Q:Β We have a two-story house built with a back patio that is covered by a tar and gravel roof. Now when I look out on that roof, most of the gravel is gone. It apparently washed off in the rain over the years. It was a mixture of sand and pebbles on top of 90-pound rolled roofing that had hot tar covering it. Do I need to replace the pebbles?
A:Β That sand-and-pebble mixture was put on there to protect the roofing material from ultraviolet rays. You can replace it, but you might want to have the whole roof sealed first with elastomeric roof coating to prevent future leaks. Then you need to power wash the roof lightly and apply another sand-and-gravel mixture.
For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona homebuilding and remodeling industry expert for 25 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning “Rosie on the House” radio program, heard locally from 8-11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.
