Your Questions About Shingles

asphalt shingle roofing question?

I am in the process of replacing an old slate roof with an asphalt shingle roof, located in the northeast.
The slope of the main roof comes down over a few flat porch roofs.
The current slate roof has metal flashback (pieces of metal over the edges), over the porch roofs, to prevent ice dams.
The company I have hired to replace the roof is telling me I don’t need flashback on the edges over the porch roofs, because I have a smaller roof and asphalt gripes the snow better. They are also saying it could cause problems if I put it up as water can get behind the metal. Is this true or are they just trying to avoid the work?
The old timer slate roofer who has been helping me maintain the slates however is telling me that if they don’t put metal up I am going to have large ice chunks building up and puncturning the flat roofs.
So, I was just hoping to get a few other opinions on this. Thanks!
Hi guys,
Seems like my question is unclear since you guys are misunderstanding so far. I’ve included some pictures below so you can see what I mean.
The new roofers are planning to include a “standard” drip edge w/ice and water shield under the shingles , but i’m asking if it makes sense to include a large metal flashback over the top of the roof like my current slate roof has to prevent ice damage to the flat roof below it.
See these pictures to see what I mean:
http://kipaq.com/images/roof/1b.JPG
http://kipaq.com/images/roof/2b.JPG
http://kipaq.com/images/roof/3b.JPG

Electrical danger?

I have to trim some branches off a tree that might cause some problems with my roof shingles. The tree is on the corner of the house, the main electrical feed comes into the mast in this area as well. The wires are insulated, so is there any real danger there if I happen to accidentaly come in contact with them? By all means I’d try to stay away, but it is a tricky area…
Ok, I figured I’d get that response…I know this should get done by a pro and not take chances.
What I want to know is if the wire is insulated (100A feed so 3×1/c #3), assuming there are no breaks in the insulation, how would it be possible to be electricuted, whether it be touching by hand or even with an aluminium ladder?

My brother quit on me again, need advice on roofing, again, sorry…

We got 3/4 of the house done but my brother didn’t do the 3 tab like normal where the cut outs line up every other course. He measured it out in a pyramid form with each shingle being 5 1/8 or 5 1/2 apart up the pyramid. Do I use this same method on the other side of the house and if so, do I just keep each shingle 5 1/8 or 5 1/2 apart and just right above the lower shingle cut outs? The way he did it makes the roof look like the cutouts are in a diagonal form. This is my question, I think I am thinking to hard about this so go ahead put an L on my forehead. When I am starting the pyramid wether left or right side of house. How do I do my cut outs to where it will be flush along the drip edge but still give me my half a cut out to butt up the next shingle to it?
My main concern is he left the hardest side for me to do. I have 4 roof vents to deal with. A round chimney pipe. 2 pipe vents and another metal pipe. I have all the boots for them, etc but I am worried I will mess up my pattern when cutting around and over them. Can any one please give me some advice of instructions. I have read the shingle package. I can’t find anyone to help me because we had a major hail storm here 3 months ago and everyone is booked. I know I can do this, I have done about 10 roofing jobs (I know not a lot) but I’m getting myself so worked up because I’ve never been left to do it myself. Lets just say the alcohol got the best of my brother this time. Any links on instructions would be great also, thanks everyone. Just laying here worrying I won’t do a good enough job. Oh and I have a skylight to go around. I helped my brother with the front sky light. I know I need to tar around it when I am done. This is how I’ve been taught but do I also need to put a small bead of tar under the shingles that lay on the flashing around the sky light to help hold them down better and to keep it more protected from leaks? Plz no put downs, I’ve cried enough today because of my brother, had a leak in the house that 2 contractors couldn’t even find in the attic, my father who up until now has been so proud of me, pretty much told me I couldn’t do it. I know I can I just need to make sure I start right.

Thanks Everyone
I’ve gotten some great advice before and finished a flat side regular shingling of 3 tabs job but this one is scaring me cause of the pattern.
One more thing. I am going to definately chalk line. If I chalk line the distance up from one shingle to the end of the other house, then this should line up, right? Well what if the roof is off? I know you experienced one’s know what I mean. For example, if I measure up 18 inches on both sides of roof, you would expect the line to be straight but is there something I should consider that could throw this measurement off and how to correct it? Will it make that big of a difference one I get to the ridge and finish off the ridge cap? Ok, I could go on and on but need some advice for now. 5:30 comes early. I’m ready to prove myself.

