Roofing felt (often called roofing tar paper, underlayment or roll roofing) is installed beneath the shingles to provide a backup waterproof membrane in case of leakage. Felt is required when asphalt shingles are installed as a first layer of roofing or when they are applied over wood shingles or a built-up roof.
For more than 30 years organizations such as the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) have included roofing felt in their roofing and waterproofing recommendations. It is also a requirement under many local building codes.
At Southern Roofing we were recently contacted by the doctor of one of our team members. She had just finished the replacement of her roof and she was not happy. She asked about the importance of having felt under the new shingles. It seems the roofing contract did not install roofing felt.
Felt is a very important part of the roofing process. It serves to prevent condensation buildup on the decking of your wood when the outside air is cold and moist. Further, should a leak occur, the felt often will act to keep water from pouring into the home.
When applied during the roofing process, properly installed felt is an essential part of the process. Felt repels water, provides back-up protection for damaged shingles, provides an extra layer of weather protection, protects the roof decking, helps meet appropriate fire prevention classifications, and improves roof uniformity by leveling the decking.
In the case of our doctor friend, she paid above market price to have a roofer cut corners.
Call Southern Roofing where we don't cut corners because we value both you and your home.