What is a Roof Tear Off?

Are you finally ready to replace your leaky roof? If so, your roof proposal should include a line item list of everything that’s going into your roof replacement. But are you confused by the line item that says “old roof tear-off”? 

Your roofing contractor should go over the roof tear-off process with you, but we will also break it down for you here.  Before we get to the steps it takes to tear off your old roof you need to know what a roof tear off is. 

What is a roof tear off? 

When you invest in a roof replacement, the old roof will need to be torn off. What this means is that your roofing contractor will go section by section removing old roofing materials and tearing off your old shingles from the roof’s decking. 

The tear-off process is crucial to the replacement process. But what does the process look like? 

The 3 steps to tear off your old roof

The tear-off process of your roof replacement looks like complete chaos, but it’s controlled chaos. In this controlled chaos, a roofing contractor protects your property, tears off your old roof, and deals with your roof’s old nails. 

1. Protecting your property 

One of the main jobs of a roofing contractor is protecting your property anytime they’re on your roof. It’s especially true when you’re getting your roof replaced. 

After your contractor decides where the access point is, they’ll begin unrolling protective tarps from the gutter down to the ground. These tarps cover all the landscaping and foliage that surrounds the roofline around the base of your home. 

They do this to ensure all the roofing debris that’s coming off your roof gets into the dump trailer or down to the dump tarp and not in your bushes or yard. Once they ensure your property is protected, they’ll begin the actual tear-off process. 

2. Tearing off your old roof 

To tear off an old roof, a roofing contractor uses a tool called a “tear-off” fork. They use these forks because they easily slide under the shingles and lift them right up. 

Starting on the end furthest away from the dump trailer, they’ll start using the forks to tear-off your old roof by sections. While one crew is going from section to section tearing off, another crew is making sure the torn off materials end up in the dump trailer or the tarped landing zone in your yard. 

Your roofing contractor should always try to control where the roofing debris goes during the tear-off process of your roof replacement. 

3. Dealing with your roof’s old nails 

After the shingles are removed, something has to be done with your roof’s old nails from your roof’s decking. If it’s an exposed ceiling or exposed overhang, your contractor will pull the nails out. 

If it’s plywood, they’ll knock the nails down to ensure they’re hammered down straight and flush into the decking. This ensures none of the old nail heads are sticking up and they’re out of the way for your new roof to be installed. 

What they’re really doing when knocking the nails down is testing the integrity of your roof decking. If the decking can handle the nails being knocked down, then it can handle your new roof. But if the decking’s integrity is compromised then your contractor will have to replace it before installing your new roof.   

After the old roof is torn off, the deck is clean, and one last visual inspection is performed to ensure the nails are knocked down, your new roof is ready to be installed. 

The rest of the roof replacement process 

When you invest in a quality roof replacement, the tear-off process lays the groundwork for proper roof installation.   While tearing off your old roof may seem like a small step, it’s actually a crucial piece of the entire replacement process. 

The other steps of the process are just as important and some are more important. That’s why you need to know the entire roof replacement process.   Luckily, we already broke it down.  Check out this article on the 8-step process to replace your roof to know what to expect on the day of your roof replacement. 

If you’re ready for a new roof or just need a roof inspection, contact us today!  Heart of Florida is your Orlando and Kissimmee roofing expert.