I am posting a link as to what the pattern looks like that my brother used on the other 3 parts of the house/garage.
http://images.ask.com/fr?q=shingle pattern&desturi=http://www.professionalroofing.net/past/may00/qa.asp&fm=i&ac=25&ftURI=http://images.ask.com/fr?q=shingle+pattern&desturi=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.professionalroofing.net%2Fpast%2Fmay00%2Fqa.asp&imagesrc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.professionalroofing.net%2Fpast%2Fmay00%2Fmay00qa2.jpg&thumbsrc=http%3A%2F%2F66.235.120.64%2Fts%3Ft%3D6619084979250979035%26pid%3D23120%26ppid%3D2&o=0&l=dir&thumbuselocalisedstatic=false&fn=may00qa2.jpg&imagewidth=300&imageheight=285&fs=28&ft=jpg&f=2&fm=i&ftbURI=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.ask.com%2Fpictures%3Fq%3Dshingle%2Bpattern%26page%3D4%26o%3D0%26l%3Ddir%26pstart%3D24&qt=0
I don’t run a roofing company, where did I say that? Also, my brother is in jail with a DUI. I want to get paid and the only way for that to happen is to get the job done. This is being done for a friend and my brother is the contractor.
And Dan, have you never layed shingles before and seen the pattern of lined up cutouts ever other course/row. Why don’t you check out bob villa or read the back of a shingle bundle.
As for you Jack, you should have never answered the question if you didn’t want to read it. That’s what Yahoo answers is for. It’s pretty sad that a 115lb woman can carry a bundle of shingles up a ladder and all you can do is tell her she talks to much. Bet thats more than I can say for you, enough said.

Im buying my first home, just got it inspected and now don’t know what to do. Please help! Do I still buy it?

It was built in 1967 its 2,377sq. ft. sitting on a 1.2 acre lot. The exterior of the house is white siding with a cream colored brick skirt all the way around it sits on bricks not on a concrete slab. It has hard wood floors in the 3 bedrooms and dinning room, a capped fire place in the living room, 2 bathrooms, a newly tiled kitchen floor with new counter tops and the owner threw in a stove, fridge and dish washer. I had to get it inspected, which was a good thing cause I found out a few things. First of all the the owner had just re shingled the roof but, the inspector said it was put on wrong not hammered in the right place and the shingles were over driven so if a strong gust comes by their gonna fly off. (scary hurricane season is right around the corner). Okay second thing is that it needs quite a bit of electrical wiring to be replaced as its obsolete. He did mention that they had done some work on it but left the job half way done. In the breaker box one of the main connections was corroded and could combust so that needed to be replaced immediately but other than that ok. Another thing that was discussed was plumbing it had all had been redone with a small exception of galvanized pipe that was hididng behind the tiled walls in the restroom showers, but an easy fix would be going through the sheetrock on the opposite side of the wall, instead of breaking tile. So with that said the realtor was going to inquire on the roof since it had just been redone, on the electrical I need to get an estimate, and the plumbing I guess the same an estimate.

What is wrong with my mom?

In the last year and a half to two years my mother has been consistently going down hill. She continues to go to the doctor, however none of them can seem to diagnose her correctly. They all seem to tell her its all in her head. I know this isnt true. They started treating her for fibromyalgia. This treatment failed to work. Here is some of her background. She is 47 years of age, she has had a hysterectomy over five years ago, she has had a breast reduction. She has also had Lyme’s Disease and has Hepatitis A from going to Mexico for a missions trip. She tests healthy in almost everything. The only new thing they have found so far is that she needs more vitamin D and that she has tested positive for ANA.
Now these are her worsening symptoms: Pain (which is the biggest one) Her pain typically occurs in her back below her shoulder blade. The pain switches from side to side and comes and goes. This pain switches from burning pain to aching pain. The pain is pretty much immoblizes her when she has it. Another symptom is Fatigue and weakness which my mother thinks is being caused by the pain she feels. Another symptom she has begun to experience within the last six months is a rash on her face. This rash causes her eyes to swell. The doctors treat this as shingles, however the doctor told her it doesnt look like typical shingles. Those would be the three main symptoms that have been bothering her the most. Some other things she has been experiencing is change in eyesite (which could just be because she is getting older) muscle spasms, heart racing (which happens when she is in a lot of pain. She thinks it is because she may be anxious. This also leads to her blood pressure increasing) dizzy spells, and she also feels like her balance isnt as good as it was. (she also thinks that just has to do with age) Could anyone tell me if this sounds like anything?