A New Roof for an Older Cleburne Home: How to Plan It Right

On a house that is four decades old, the most important work often happens below the shingles. Tear-off down to the deck lets us see the wood. Boards that are rotted, delaminated or cracked are pointed out and replaced so the new roof has something solid to hold onto.

Ventilation is next. Many older attics were built with too little intake at the soffits or too little exhaust at the ridge. Trapped heat shortens shingle life from below, which is why we check airflow on every replacement. Our article on why roof underlayment matters explains the layer that keeps water out if a shingle ever fails.

Flashing deserves the same attention. Old metal at chimneys and walls is often bent, patched and sealed over many times. Reusing it under a new roof saves little and leaves the most likely leak points in place. We replace drip edge, valley metal and step flashing as part of a full job unless there is a clear reason not to.