Sharon from Summit, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since September of 2024. The old roof came off in a single layer that October – 2,500 square feet stripped back to the deck rather than shingled over – and went back on as a GAF Timberline Lifetime system. Tearing off instead of overlaying is the slower way to do it and the only way to see the deck: rot, split boards and tired flashing are all invisible under a second layer. There are 314 linear feet of rakes, eaves and valleys on this house, and those edges are where a roof fails first.
Project Facts
- Location
- Summit, NJ
- Service
- Roofing Installation
- Client since
- September 2024
- System
- GAF Timberline Lifetime Roofing System
- Area replaced
- 2,500 sq ft
- Warranty
- 50 years
Roofing questions from Summit homeowners
What should a Summit homeowner look for in a roofing contractor?
One that treats the roof, its flashings, its ventilation and its drainage as connected parts rather than as shingles with extras. That means the age and condition of the existing roof, the decking, how many layers are on it, the slope, the manufacturer's installation requirements, ice and water protection, underlayment, starter strips, drip edge, valleys, chimney and step flashing, pipe boots, skylights, ridge caps, attic ventilation and soffit intake, low-slope sections, sheathing replacement, the code requirements and permits, which warranties actually apply and what they cover, gutter size, pitch, downspout capacity and discharge, the fascia, gutter protection, whether solar is coming later, protecting the landscaping, the cleanup and proof of insurance. The wrong question is the price per square. The right one is exactly what is being installed, from the deck up, and what written protection stands behind it.
What are seamless gutters?
Gutters formed on site from continuous aluminium coil, so a long run has no field joints along its length. There are still joints at corners, end caps, outlets and downspout transitions, but removing the unnecessary seams removes the leak points that go with them. Pitch, fastening and downspout capacity still have to be right.
How many layers of shingles can a roof have?
The residential code limits reroofing over existing roofing, including where the roof already carries the maximum number of layers permitted. The municipal permit review and a physical inspection settle what is acceptable on a particular house rather than a general rule.