Ice & Water Shield Installation

Ice dam protection. When snow accumulates on a roof and the upper field melts (warm attic underneath), meltwater runs down to the cold eaves and refreezes into an ice dam. The dam blocks subsequent meltwater, which backs up under the shingles and into the underlayment. If the underlayment is felt or basic synthetic, the meltwater eventually reaches the deck and the ceiling. Ice & water shield is self-adhered and watertight — meltwater hits it and stops.

Wind-driven rain at eaves. During a nor'easter, sustained 50-70 mph wind drives rain horizontally — water rides up under the lower shingle courses and onto the underlayment at the eave. Standard underlayment leaks at fasteners and seams. Ice & water shield self-seals around every nail and seam.

Valley waterproofing. Valleys collect water from two slopes; the volume per linear foot is much higher than a flat slope. Ice & water shield in valleys prevents leaks when valley flashing or shingle valleys eventually develop issues.

Penetration protection. Pipe boots fail (8-12 year service life on standard rubber boots), skylight curbs leak, chimney flashing degrades. Ice & water shield wrapped around every penetration creates a secondary water barrier so that when surface details eventually fail, the leak doesn't reach the deck.

Code compliance + insurance + warranty. NJ Uniform Construction Code R905.1.2 requires ice & water shield at every eave. Most NJ insurance carriers require it on storm-damage-replacement scopes. Most manufacturer warranties (GAF Golden Pledge, CertainTeed SureStart Plus, Owens Corning Platinum) require proper ice & water shield install for warranty validity.

Standard NJ residential (climate zone 4 — most of NJ): 24 inches past the inside wall plane at every eave, per NJ code R905.1.2. This is the minimum; we install to code on every reroof.

Northwest NJ snow zones (climate zone 5 — Sussex, Warren, parts of Morris and Hunterdon): we extend to 36 inches past the inside wall plane. Snow load is higher, ice-dam formation windows are longer, and the marginal 12 inches of additional coverage prevents the most common ice-dam-driven leak scenarios.

Full valley coverage. Every valley gets ice & water shield run the full length, 36 inches wide minimum (18 inches each side of the valley centerline). Standard NJ installation practice on every reroof.

Penetration wrap. Pipe boots, skylights, chimneys, exhaust vents — each gets ice & water shield wrapped around the perimeter, minimum 24 inches in every direction. Self-seals around fastener penetrations.

Low-slope transitions. Where a sloped roof transitions to a low-slope porch or addition, full ice & water shield coverage on the low-slope section is standard practice. The low-slope section is the most vulnerable to standing water and ice-dam-driven water backup.

Shore counties (Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, Ocean): we don't extend coverage past code minimum — coastal climate doesn't produce significant ice-dam events. Standard 24-inch eave coverage plus full valleys and penetrations.

GAF WeatherWatch. Our default on GAF system installs (required component for full GAF System Plus warranty validity). SBS-modified asphalt-based self-adhered membrane. Granulated surface (better foot traffic during install). Standard 36" rolls.

CertainTeed WinterGuard HT. Default on CertainTeed system installs. Compatible with CertainTeed SureStart Plus warranty. SBS-modified bitumen, granulated surface, also available in smooth-surface for valley applications. High-temperature variant (HT) rated to 240°F for metal-roof underlayment.

Grace Ice & Water Shield. Premium option compatible with most major shingle systems. Smooth-surface membrane with split-back release liner. Slightly more workable in cold weather than the asphalt-based products. Common spec on architect-designed jobs.

Why we never use rubberized roofing tape or basic felt as substitute. Some contractors use rolled rubberized asphalt or just upgrade to synthetic underlayment claiming it's 'equivalent' — it isn't. True self-adhered ice & water shield is a code-compliant separate product with its own ASTM standard (D1970). Substitutes void manufacturer warranties.