Full Roof Replacement Before Solar Installation — Silver Spring, MD

LOCATION

Silver Spring, MD 20905

COMPLETED

DURATION

Before & After

BEFORE

HF Roofing crew member removing old shingles during roof tear-off

AFTER

New architectural shingle roof with ridge vent and sun tunnel installed

Project Description

The old roof on this Silver Spring home had reached the end of its service life. We stripped it back to the deck rather than shingling over the existing surface — covering an old roof hides exactly the problems you need to find, and we never do it.

With the deck exposed we inspected the sheathing across the whole roof, repairing and replacing where it had deteriorated. Then we laid CertainTeed DiamondDeck synthetic underlayment over the entire surface. Synthetic underlayment outperforms traditional felt on tear resistance and water repellency, and it won’t wrinkle or absorb moisture while the roof is open to the weather.

The finished roof is CertainTeed Landmark PRO architectural shingles — a heavier, dual-layer shingle with a deeper shadow line than standard Landmark and stronger wind performance. As CertainTeed ShingleMaster certified installers, we can offer manufacturer-backed warranty coverage that non-certified contractors can’t access.

We installed a continuous ridge vent along the peak. Ridge ventilation lets hot, moist air escape at the highest point of the attic, which protects the deck, extends shingle life, and keeps the manufacturer warranty valid — most manufacturers won’t honour their warranty on an improperly vented attic.

We also replaced the chimney counter-flashing and installed a sun tunnel to bring daylight into the interior.

What we did

  • Full tear-off to the deck
  • Deck inspection and repair
  • CertainTeed DiamondDeck synthetic underlayment
  • CertainTeed Landmark PRO architectural shingles
  • Continuous ridge vent installation
  • Chimney counter-flashing replacement
  • Sun tunnel installation
  • Full cleanup with magnetic nail sweep

Every stage was handled by our own in-house crew. We don’t subcontract, and the owner supervised the job personally.

After the roof was finished, the homeowner had solar panels installed — and that order matters far more than most people realise.

Solar panels last 25 years or more, and the mounting hardware is bolted through the roof surface. If panels go onto a roof that’s already halfway through its life, you will eventually pay to have the entire array removed and reinstalled so the roof underneath can be replaced. That’s frequently several thousand dollars on top of the roofing cost, and it’s entirely avoidable.

Replacing the roof first means the roof and the panels age together. A new architectural shingle roof has decades of life ahead of it, so the array can stay where it is for its full service life.

We returned after the solar installation to inspect the roof and confirm the mounting penetrations were properly sealed. This matters: solar installers are not roofers, and every mounting bracket is a hole through your new roof. Flashing those penetrations correctly is what stops them becoming leaks in five years.

If you’re considering solar in the next few years, get an honest assessment of your roof’s remaining life before the panels go up. We’ll tell you straight whether it can wait — and if it can, we’ll say so.

Planning a roof replacement, or thinking about solar in the next few years? We’ll give you an honest assessment of how much life your roof has left. Call (301) 674-4460 for a free inspection across Silver Spring and Montgomery County.

Services Performed

Full roof replacement · Roof deck inspection and repair · Ridge vent installation · Sun tunnel installation · Chimney flashing replacement · Post-solar roof inspection

Materials Used

CertainTeed Landmark PRO architectural shingles · CertainTeed DiamondDeck synthetic underlayment · Continuous ridge vent · New chimney counter-flashing

Planning Similar Work on Your Home?

We offer free roof inspections with no pressure and no obligation. We’ll tell you honestly what your roof needs.