That’s a good point about the underlayment making such a difference—people always focus on the shingle or tile itself, but what’s underneath really changes the whole performance. I’ve seen plenty of “code minimum” installs where the roof looks fine but leaks or creaks like crazy in a storm. Did your installer walk you through all the fastener and underlayment options, or did you have to dig for that info yourself? Sometimes I wonder if folks even realize how much those details matter until something goes wrong...
I’ve seen plenty of “code minimum” installs where the roof looks fine but leaks or creaks like crazy in a storm.
That’s exactly what happened with my old roof—looked perfect from the street, but every time it rained hard, I’d get this weird drip in the hallway. Installer barely mentioned underlayment, just pushed the “premium” shingles. Had to dig into forums and YouTube to figure out what was actually going on under there. Honestly, wish I’d known more before signing off on that first job...
Installer barely mentioned underlayment, just pushed the “premium” shingles.
That’s a classic move, unfortunately. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve crawled into an attic and found water stains or mold, even though the roof looked spotless from outside. Folks get sold on the top layer, but what’s underneath is just as important—sometimes more so. Had a client last fall with a “30-year shingle” roof, but the installer skipped ice & water shield at the eaves. First big freeze, water backed up and leaked right into their kitchen light fixture.
Curious if your new composite tiles came with a specific underlayment system, or did you have to push for something better than the basic felt? I’ve seen some of these new composites paired with synthetic underlayment that holds up way better in our climate. Wondering if you noticed a difference in noise or temperature inside after the switch?
I get the point about underlayment, but honestly, I think it gets a bit overhyped sometimes. We had basic felt under our old roof for 18 years—never a single leak, even with some gnarly storms. When we switched to composite, the installer pushed the fancy synthetic, and sure, it feels sturdier, but I haven’t noticed any difference in noise or temp inside. Maybe it matters more in harsher climates, but for us, the top layer’s always been the main thing.
I hear you—felt definitely did the job for decades, no question. The thing with synthetic underlayment is it’s more about long-term backup if something goes wrong with the top layer, like a blown-off tile or ice dam. Out of curiosity, did your installer mention anything about warranties being tied to synthetic? Some manufacturers are picky about that now.