Installing Roof Shingles In 11 Steps:
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Reasons Not To Put Shingles On Top Of Shingles
However, when it comes to a re-roof, overlaying shingles has become a method of the past. While a repair job can often be more convenient and somewhat more cost-efficient, placing new shingles over old ones is never a good idea.
Whether repairing one section of roof, or a replacing a whole one, its always best to pull up the old shingles before putting down the new ones.
Why Is It More Serious For Older Adults
One reason is that older people tend to have weaker immune systems than younger people, making it harder to fight an infection of any kind.
Along with the normal age-related decline in immune system strength, other factors, including stressful life events and cancer treatment, can further compromise an older persons immune system.
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Skin Care And Itch Relief For Shingles
To relieve itching and discomfort, try:
- A cool, wet compresses on the affected skin
- Soothing baths and lotions, such as colloidal oatmeal bath, starch baths, or calamine lotion
- Zostrix, a cream that contains capsaicin
- Antihistamines to reduce itching
Keep your skin clean. Throw away bandages you use to cover your skin sores. Throw away or wash in hot water clothing that has contact with your skin sores. Wash your sheets and towels in hot water.
While your skin sores are still open and oozing, avoid all contact with anyone who has never had chickenpox, especially pregnant women.
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How Is Shingles Diagnosed And Treated

If you think you might have shingles, talk to your doctor as soon as possible. Its important to see your doctor no later than three days after the rash starts. The doctor will confirm whether you have shingles and can make a treatment plan. Most cases can be diagnosed from a visual examination. If you have a condition that weakens the immune system, your doctor may order a shingles test. Although there is no cure for shingles, early treatment with antiviral medications can help the blisters clear up faster and limit severe pain. Shingles can often be treated at home.
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Step : Get A Precise Measurement Of Your Roof Surface
Getting an accurate measurement will help you determine the exact amount of material needed.
With a metal shingle system, you are placing small panels in horizontal rows, so you can do a quick back-of-the-envelope calculation of how many panels you will need once you know the total roof surface area.
You will need to measure and take into account valleys, dormers and chimneys on your roof. If you are installing a seam steel solution, you will also need to think in terms of each side of your roof.
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When Should I See A Doctor Because Of The Side Effects I Experience From Shingrix
Shingrix causes a strong response in your immune system, so it may produce short-term side effects. These side effects can be uncomfortable, but they are expected and usually go away on their own in 2 or 3 days. You may choose to take over-the-counter pain medicine such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Contact your healthcare provider if the symptoms are not improving or if they are getting worse.
In clinical trials, Shingrix was not associated with serious adverse events. In fact, serious side effects from vaccines are extremely rare. For example, for every 1 million doses of a vaccine given, only one or two people might have a severe allergic reaction. Signs of an allergic reaction happen within minutes or hours after vaccination and include hives, swelling of the face and throat, difficulty breathing, a fast heartbeat, dizziness, or weakness. If you experience these or any other life-threatening symptoms, see a doctor right away.
Why Not Remove The Old Roof
The most obvious reason homeowners choose to leave their old roof intact is that it is more affordable to do so.
It should also be pointed out that asphalt shingles are a petroleum product which must be disposed of in the proper manner. You cannot simply throw your shingles in the garbage. If you do decide to remove the old shingles, ask your roofing contractor to dispose of the shingles for you.
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Should Old Shingles Be Removed
The importance of having a proper roof over your head is to provide shelter, but an adequate roof goes ahead to also protect the overall building from damage. Roofs get old, and when they do, a replacement should be on the offing.
Because reroofing is not a foreign idea, many may choose to take that route, but if you are still undecided, here are reasons why tearing off the existing roof before installing a brand new one is good:
The advantage of tearing off a damaged roof is that your new roof will benefit from a proper installment.
When the old roof is out of the way, the new top starts from scratch and has the potential of being laid on a flat surface with no obstructions therefore, it will be firmly attached, and the entire roof will have an even surface.
The biggest reason behind reroofing is that homeowners have this fancy idea that they aresaving money in labor, shortening the time needed to complete the project, and finding it easy to manage the roof replacement process.
The truth is that reroofing is a bad idea because the layers of roofing materials stalked on top of each other will need to be dismantled at the end of the day. The homeowner will pay more money to have it torn apart as it will involve more than tearing off one layer after another.
Overall, reroofing in the name of cost management is just a delay tactic.
What Does A Mild Case Of Shingles Look Like
Not everyone with shingles will develop a blistering rash. A mild case of shingles may include a red rash without blisters. The shingles rash and blisters are distinct characteristics of the illness. Mild cases of shingles do not usually cause headaches, fever, or fatigue.
Whether mild or severe, pain is the most common symptom of shingles. Most people describe a deep burning, throbbing, or stabbing sensation. The pain usually subsides within 30 days.
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If Youre 50 Or Older Get Shingrix

