Roof Underlayments to Shield Your Northern Virginia Home from Ice & Water
Roof Underlayment - Sunshine Contracting - Sunshine Contracting

Underlayments are often overlooked components of roofing systems, yet they play a crucial role in ensuring the longevity and durability of your roof. At Sunshine Contracting, we understand the significance of underlayments in safeguarding your home against the elements, particularly in Northern Virginia’s diverse water and ice-heavy climate. When it comes to roofing replacements, we prioritize the installation of high-quality underlayments to provide an additional layer of protection between the roof’s wood structure and the shingles.

Roof Underlayments & So Much More

Our commitment to excellence is evident in our utilization of top-tier products such as the GAF Lifetime Roofing System. This comprehensive roofing system combines advanced technologies and innovative materials to deliver unmatched performance and longevity. As part of this system, our expert installers meticulously install underlayments to serve as a barrier against moisture infiltration, preventing potential damage to the roof deck and interior of your home.

In addition to underlayments, our GAF Weatherwatch Mineral-Surfaced Leak Barriers provide additional protection against precipitation in vulnerable areas such as around skylights and at eaves. These leak barriers serve to:

  • Protect your property and help prevent wind-driven rain from leaking through the roof deck, or melting ice and snow (caused by ice dams in harsh winter climates) from leaking into your property’s interior.
  • Add extra protection in valleys and at eave and rake edges (the most leak-prone areas of the roof) as well as other vulnerable spots on the roof, such as skylights, dormers, vent pipes, chimneys, and other flashing areas
  • Help avoid costly repairs by preventing staining and water damage on interior walls and ceilings caused by leaks

Roof Deck Protection

Furthermore, we offer a variety roof deck protection solutions to provide an extra layer of defense against moisture, ensuring the structural integrity of your roof remains intact over time. Choose from a variety of premium product lines including:

GAF Shingle Mate

  • Provides a critical layer of extra protection between your shingles and roof deck to resist wind-driven rain that can cause damage to your roof system
  • Avoids ugly “telegraphing” through your shingles that can detract from the look of your new roof
  • Helps ensure your shingles lie flat and uniform

GAF Tiger Paw

  • Provides a critical layer of extra protection between your shingles and roof deck to resist wind-driven rain (or moisture from other sources)
  • Offers longer-lasting protection than conventional asphalt felts (which can rot or become brittle over time)
  • Avoids wrinkling and buckling for a better looking finished roof

GAF FeltBuster Synthetic Roofing Felt

  • Provide a critical layer of extra protection between your shingles and the roof deck to resist wind-driven rain (or moisture from other sources) that can cause damage to your roof structure
  • A durable, long-lasting upgrade over conventional asphalt felts that can tear or degrade over time
  • Avoids water absorption that can lead to ugly wrinkling that “telegraphs” through the shingles

GAF Deck Armor 

  • Helps reduce inside moisture that can become trapped in the roofing system, which can cause mold, mildew, and expensive structural damage
  • Provides a critical layer of extra protection between your shingles and roof deck to resist wind-driven rain (or moisture from other sources) that can cause damage to your roof structure
  • Avoids wrinkling and buckling for a better-looking finished roof

Our roofing experts will work with you to figure out which of these products will best complement your home and unique needs.

Roofing Installations by Experts

At Sunshine Contracting, our roofing installation process is executed with precision and attention to detail. When you choose us for your roofing needs, you can trust that our experienced team will handle every aspect of the installation with expertise and care. From initial assessment to final walk-through, we are dedicated to delivering superior results that exceed your expectations.

Get Started Today!

For more information about our roofing processes and installation team, we invite you to visit our Roofing Processes & Installation team page. Discover how Sunshine Contracting can elevate the performance and longevity of your roof while providing peace of mind for years to come.

Ice and Water Shield

GAF offers several Ice and Water Shields that serve as increased protection from the elements in vulnerable roofing areas. While it may seem unnecessary to add this extra leak protection, there are several benefits to these products, which can be especially valuable in harsh weather climates.

Ice and Water Shields provide extra protection from wind-driven rain, which can leak through the roof deck and cause serious structural roof damage. These shields can also prevent melting ice and snow from seeping into the interior of any structure. Called ice dams, this melting ice and snow can cause serious problems if a roof is not properly protected. Further, unlike many other types of underlayment, these GAF products ensure a total waterproof seal. This can prevent a myriad of problems associated with leaking, such as the staining of interior walls and ceilings.

 

Weather Watch

GAF Weather Watch XT Leak Barriers can provide affordable and necessary protection against water and ice leaks, reducing future repair costs for wall and ceiling staining.

The Weather Watch XT Leak Barrier creates a completely watertight seal that keeps water from ever reaching the roof deck. This is especially beneficial near eaves and around chimneys, which are especially vulnerable to leaks. These barriers do more than just keep rainwater from causing roof problems; they also prevent leakage caused by ice dams, which typically occur in colder climates but can still be an issue during a particularly cool winter in the South.

Weather Watch XT Leak Barriers comply with many building codes which require additional leak barriers to be installed on houses (typically required in colder climates). All Weather Watch Barriers carry a warranty equal to that of the roofing under which they are installed.

Starter Strip

Starter Strip Shingles

GAF, North America’s premier roofing company, offers two of the best options for starter strip shingles in the entire industry: the Pro-Start Eave/Rake Starter Strip and the Weatherblocker Premium Eave/Rake Starter Strip. Both options help to speed shingle installation. They also help prevention of shingle blow-offs.

GAF Starter Strip Shingles are pre-cut, which insures that they will be easy to use and install. Typically, starter shingles are regular shingles that have been cut for easier installation. However, this can be a time consuming process, not to mention it can increase costs because the leftover cut shingles are no longer usable.

