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internachi home inspection school

Composite Shingle and Slate Roof Inspection Guide

This guide for the House of Horrors® in Boulder, Colorado, is currently being produced for self-guided tours.

The guide is based on and refers to the most recent International Residential Code (IRC), which can be found online at https://codes.iccsafe.org/public/collections/I-Codes.

STANDARDS OF PRACTICE
The International Standards of Practice for inspecting the roof system is located at www.nachi.org/sop.

MASTERING ROOF INSPECTIONS
To learn about inspecting asphalt shingle roofs, please visit Mastering Roof Inspections.

Observation

staple-through-shingle

Staple pulled through the material. There should be indicators showing where the nails are to be attached as well (usually two nails per shingle).

Observation

incomplete-headwall-flashing-1

Nails should not be driven at an angle. Headwall flashing is incomplete.

Observation

missing-transition-tile

Transition tiles missing.

STEP FLASHING METHOD

According to Manufacturer Instructions


(Requires Transition Tiles)


Walls or projections must be prepared by installing a minimum of 18" self-adhered membrane that turns up the wall at least 4" and back on the deck (underlayment) at least 14". For the termination of each course, a transition tile must be installed with a piece of step flashing 4" x 6" x 14" that has two water diverters ⅛" tall formed into the flashing. DaVinci Roofscapes has step flashing like this available. The step flashing will be installed under each transition tile and held in place by the nail that each tile receives at the top.

Note: Step flashing may also be fabricated in the field by taking a flat piece of 4"x 6"x 14" step flashing and bending a ¼" return on the edge of the deck-side of the flashing. The ribs on the underside of the tile will need to be removed to accommodate the return on the flashing.

TRANSITION TILES

The Bellaforté transition tile is a tile without the alignment ledge on the back. Transition tiles are used wherever there is a metal flashing that occurs between courses. Examples of this include pipe flashings, valleys that terminate in the field and step flashings. Transition tiles may also be used wherever toe-irons are used to support walk boards. Transition tiles are also used to adjust coursing when necessary. Once the first transition tile makes the transition, subsequent tiles may be regular Bellaforté field tiles. A transition tile may be fabricated in the field by removing the back ledge with a knife or planer. Unused transition tiles may be substituted for regular field tiles but a chalk line must be used to maintain straight coursing.

FASTENERS
Nails for field tiles should be long enough to penetrate the roof deck and exceed it by a minimum 3/16". Nails used for hip and ridge should also penetrate the roof deck and exceed it by 3/16 ".

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