You may be wondering, what are starter strips? Do I even really need them, or can I use something else instead?
What is a starter strip? A starter strip, also known as a starter shingle, is a asphalt shingle with a tar adhesive strip on the top of one edge. It is used on the lower edges of the roof and along the rake edges of the roof. It is used underneath the first row of shingles. When heated, the tar on the starter strip binds to the shingle above it. This helps seal your roof and make it resistant to strong winds.
Do I Really Need Starter Strips?
No matter how your contractor may explain it to you if you want the best quality roof replacement, they need to use starter strips. Most contractors would try to convince you into allowing them to use a cut-up 3-tab strip as a replacement for the starter strip on your roof but a cut-up strip does not possess adequate adhesives to help reduce the risk of blow-off and leakages.
The adhesive line is important because as the tar heats up in the sun, it binds with the first roll of shingles creating a seal that helps keep the shingle secure. Every roof installation needs a starter strip for lasting protection against turbulent winds. Each roof type has got a specific starter shingle or strip that is unique to their roofing style. The use of a starter strip is very necessary as it does serve a wide range of purposes.
What is the Purpose of Starter Strips?
The use of starter strips covers a wide range of purposes;
- They act as adhesives for the roof against strong winds and harsh weather conditions.
- They act as waterproof by covering the shingle joints at the eaves.
- They are aligned to cover the roof against water penetrating your roof edge.
- They act as a seal between the eaves and rakes in the roof to aid wind resistance.
- They prevent the shingle layers from drooping by thickening them over the roof edge.
- Starter strips provide your roof the foundation to prevent incessant leakages and uplifts from strong winds.
- Starter strips are very essential to homeowners living in a high wind zone as it protects their roof from blowing off during strong winds.
Types of Starter Shingles?
There are different types of Starter strips with a variety of characteristics.
Below are the comparison of the different types of Starter strips and their respective properties, which can serve as a guide when making your choice of the best brand for roofing:
| TYPE STARTER | WASTE | QUALITY | CONVENIENCE | ADHESION |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRO START | Less waste | High quality (It tightly locks your shingles in place to help prevent shingle blow-off). | Very convenient (50% more coverage per bundle=less to carry and handle on the roof). | Properly positioned adhesives to prevent shingle blow-off. |
| WEATHER BLOCKER | Less waste | High quality (It tightly locks your shingles in place to help prevent shingle blow-off). | Very convenient (42% more coverage per bundle=less to carry and handle on the roof). | Properly positioned adhesives to prevent shingle blow-off. |
| QUICKSTART | Accumulates wastes more than Pro Start and weather blocker. | High quality (It tightly locks your shingles in place to help prevent shingle blow-off). | Convenient as it eliminates the need for nailing or cutting starter strip shingles on the roof. | Properly positioned adhesive helps to tightly lock your shingles in place. |
| STARTER MATCH | Accumulates waste. | Less quality than Pro Start but can be used to complement WeatherBlocker. | Convenient as it is a ready-to-install with no time-consuming cuts or hand-sealant application. | They’re installed in conjunction with Weather Blocker Starter Strip to increase adhesion. |
Cost To Install Starter Shingles?
The cost of installing a starter strip depends on the materials and labor rate. Most roofers charge based on the type of starter strips being used along with other roofing materials and other things like the condition of your roof.
It would cost more if you are entirely removing your old roof with multiple layers to install new asphalt shingles. Other factors to consider for costing are; the roof height, the service area of the roofer (it could be less expensive using a local roofer), taxes/permit fees, and more.
However, DIY installations can be considered but not advised due to differences in roof heights and timely completion.
Other tasks such as scrapping, removing, and disposing of materials can be done and the installation is left to a professional. You can check out the cost to do an installation on your own roof by comparing three different quotes from local roofers by using Home Advisor.
Factors to Consider
The general installation of a roof deals with measurements, and the installation of a starter strip on a roof involves a linear measurement. Before the installation of a starter strip, it’s important to get the length of the eaves and rake edge first as this will guide the linear measurement of the strip before installation. You can use the total length of the eaves and rake edge to get the measurement of the number of starter strips needed to cover the entire perimeter of the roof.
Also, make sure that the seam lines of your regular roof shingle are not the same as the seam lines of the starter strip. This may create misalignment during installation and could contribute to problems down the road.
Excessive overhang is not advisable during installation. The starter strip should be in line with the roof edge. Simply put, it should not stick out too far from the edge of the roof. Between ¼” and ¾” from the roof is a good length.
Do not penetrate the fascia. Nail installation should be done close to the fascia and not between the facials and decking.
Five Mistakes of Starter Strip Installations
- Substituting cut 3-Tab shingles for starter strips. Most roofers tend to use the upside-down 3-Tab in place of a starter strip and this may increase the risk of shingle blow offs.
- Using the wrong nail pattern or not using enough nails. This is done by placing the nails too high on the starter strips. Ensure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how many nails to use and where to place them.
- Using starter strips on very flat roofs. The use of starter strips is recommendable on roofs with a pitch greater than 2/12 – starter strips work best on a roof pitch of at least 4/12.; Flat roof does not encourage a seamless flow of water and may result in leakages. You can learn more about shingle flat roofs here.
- Incorrect overhang.
- Wrong starter alignment: The pattern for any starter alignment is always specified in the manufacturer’s instructions. It’s usually a staircase or steeped pattern. The wrong alignment will allow water to seep into your roof deck easily.
- Installing a shingle too high above the roof or too low. This weakens the roof resistance and seal strength.
Installing or Replacing a Missing Starter Strip on Your Roof.
How does one install or replace a missing starter strip on their roof?
If starter strips were not used in installing your roof, it could be extremely difficult to add starter strips under the shingles. This is because starter strips are the first shingle to be installed and subsequently get nailed onto by the shingles on top of it.
One option could be tearing off the roof completely down to the sheathing. This method can be way too expensive and not worth it, especially if the roof is fairly new.
Fortunately, tearing off the roof down to the sheathing may not be the only option. You could also carefully remove the nails of the bottom 1-2 rows of shingles. This would allow you to add the starter shingles.
Before you added the starter shingles you would also need to cover the previous nail holes to ensure that no leaks will occur. After installing the starters the 1-2 rows of shingles could be replaced.
RELATED QUESTIONS
- Can you replace starter strips with cut 3-Tab shingles? No. Starter strips are different from the 3-Tab shingles. Both are asphaltic materials but carry out different functions unique to protecting your home against strong winds. Starter strips were made with adhesives to stick on to the wood decking. The 3-Tab shingles pieces do not have adhesives to stick to the eaves and edge of the rakes.
- Can the Starter strip be installed along with a drip edge? The installation of the drip edge should come first before the starter strip. This acts as a support barrier against water leaks and wind uplifts.
- Can you replace a roofing starter shingle with roofing shingles? Starter strips can also be referred to as starter shingles but are not the same as roof shingles. The roof shingles are 3-Tab shingles, architectural shingles, and laminated shingles, and are installed above the starter shingles. The roof shingles go with a consistent color system, unlike starter strips where the color doesn’t matter. However, they are made of the same fiberglass but cannot replace each other as they serve different purposes.