What do roofers find during a roof tear-off?

What is a roof tear-off, and what do roofers find?

A tear-off is removing the old roofing down to the wood deck. It is the first time anyone can see the whole deck.

When a roofer replaces a roof, the old covering comes off first. That is the tear-off. The covering is the shingles, tile or metal, plus the underlayment, the layer under them. What is left is the roof deck, the wood sheets (usually plywood) nailed to the rafters or trusses. The new roof is built on top of that deck.

Until the old roof is off, the deck is mostly hidden. A roofer can check the attic, look at the roof from above, and fly a drone over a tile roof, which Josh at Coastline usually does first. Those checks catch a lot. They do not catch everything. The rest shows up during the tear-off.

Florida's building code treats the deck as part of the job. The Florida Building Code, Existing Building, defines roof replacement as removing the old covering and repairing any damaged substrate. Substrate means the surface under the roof covering, which in most homes is the deck. That definition is quoted in a February 2022 article by Mike Silvers, technical director of the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (FRSA).

This page lists the common things roofers find, what the code says about each, and what to ask so you are not caught off guard. We do not quote prices here. For what a roof price should include, see roof cost per square.

What happens when the crew finds rot?

The crew should stop, show you, fix it to code, and only then dry in the roof.

A rotted spot is not a reason to panic. It is a normal part of the work. What matters is how the roofer handles it.

1. Find and mark the bad boards

   A crew typically walks the deck, looking and pressing for soft spots, dark stains and loose boards. Bad sheets get marked.

2. Take photos

   Ask for photos of each problem before it is covered. They are your record of what was found and what was fixed. Coastline's inspections come with a written photo report, so you are used to seeing proof.

3. Replace the sheets

   Damaged deck pieces are cut out and replaced with new sheathing nailed to the code spacing. On tile roofs, the FRSA and Tile Roofing Industry Alliance manual says sheathing must be at least 15/32 inch thick plywood or nominal 1 inch lumber, or another approved deck material.

4. Nail the old deck to current code

   Where the old nailing is light, the crew adds fasteners to meet the Florida Building Code's deck nailing section.

5. Dry in the same day

   Once the deck is sound, the underlayment goes on. See what if it rains during roof replacement for how crews protect a bare deck.

Mobile homes are a special case. The trusses (the triangle frames that hold the roof up) are thin, so Josh checks the wiring first. He tears recovers off to the decking and repairs the decking. See our mobile home roofing page.

Can you spot problems before the tear-off?

Some, not all. An attic check and a good inspection cut the odds of a surprise but cannot remove them.

There are signs of deck trouble you can see from inside the house. Water stains on the ceiling or on the underside of the deck, a sagging roof line, and a musty smell in the attic all point to wet wood. Our guides on how to check the attic for a roof leak, sagging roofs and ceiling water stains go step by step.

An inspection by a licensed roofer adds a look at the outside. On tile roofs, Josh usually flies a drone over the roof first. The result is a written photo report. It shows what the roof looks like before work starts, so you can compare it to what is found at tear-off.

If you are weighing a replacement against a repair, read signs you need a new roof, not a repair and what to expect during a roof replacement. Our roof replacement page covers the roof types Coastline replaces. Tear-off dust and shaking are normal too. The Journal of Light Construction notes that crews warn owners about shaking and dust, so take pictures off the walls and cover attic items.