Residential Roofing Projects
Tampa Roofing Company was founded in 1950 with its core business in
residential roofing. Although in past years we have expanded the commercial
end of the business, we have never lost our commitment to the part of
the industry that originally helped us to succeed.
Tampa Roofing Company gives FREE estimates on residential re-roof
projects. To set up an appointment, please call us at (813) 238-6436
or email us at TampaRoofing@aol.com
Expertise
 Tampa Roofing Company is experienced in installing
asphalt-based shingles, wood shakes and wood shingles, slate, built-up
roofs, and all types and styles of tile - concrete and clay. We also
install all types and configurations of metal roofs and own a fully
mobile rollforming machine that can fabricate metal panels onsite.
We have found that the most cost effective style of roofing for most
residential applications is asphalt-saturated shingles. For shingle
roofs, the new Florida building code requires manufacturer's to meet
the Miami-Dade wind uplift standards. Tampa Roofing Company uses a 30-year
dimensional shingle that has passed the Miami-Dade test for our standard
shingle roofing system.
Tear-Off
 During the tear-off process, we remove all the roofing
including the felt to completely expose the plywood. If loose, deteriorated
or warped we will re-secure or replace the wood to achieve a secure
and smooth base for the roofing system.
When tearing off a roof, we prefer to park a trailer or dump truck on
the driveway next to the building. It is our standard procedure to carry
tear-off debris over the roof and throw it directly into the truck. This is not always the most common practice.
However, no matter how hard you try you cannot keep all the debris out
of the yard this way. In addition to directly throwing trash into the
dump truck we clean the yard every night to help prevent any stray material
from becoming lodged in the yard and disturbing the existing plants.
We also run a magnet on two wheels over the yard and the driveway to
pick up any stray nails that were overlooked.
 Dry-In
The code also requires a minimum of one layer of
30# felt as dry-in. Dry-in felts are stretched as they are installed
and as they relax they also wrinkle. 30# felt is a heavier type of felt
and these "relaxation wrinkles" remain for as much as a year and show
up as wrinkles in the shingles as well. We use two layers of 15# felt
to minimize this problem. The two layers together provide the same weight
however since each individual layer is lighter, the wrinkles do not
have as much staying power. There is also an added safety factor with
a 19-inch lap as opposed to the 2-inch lap marked on the rolls by the
manufacturer. This is especially important when the dry-in needs to
stay exposed overnight or is subject to wind and weather. The difference
in cost is minimal - only $0.10 - $0.12 per square foot. However, in
very steep applications 30# felt will need to be used to prevent the
felt from tearing due to the steep angle. 
Morris Swope, founder of Tampa Roofing Company, wrote
the original roofing code for the Southern Standard Building Code in
1974 requiring that all felts be nailed with nails and tin caps. Some
companies use a one-piece nail and cap which works, but only if it is
installed perfectly straight into the wood below. If not straight, it
may result in a bent cap or broken nail or later on, a case where the
fastener has cut through the shingle from underneath.
 Perimeter Metal/Detail Work
The industry standard for perimeter metal is 28-gauge
galvanized metal. We use a heavier 26-gauge galvanized metal with baked-on
enamel finish. This provides for a range of color choices in addition
to a more durable finish. In recent history, steel manufacturers have
used a tolerance level that allows 28-gauge metal products to vary to
as light a weight as 29-30 gauge. We have also discovered an apparent
problem with the galvanizing process that is currently being used or
the theory of acid rain. In either case, galvanized metal rusts long
before the shingles wear out. Because of this, we now use the 26-gauge
metal with the protective finish to increase the longevity of our standard
application.
Tampa Roofing Company not only installs mainstream types of metal profiles
but can custom fabricate almost any type of metal size or profile with
our completely computerized break, stomp shear and collection of German-engineered
tools that were purchased with our state-of-the-art Schlebach rollforming
machine.
Tampa Roofing Company only installs new lead boots on plumbing stacks
and electrical poles. We do not reuse old ones. We use 24-gauge galvanized
flashings and prefer to use stainless steel or copper counterflashing.
 Valleys
Upon tearing off a roof, the most frequent problem
we see is rotten wood in the valley areas. Before the mid-1970's a minimum
of 95% of the roofs in Tampa were constructed with open valleys. We
used to install a 16-inch wide (maximum) roll of valley metal that was
nailed into place and sealed at the sides. The shingles were then run
to a line 3-inches wide at the top and 4-inches wide at the bottom.
In the early 1970's we contracted to do the majority of roofs for Rutenberg
homes. What they referred to as a California valley was half a closed
valley. Until that time, if they wanted a closed valley, the shingles
would have to be laced over a roll of 90# roll roofing. Then the practice
of California valleys became more popular and today it is the most common
form of valley in Tampa. Unfortunately it is not as watertight as a
fully laced valley and a majority of roofing contractors install this
over metal. We have found that water collects on the metal under the
shingles, especially with morning dew. Over a period of time, the repeated
presence of moisture will rust the metal.
 Tampa Roofing Company uses a commercial roofing product in lieu of metal
in the valley areas. Modified cap sheet was a product that was originally
used for flashings, expansion joints and traffic areas on commercial
roofs because of its durability. Click
here to learn more about the commercial application of modified.
Tampa Roofing Company installs a full 40-inch wide roll of modified
under every valley. The cost difference on most houses is usually under
$100.00 however in this type of application, the modified lasts twice
as long in a valley since it is under the shingles and not exposed to
the weather.
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