.

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