There are several components to a roofing system, each playing an important role in keeping your house protected. The shingles are the first line of defense and add to the overall look of the home. The underlayment provides another layer of protection. The decking or sheathing provides stability to the first two layers while the rafters and trusses hold everything up.
Of those components, only the shingles are designed to get wet for long periods of time. That is their job after all. But what about the other parts of the roof? Especially during a roof installation when the weather isn’t so cooperative? Will wet conditions ruin the whole job? The short answer: it depends on how much rain and for what duration. But once the underlayment is in place, the roof is protected
Roofing in the rain
If we only performed roof installations during dry weather, we’d have nothing to do for six months of the year! Roofing during wet weather is just part of the job in the great Pacific Northwest. However, we’ve been doing this since 1992, so we have plans, processes, and precautions in place to protect the home – and ourselves.
The Purpose of Underlayment
As we mentioned above, underlayment is an added layer of protection for your roof. While the shingles do the heavy lifting, if water does find it’s way under a shingle, the waterproof underlayment is there to protect the decking underneath.
Could underlayment itself protect the roof when it’s raining? Yes, for a couple of days at least. Underlayment is installed much like the shingles themselves. We overlap the edges to make sure every inch of the roof is covered. But it’s not enough to stand up for a whole winter.
So, yes – roofing underlayment can get wet. But not for long periods of time. That’s why planning is so important during a roof installation. During clear, 70-degree days we have more flexibility in our schedule. However, when the rainy season is here, we make sure to work quickly, efficiently, and safely.
Safety Comes First
Not only can a lot of water cause damage to the rafters and sheathing, but it also makes things a little more difficult for our crews. That’s why safety comes first in everything we do, rain or shine. We always follow the best practices and never take shortcuts to get out of the weather sooner.
Warner Roofing has been installing, repairing, and re-roofing homes for nearly 30 years in the Vancouver, WA, area. So we know how to operate when things get wet and work to keep the interior of your home dry when repairing roofs that are damaged during winter storms.
Has your roof been leaking or otherwise damaged during a recent storm? Call Warner Roofing today.