The most innovative feature of GAF Starter Strip Shingles is the high-quality adhesive that locks shingles in place to prevent blow-off. All GAF Starter Strip Shingles feature this adhesive, known as DuraGrip and offered on all top of the line GAF shingles.

 

Pro Start

Pro-Start Starter Strips

If you are searching for a simpler, more cost-effective way to install shingles, there is no better option than Pro-Start Starter Strips. These pre-cut starter strips are an excellent alternative to using strips that are cut on site. There is no need for dangerous cutting while on the roof and no extra waste created.

Even better, Pro-Start Starter Strips create straighter roof edges and are guaranteed to prevent shingle blow-off better than cut shingles. This is because starter strips come in larger, perforated strips and include the famed GAF DuraGrip Adhesive. This adhesive is applied in the factory and locks down roof edges without the need of messy solvent-based adhesives.

Pro-Start Starter Strips have a limited lifetime warranty when installed with GAF Lifetime Shingle roofs.

Weather Blocker

WeatherBlocker Starter Strips

WeatherBlocker Premium Eave/Rake Starter Strip Shingles provide an excellent alternative to using shingles that have been cut on site. Cutting shingles on site increases injury risk, waste, and also increases the likelihood that the shingles will not fit properly. Using WeatherBlocker Starter Strips ensures a perfectly straight line and is guaranteed against shingle blow-off.

Because WeatherBlocker Starter Strips don’t need to be cut, they are also more economical and environmentally friendly because they create less waste than would be expected without them. Like GAF shingles, WeatherBlocker Starter Strips also feature factory-applied DuraGrip Adhesive. This ensures easier installation without the mess or smell of asphalt or other chemical solutions.

The WeatherBlocker Starter Strips feature a lifetime warranty if they are installed with Lifetime Shingles.

Shingle Mate

Shingle-Mate Underlayment

Shingle-Mate Roof Deck Protection helps shingles lay flatter while providing an extra layer of protection between the shingles and the roof deck. Typically referred to as tar paper, Shingle-Mate is far easier to install than most organic felts. This is because it rolls out much easier and is far lighter.

For homeowners, the advantages of Shingle-Mate underlayment are endless. Because it is manufactured with fiberglass reinforcement, Shingle-Mate will not wrinkle or fold like many common felt underlayment products. Instead, Shingle-Mate remains flat, preventing the shingles that lay over it from wrinkling and negatively affecting the exterior appearance of the home. Further, Shingle-Mate helps to prevent the infiltration of moisture from rain or other sources. Excess interior moisture can lead to rotting, mold growth, or serious paint and roofing damage.

One way that Shingle-Mate prevents the entrance of excess moisture is because there is never a need to slit the material during installation. Some felts bubble, requiring installers to cut the felt to flatten the underlayment. While necessary, this can allow water to enter the roof deck over time and create more damaging moisture. Shingle-Mate does not bubble, thus it does not require any cutting to lay flat. This creates a stronger waterproof barrier.

When installed on shingled roofs with lifetime warranties, there is a limited lifetime warranty that can be applied to the Shingle-Mate product. Shingle-Mate is also an economical choice, providing more protection than several of the more expensive felt underlayment brands.

ShingleMatch Paint

ShingleMatch Paint

No matter how hard a homeowner tries to hide them, there are almost always a few visible exhaust vents or vent pipes on a typical roof. New ShingleMatch Paint from GAF, North America’s leading roofing company, enables homeowners or builders to easily hide unsightly roofing issues. With a wide variety of colors, there is sure to be one to match any new or existing roof.

ShingleMatch Paint is not only good for cosmetic purposes. Its advanced formula can also help metallic roof accessories resist rusting that can discolor or damage the look of your shingles. Once a roof accessory, such as an exhaust vent, begins to rust, it may not do its job properly. Depending on the severity of the rust and the amount of time the roof accessory is left unattended, this can create a myriad of other roofing issues. ShingleMatch Paint is a simple solution that can prevent the initial rusting and any other problems associated with it. ShingleMatch Paint provides exceptional resistance to harsh environmental conditions and ensures that the roofing system will continue to function properly for years to come.

 

Tiger Paw

Tiger Paw Underlayment

A number of features make Tiger Paw underlayment the ultimate in quality roof deck protection. As all underlayment should, Tiger Paw provides an additional layer of breathable protection between the shingles and roof deck. Tiger Paw provides long-lasting leak protection, reduces interior moisture and helps shingles lay flat.

Tiger Paw underlayment is specially designed to control moisture. According to the manufacturer, Tiger Paw can remove two times more moisture from a roof deck as the leading synthetic underlayment. This helps prolong the life of your roof and prevents the growth of dangerous molds. It can also prevent moisture from damaging items that are stored within attic spaces.

Tiger Paw underlayment can also play a major role in ensuring that your roof continues to look good from the exterior. Common felt underlayment can wrinkle or buckle over time. When this happens, the exterior shingles can take on the same wrinkles. Tiger Paw will not buckle or wrinkle, so your shingles always lay flat.

 

Deck Armor

Deck Armor Underlayment

Deck Armor Premium Breathable roof deck protection protects your home while reducing trapped moisture at the same time. While this should be the goal of any underlayment material, many similar products do not actually fulfill this important requirement. Deck Armor, however, is guaranteed to do both and is backed by the Good Housekeeping Seal of approval.

Deck Armor is a better option than conventional organic felts because, unlike felts, it never absorbs moisture. Products that do absorb moisture can buckle and wrinkle, causing serious structural and decorative issues to the roof above. Because Deck Armor does not ever wrinkle or buckle, it ensures that shingles lay flat, increasing the protection they give to the home.