We are loyal listeners on CHUM 1050 in Toronto, Ontario. A few weeks back, someone called in to you about metal roofing and during your explanation you mentioned that cedar shingle roofs required yearly maintenance. My husband is presently installing a cedar shingle roof so we would appreciate knowing exactly what this maintenance entails. Should he be using any kind of preservative or waterproofing other than ice and water shield under the valleys? He had to replace all the roofing boards with plywood sheathing after finding that the roofers laid the asphalt shingles over dry rot and carpenter ant nests when we had the roof done 15 years ago. He put down tar paper under the shingles and nailed them as per instruction from the cedar supplier. Is there anything else that he needs to be doing?
Answer:
The annual maintenance for wood shingles is to inspect and replace split or broken components where necessary. Ice and water shield should also have been laid under the lower rows of shingles but other than that, there should be no problem.
