On Dec 4, 2:33 pm, RicodJour wrote:

OK, thanks. Please bear with me for some more dumb questions. I'm
not trying to argue about anything, I'm just trying to understand. I
guess I need to get a book on roofing from the library.


In such a high wind area you should have used shingles with a higher
wind rating and used an increased nailing pattern (six nails instead
of four per 3' shingle). Basically all information necessary is right
on the shingle package wrapper.


As far as I can tell, there were no nails used to put the shingles on
originally, just staples. The neighbors, who are apparently rich
because they only live here in the summer, had the same local outfit
roof their new house, and they lost a bunch of shingles in the first
storm, too. Since they're rich, they had an outside company come in
and put a new roof on their two-month old house, and from what I could
see they just used staples too (driven by compressed air), but they
haven't had any problems. Are staples and nails interchangeable?


The kiss of death for any roof. The nails _must_ penetrate the roof
sheathing.


My nails go into the sheathing, but not all the way through. They
seem to be holding. Why is it important that they penetrate
completely?


You're not a bother. But asking why a roof would leak after you Rube
Goldberg it up and punch holes all over it is rather funny. From
where I'm sitting, you're the comedian.


No, I'm just stupid. So let me see if I understand what you're
saying --- The shingles should be nailed, but only where they are
covered by the shingle above them, and the lower flaps should be glued
down?


If the roofing company did screw up your roof you could and should go
after them for a replacement - even at this late date. You need to
determine exactly how the roof was installed, nailing pattern, size of
nails, underlayment, etc., document it and work up how the roof
company was negligent. Then send them the package of materials with
photographs and explain how their errors and omissions damaged you and
that you expect them to remedy the situation. If they're dragging
their heels, have a lawyer draft up a strongly worded letter and send
it to them. The objective is to pressure them into replacing the roof
without getting the lawyers too heavily involved. If lawyers do get
involved, well then you'll be hiring a roofing company from outside
your area to replace the roof. It will cost much more than the
original roofing company cost and the original company would be
looking at possibly laying out approximately three or four times the
amount of cash than it would take them to put on a new roof for their
cost. It's all about risk.


The local politics here make your sensible legal suggestions
impractical for me.