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Tying in a New Home Addition Roof into an Existing Roof
Roof Design and Roof Construction
Considerations when Building a Home Addition
By Mark J. Donovan
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Question: Mark, I am in the process
of building a home addition and have questions regarding what to be concerned
about in regards to the roof, in particular how to tie in the home addition roof
into the existing roof and how to protect the main home when the existing roof
is opened up. Thank you for any advice you can give me on this subject. BI
Answer: BI, you raise some valid concerns. When building an addition there are
two key areas you need to concern yourself with as it relates to home addition
roofs, design and construction.
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First, it is important when designing
the home addition to make sure the new roof ties in properly to the new home. In
some cases the home addition roof may simply butt up against one of the side
walls of the existing home and not come in any contact with the main roof. In
this particular case it is important to consider, however, if the home addition
roof will impact any existing doors or windows. In some situations you may be
able to adjust the roof pitch or position of the room addition to not impede
upon an exterior door or window, but in other situations you may have no choice
but to eliminate the door or window altogether.
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If your home addition roof is designed to intersect or tie into the existing
roof, then you need to consider structural aspects of how the home addition roof
ties into the main roof. I have seen cases where poor room addition roof designs
result in the room addition roof peak perpendicularly intersecting the main roof
line such that the room addition peak is higher than the main roof peak. Imagine
looking at a colonial style home from the road, where the front of the home runs
parallel to the road, and seeing a triangular point sticking up dead center
above the main home roof line.
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This triangular point represents
where the home addition roof peak ties into the main home. Unsightly to say the
least!
The second major concern when it comes to home addition roofs is during the
construction phase, particularly if the home addition roof ties into the
existing roof. When tying a home addition roof into an existing home's roof,
shingles need to be removed from the main roof for proper roof construction.
During this phase of the home addition project the main part of the home is at
risk of water damage.
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Consequently it is important that the
main roof and home addition roof are shingled promptly after the construction of
the home addition roof. During construction of the roof, vinyl tarps should
always be placed on and fastened down over the exposed roof, while the roof
remains un-shingled.
Finally, when tying in a home addition roof perpendicular to a main roof line,
roof valleys are formed. Make sure that the roofing contractor installs Ice and
Water Shield in the valleys. Also, you may want to consider how the valleys are
shingled. You can consider weaving shingles between the roof valleys or using
flashing in the valleys where the shingles from adjoining roof lines tie into
the flashed valleys. Each method has its pros and cons, so talk with your
roofing contractor to see which is appropriate for your home addition and
construction budget.
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For help on Shingling Your Home's Roof, see HomeAdditionPlus.com’s
Asphalt Shingle Roofing Bid Sheet.
The
Asphalt Shingle Roofing Bid Sheet
will
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your roof won't end up with a blue tarp over it and a dumpster sitting in your
yard for weeks
as you wait for the roofing contractor to come back and finish roofing your
home.
Related Roofing Articles and
Asphalt Shingle Roofing Cost Estimator
How to Finance your Roof Project -
can help provide funds for your new home improvement project if financing is
required.
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