IMPACTSHIELD Class 4 Roof Replacement in Bergheim, TX 78004

The situation

A roof about 20 years old that should have lasted 30. Heavy granule loss had exposed the fiberglass mat, and it was already cracking. Water had been getting in through the valleys, a roof transition, and the chimney for years. The homeowner wanted a roof built to last and the documents to prove it.

Three problems we found

1. Attic ventilation at about 15% of what the attic needed. Heat and moisture age shingles from underneath, which is what stripped the granules and exposed the mat (see attic ventilation science). We calculated the ventilation the attic required and installed 24 four-foot sections of Cobra ridge vent, 96 linear feet.
2. Water paths at the valleys, a transition, and the chimney. The valleys and transition had been shingled incorrectly, and the chimney flashing had been built from multiple pieces rather than a custom-fabricated cricket flashing. Both let water in. We corrected the shingle work, reinforced the chimney flashing, and replaced 4 sheets of rotted decking.
3. Layers of old felt left under the shingles. Tear-off showed that the previous installation, about 20 years ago, never removed the existing felt paper. Roofing manufacturers generally expect shingles to be installed over a clean, prepared deck, so a roof laid over old felt was unlikely to have had real manufacturer backing (more on synthetic underlayment vs. felt). We removed it all and installed new synthetic underlayment over a clean deck.

Engineer's Notes

Under-ventilation and stacked felt are the two findings I see most often on San Antonio-area tear-offs. Heat and moisture work on a shingle from underneath, so a roof can look serviceable while the mat is already failing. Leaving old felt in place saves cleanup time, but it hides deck problems and puts the manufacturer warranty at risk. We tear down to the deck every time, and I calculate attic ventilation before choosing materials. The ventilation math was the biggest piece of engineering on this job.

— Jose Puente, civil engineer and owner

The Power Package this homeowner received

This homeowner received five documents: the GAF Silver Pledge warranty registration, certificate of completion, supplier material invoice, paid-in-full invoice, and the Class 4 impact-resistance certification.

Documents vary by roofing system. Every replacement includes a certificate of completion and a paid invoice. Shingle replacements also include the supplier's material invoice. Impact-resistant certification is included only when the installed system is impact-rated. A registered manufacturer system warranty is included only where the system and certification tier qualify.

See what's in the Power Package, and read our roof warranty guide for how manufacturer and workmanship warranties differ.