ThermalGuard Roof Replacement with Solar Detach & Reset — North Shearer Hills, San Antonio 78216

The situation

The roof was a 3-tab shingle roof with heavy granule loss, exposed fiberglass, and a broken shingle seal. Low attic ventilation contributed to the early aging. The homeowner also had 34 solar panels on the roof and wanted impact resistance and lower attic heat, and they were worried about the solar work.

Three problems we found

1. Two attic spaces that did not ventilate together. One area had good ventilation, but the second attic had none. Poor airflow raises attic temperature and moisture, which accelerates shingle aging (see attic ventilation science). We added one solar-powered attic vent for the second space so both are managed.
2. Five layers of felt paper and a soft spot in the deck. Tear-off exposed five stacked layers of old felt, and the old underlayment was perforated by roofing nails. We removed all of it, replaced the damaged sheathing, and installed new synthetic underlayment over a clean deck (more on synthetic underlayment vs. felt).
3. A slope transition that needed reinforcement. The roof drops from a 4/12 pitch to a flat section. Standard felt is not enough there, so we reinforced the transition and installed peel-and-stick leak barrier on the flat areas.

Also done

• Detached and reset all 34 solar panels with our solar team (how solar detach and reset works). One panel was already broken before our first visit and was replaced at the homeowner's cost.
• Added aluminum perimeter protection around the array, because a family of raccoons had been living under the panels.
• Upgraded every pipe boot to powder-coated, impact-resistant GAF Pivot boots instead of lead or rubber boots, because squirrels are common in the area. Atlas does not make pipe boots, so this was a deliberate upgrade beyond the standard Atlas system.
• The rest of the roof is a complete Atlas system: Pinnacle Sun shingles, Pro-Cut starter, Pro-Cut hip and ridge, Summit 180 synthetic underlayment, and WeatherMaster ice and water barrier.

What went wrong, and how we handled it

The wrong shingle color was delivered, and about half the roof was installed before we caught the mistake. We corrected it within one day: the right color and new underlayment were on site, and the affected area was redone. The underlayment had to be replaced because the old roofing nail holes had perforated it. Every job has surprises. What matters is how fast they are caught and fixed.

Engineer's Notes

Poor attic ventilation is the most common hidden cause of premature shingle aging I see. Heat and moisture work on the shingle from underneath, so the surface can look fine while the mat is breaking down. Stacked layers of old felt are the second. Roofing manufacturers generally expect shingles to be installed over a clean, properly prepared deck, so layering over old paper puts the warranty at risk. We tear down to the sheathing every time, and I verify ventilation math before choosing materials.

— Jose Puente, civil engineer and owner

The Power Package this homeowner received

Material invoice, certificate of completion, impact-resistance certificate, paid-in-full invoice, and the manufacturer warranty. The homeowner was also able to apply for a CPS Energy rebate using these documents. See what's in the Power Package, and read our roof warranty guide for how manufacturer and workmanship warranties differ.