Brian M.’s Canton, MI roof replacement wasn’t an easy decision. RoofAdvisor had performed several repairs at his home over the years, and his existing roof was only about 12 to 13 years old. When moisture began dripping into the master bathroom, our inspection identified a condensation issue rather than simply assuming the roof itself was leaking.
Still, after dealing with multiple roofing issues over the years, Brian began considering whether continuing to invest in the existing roof made sense or whether it was time to start over with a better roofing system.
Brian did his homework. He explored everything from standard architectural shingles to SBS-modified shingles and luxury roofing products, requested estimates from several other contractors, and carefully compared his options. Ultimately, the project moved forward with a CertainTeed Landmark® PRO™ roofing system, significant ventilation improvements, and a custom replacement of the home’s copper bay window roof.
Roofing System Installed
Brian selected CertainTeed Landmark PRO architectural shingles for the approximately 41-square roof.
The complete CertainTeed Integrity Roof System™ included:
- CertainTeed Landmark PRO architectural shingles
- CertainTeed RoofRunner® synthetic underlayment
- CertainTeed SwiftStart® starter shingles around the roof perimeter
- Ice and water barrier through approximately 101 linear feet of valleys
- CertainTeed WinterGuard® protection extending six feet at the eaves and protecting sidewalls and penetrations
- CertainTeed filtered ridge ventilation
- CertainTeed Shadow Ridge® shingles on approximately 87 feet of ridges and 198 feet of hips
- Advantage SafeLock fastening system with specialized galvanized ring-shank roofing nails
- New aluminum drip edge at the eaves and rakes
- Two replacement plumbing boots
- New wall and step flashing
- Complete replacement of two chimney flashings
With nearly 39 squares of the roof between a 10/12 and 12/12 pitch, this was also an extensively steep roofing project requiring careful installation across most of the home.
Addressing the Ventilation Behind the Moisture Problem
The moisture that brought Brian back to RoofAdvisor was important because the inspection pointed toward condensation rather than a straightforward roof leak.
That meant replacing shingles alone would not address the entire concern.
As part of the new system, the project included 60 linear feet of filtered CertainTeed ridge vent along with 44 linear feet of vented drip edge to provide intake ventilation at the eaves.
The existing ventilation configuration was also changed substantially. Twenty-one previous can vent openings were covered as the roof transitioned to the new ventilation approach, and two bathroom exhaust vents were replaced and connected to existing ductwork where available.
By incorporating ventilation into the replacement plan, the project addressed both the exterior roofing system and the moisture-management concern that helped start Brian’s decision-making process.
Replacing the Bay Window Roof with Custom Metalwork
The roof wasn’t the only exterior feature Brian wanted addressed.
The home had an existing copper bay window roof that also needed replacement. Being able to incorporate that specialty work into the overall project was important to Brian as he compared contractors.
RoofAdvisor replaced the bay window roof using custom-fabricated .032-inch aluminum panels with a dark bronze PVDF-coated finish. Rather than using an off-the-shelf roofing product, the panels were handmade and bent to match the shape of the bay.
The bay window work included:
- Custom aluminum roof panels
- #10 pancake-head roofing screws and panel brackets
- WeatherWatch® leak barrier covering the entire bay roof
- Additional ice and water protection along the sidewalls
- Matching apron flashing
- Matching sidewall and counter flashing
- Specialty metal forming using a stretcher and radius bender
The result gave the bay window its own durable metal roofing system while preserving the architectural character of the feature.
Choosing to Replace a Roof That Wasn’t Necessarily at the End of Its Life
Brian’s project is a good example of why the decision to replace a roof isn’t always determined by its age.
At roughly 12 to 13 years old, his existing roof wasn’t automatically due for replacement. RoofAdvisor had worked on the home several times over the years without pressuring Brian to replace it, and even the moisture in the master bathroom was identified as a condensation issue rather than simply being blamed on a failed roof.
That made this a decision worth researching carefully.
Brian compared multiple contractors and a wide range of roofing products before deciding what made sense for his home. His replacement wasn’t simply about getting new shingles. It was an opportunity to address ventilation, flashing, weather protection, the custom bay window roof, and the other details he wanted incorporated into a more comprehensive roofing system.
Long-Term Protection for the Home
The completed Canton roof includes CertainTeed Landmark PRO shingles as part of the CertainTeed Integrity Roof System, along with upgraded ventilation, extensive ice and water protection, new flashing, and custom metalwork.
The CertainTeed roofing system includes a Lifetime Limited Warranty with SureStart™ PROtection. RoofAdvisor also provided a 25-Year Workmanship Warranty.
For Brian, the project followed years of maintaining the existing roof and a careful evaluation of whether replacement made sense. When he ultimately chose to move forward, the goal wasn’t simply to replace a 12-year-old roof. It was to address the issues he had experienced and build the new system around the long-term performance he wanted from his home.