Tear-Off
Complete removal of existing roofing materials down to the roof deck before installing new materials.
What Happens During a Tear-Off
A tear-off strips the existing roof — shingles, underlayment, and any flashing being replaced — down to the bare decking. Unlike a Re-Roofing overlay, this exposes the entire deck for inspection, letting the crew find and replace any rotted, delaminated, or water-damaged sheathing before the new system goes on, rather than sealing problems underneath a second layer.
When Ohio Code Requires It
The Ohio Residential Code requires a full tear-off once a roof already has two layers of shingles — a third layer isn't permitted regardless of condition. Most manufacturers also require a tear-off (rather than an overlay) to qualify for their strongest workmanship warranties, since they can't verify deck condition or overlay-related defects otherwise.