- Shingrix provides strong protection from shingles and long-term nerve pain.
- Get Shingrix even if you already had shingles, because you can get the disease more than once.
- Your risk of shingles and complications increases as you age.
- You need 2 doses of Shingrix. Get the second dose 2 to 6 months after you get the first dose.
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Shingles Chickenpox And Pregnancy
An attack of shingles during pregnancy will not harm the unborn baby. The mother is already carrying the varicella zoster virus before developing shingles and there is no increase in the risk of passing it on to the fetus if shingles develops. However, an attack of chickenpox during pregnancy can be serious and requires urgent medical attention.
How Is Shingles Diagnosed
Your healthcare provider will do a complete physical exam and ask about your medical history, specifically about whether you have ever had chickenpox.
Your healthcare provider will likely know right away that it is shingles based on the unique rash. The rash usually appears one area on one side of the body or face. It appears as red spots, small fluid- or pus-filled vesicles, or scabs.
The healthcare provider may also take skin scrapings for testing.
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Check If You Have Shingles
The first signs of shingles can be:
- a tingling or painful feeling in an area of skin
- a headache or feeling generally unwell
A rash will appear a few days later.
Usually you get the shingles rash on your chest and tummy, but it can appear anywhere on your body including on your face, eyes and genitals.
The rash appears as blotches on your skin, on 1 side of your body only. A rash on both the left and right of your body is unlikely to be shingles.
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How To Roof Over Existing Shingles
Owner at Cannon’s Rescue Roofer
If conditions are right, new shingles laid over old shingles can be just as attractive and durable as shingles laid on bare sheathing.
Installation is easier than for a tear-off job because you can use the existing shingles as guides for laying the new ones. But you must take care to install the shingles correctly so they lie flat. And a good job involves installing new flashings rather than relying on the existing ones.
Reroof jobs are sometimes done without replacing flashings. However installing new flashingsincluding special drip-edge flashings made for reroofingwill ensure a tight seal and a long life. Some roofers install a layer of waterproof shingle underlayment over the existing shingles at the eave end, as would be done for a roof laid on bare sheathing. This provides added protection against ice dams.
Asphalt shingles can be laid over cedar shakes or shingles, a job best left to pros. Beveled wood pieces called “horsefeathers” must be laid along the thick edges of the shakes to make a fairly flat surface.
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Q& a: Is It Okay To Put New Shingles Right Over Old Ones
After the beating it took this winter, our roof needs to be replaced. Is it okay to put the new shingles right over the old ones?
If you need to redo your roof, you might be tempted to save some money by having another layer installed over the existing shingles. But any savings you reap could cost you more later if the sheathing under the shingles is damaged and you don’t replace it now. While the building code in most towns won’t require a tear-off down to the sheathing unless your roof already has two layers, we at least a thorough sheathing inspection from beneath as well as an assessment of its condition during a walk-over evaluation. If there’s a history of leaks or insect infestation, it’s probably best to remove even a single shingle layer. This will allow your contractor to check whether rot, mold, or insects has damaged the sheathing.As for which type of shingle to use, three-dimensional, laminated-asphalt, or architectural, shingles used to cost roughly twice as much as ordinary three-tab shingles. But the Owens Corning Oakridge and CertainTeed Landmark CR Best Buys in our latest review of roofing products cost roughly the same as most three-tab shingles we tested$65 and $70, respectively, per 100 square feet, or squareyet performed better overall. Our ratings include 26 laminated and three-tab shingles , and we also covered composite and metal roofing materials.
Why Choose The Shingle Over Method
If you choose to cover your existing shingles with new ones, there are a couple reasons why this is a positive solution.
- Cost savings: How much you can save really depends on the pitch of your roof. On average, its about 15% of the total cost. To think about it in dollars, youd save about $1/square foot of roof.
- Less hassle: Tearing off the existing shingles takes about up about 30% of the job site time, not including clean up. Skipping the tear off and disposal step allows the roofing crew to get started on installing your new shingles right away.
The main reasons homeowners choose to double roof their house is because it makes the roofing process less expensive and takes less time. You dont have to pay for tear off and disposal, nor does the crew spend time initially taking off your current shingles. Additionally, between removing and installing new shingles, precipitation wont undermine the project since there is a layer of shingles already there.
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Can You Build A Roof Over An Existing Roof
You can build a roof over an existing roof. But, to be clear, installing a new roof over an old one is a purely exclusive process for roof materials in the form of shingles, like asphalt, wood, and metal.
Installing a new roof over an old one is also known as reroofing. Reroofing dates back a few decades ago where a homeowner, after a thorough roof inspection of the roof, decides that well, the top is worn out but is generally still in good condition and:
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- The decking is not leaking,
- The roofs framing is intact, and
- The roof itself does not bear substantial damage
When a homeowner decides to reroof, he will be trying to avoid:
- The labor expenses of tearing off the old roof,
- The cost of disposing of the waste materials, and
- The mess and clutter of damaged roofing materials.
In the aftermath of a reroof, the home and the roof will benefit in the following ways:
You Want A Different Design Or Color

Maybe you are renovating your entire home, and you would like your roof to match. Or, perhaps you just want to give your home better curb appeal.
Often, homeowners will update and upgrade their homes when they are trying to sell them quickly. If it is your forever home, a different design may be part of your plan as you work to complete your vision.
In either case, it may be possible to layer a new color over your current shingles for less time and money.
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Step : Lay Down Roofing Felt Over The Entire Roof
Your goal with the roofing felt is to make sure everything is as straight and as square as possible. To do this, you might need to put wood strips in place as well.
Also, keep in mind that flashing will need to be installed for dormers, chimneys or any possible seam where you are especially concerned about water. The key here is that you are aiming for a very square, symmetrical look without the risk of water damage later.
Why Are Multiple Layers Of Shingles Bad
Multiple layers of shingles are bad because it makes the roof prone to cracks and breaks and leads to more renovation costs.During the reroofing process, the roofers will attach the ladder to the roofs edge, as they carry the heavy shingles one at a time and place them on the rooftop for easy access when they start roofing.
As this process goes on, it may put untold stains on the layers of the existing shingle, and something may crack or break somewhere, leading to more damage and uncertainty.
Let us agree that reroofing is taking the shorter but most uncertain route to a place. As much as your roof will have to be replaced, you will eventually incur a heightened renovation cost.
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