# dormer/shingle question



## markfitz (Sep 23, 2008)

Hi, I'm trying to find out the proper way to shingle directly in front of a dormer where, because of the way the shingles laid out from the edge of the porch, there is a thin strip of shingle that needs to be applied under the dormer front. It's about a 2" strip. Should this be most of a full shingle fastened somewhere under the vinyl siding, or should it be be a cosmetic strip glued in place? Or perhaps (most likely) it's neither of those? I got what I think is a crappy shingle job, and I'm trying to find out the way this particular area should have been done. The line of shingles where the porch meets the roof has quite a variation in thickness as well. There are three dormers on the house, and I know one of them is about an inch and a half closer to the edge of the roof than the others, but that doesn't appear to be the issue here. It's almost as if the entire row is crooked.


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## Ed the Roofer (Jan 27, 2007)

Photos of the 3 dormers would be helpful.

Also, is there a sheet metal Roof-To-Wall, aka, Apron Flashing installed along that horizontal abuttment, or are you referring just to the shingle material being the one and only form of a wall tie-in material?

Ed


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## markfitz (Sep 23, 2008)

*thanks for the reply ed.*

I'm trying to get some pics up -- it would be much easier to see than it is to describe. There is flashing under the dormer, and it would appear that one course of shingles is laid over the flashing. This leaves about a two inch gap between the top of the shingle and the bottom of the dormer. To cover the 2 inches of exposed flashing, they used small horizontal strips of shingles, (to match up with the bottom of the next course) basically tucked a bit under the J channel of the dormer siding, and glued on to the flashing with some sort of liquid nails product. 

In a lot of places, the architectural shingle "shadow" is not covered by the shingle above it.


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## Ed the Roofer (Jan 27, 2007)

markfitz said:


> *In a lot of places, the architectural shingle "shadow" is not covered by the shingle above it.*


It is not supposed to be, if I am interpreting you correctly.

The shingles more properly should have been installed Under the sheet metal Apron Flashing, instead of on top of it.

Some guys do it your way during a re-roof, or to conceal some cruddy looking Apron Metal, which may be excessively distorted or rusting, if it is galvanized.

Ed


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## markfitz (Sep 23, 2008)

Yes, I believe there is a course of shingles underneath, then the apron flashing, then the next course comes along and doesn't quite cover the top of the flashing, so they pieced it in and glued it.


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## markfitz (Sep 23, 2008)

and as for the "shadow" I guess I should have said it doesn't come down to that line. In some cases, it doesn't even cover the "chalk line" of the shingle below. I should have gone with the highest bid, I guess.


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## johnk (May 1, 2007)

Sounds like they tried to raise a few courses to get them going straight again.Terrible looking,how far above the line are they?If I seen that on a job,I'd rip it off and start again.


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## tinner666 (Mar 14, 2005)

Metal apron called a 'Termination Flashing' is what goes over last course in front of the dorma.


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## norm58 (Aug 27, 2008)

Does anyone have a picture you can post to show how to do this? I understood that you shingle up to the dormer, put flashing over that course of shingles, then tar down another course on top of flashing????


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## johnk (May 1, 2007)

norm58 said:


> Does anyone have a picture you can post to show how to do this? I understood that you shingle up to the dormer, put flashing over that course of shingles, then tar down another course on top of flashing????


I always leave flashing exposed.Some put a strip over to cover flashing,it's just cosmetic.I don't like it though.


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## Ed the Roofer (Jan 27, 2007)

norm58 said:


> Does anyone have a picture you can post to show how to do this? I understood that you shingle up to the dormer, put flashing over that course of shingles, then tar down another course on top of flashing????


No, I have no pictures of it done that way, because we do it the, *"Right Way"* by having the lower coursed shingle rows go Under the sheet metal Toof-To-Wall Apron flashing like it is specified to.

For cosmetics, we sand and re-prime and paint the exposed metal to match the shingles or rhe siding colors.

Ed


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## markfitz (Sep 23, 2008)

*As an addendum, it rained all day...*

...and I appear to have water dripping from the soffit area on the porch. This is not going to end well, I think. It's following the plastic channel the soffit is in, and dripping from there. Not sure where it's coming from, but I did look at the roof edge and (to me at least) it seems like there is a little "ski-slope" action going on with the last row of shingles. Like the drip edge is higher than the sheathing and the row of shingles lying on it is curved. I also noticed that the shingles are trimmed flush with the drip edge and not overlapping it. Most of the water seems to be dripping into the gutter, but some of it is making it down through the soffit cladding and dripping out of the soffit vents. 

Can anyone recommend a good roofer in the Saratoga NY area?


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## tinner666 (Mar 14, 2005)

Give John a call. http://www.advancedroofingnewyork.com/contactus.htm


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## Ed the Roofer (Jan 27, 2007)

I will strongly second Tinners recommendation to give John a call and just hope he is not too busy to help you out.

Ed


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## markfitz (Sep 23, 2008)

Thanks guys. John is probably too far south to help me out, but I appreciate the input.


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