In January 2025, Stanley Roof and Solar replaced the roof on Tsering’s home in the Deer Creek area of Camas, WA. The builder-grade 3-tab roof was about 19 years old and had started to leak into a ceiling, so we tore it off, replaced the rotted plywood and installed a complete Malarkey roofing system with Malarkey Vista AR shingles.
Project at a glance
- Location: Deer Creek, Camas, WA
- Completed: January 2025
- Service: roof replacement
- Shingles: Malarkey Vista AR, Midnight Black
- Underlayment: Malarkey 1031 Secure Start Plus
- Hip and ridge: Malarkey EZ-Ridge
About the area
Camas is a city in Clark County, Washington, on the north bank of the Columbia River east of Vancouver.
The challenge and how we solved it
The challenge: the original 3-tab builder-grade roof was about 19 years old and at the end of its life. A small leak had started to show on a ceiling as a brown “coffee stain,” and since the whole roof was worn out, patching one leak would only have bought time until the next one appeared.
The solution: replace the whole roof in the middle of winter rather than wait for more leaks. This is a large home with many places where the roof meets a wall, so the crew paid close attention to the step flashing at every roof-to-wall transition before the new shingles went on.
What we did
- Removed the old 3-tab shingles and inspected the deck.
- Replaced 1 sheet of rotted plywood.
- Installed Malarkey 1031 Secure Start Plus underlayment with plastic cap nails, plus Malarkey 401 Arctic Seal and Smart Start starter shingles.
- Flashed every roof-to-wall transition with new step flashing.
- Installed Malarkey Vista AR shingles in Midnight Black with EZ-Ridge hip and ridge caps, Lifetime Tool pipe flashings and a new bath vent.
The finished project
What the homeowner said
Tsering W.
First time replacing a roof. I don’t have much of a reference. There was good communication. The job was well done, but I am no expert, and it has only been a month or two since the roof has been installed. Nice to see before during and after drone photos. It would have been better to also take photos of all the bad plywood that were replaced. Also, it could be a little better at cleaning after installation. Overall, good.
Why these materials
Malarkey Vista AR shingles in Midnight Black. Vista AR has the same Class 4 hail impact rating and NEX rubberized asphalt as Vista, plus 3M copper granules that Malarkey says help prevent the black streaks caused by blue-green algae, backed by a 25-year algae warranty. Malarkey lists twice the rain seals of standard shingles and up to 130 mph enhanced wind warranty.
Malarkey 1031 Secure Start Plus underlayment. A five-layer synthetic underlayment with an anti-skid surface that holds it in place. Malarkey says its polypropylene layer helps resist water penetration and that it is up to 3 times lighter than conventional felt paper.
Malarkey 401 Arctic Seal. A waterproof, self-adhering underlayment that Malarkey makes for the areas of a roof most likely to leak. Its self-sealing sheet protects against leaks around nails.
Malarkey Smart Start starter shingles. Made with NEX rubberized asphalt, with rubberized adhesive bonds that Malarkey says give extra seal-down and wind protection at the eave and rake edges, where wind usually gets under a roof first.
Malarkey EZ-Ridge hip and ridge shingles. High-profile hip and ridge caps color matched to the field shingles. Malarkey rates them UL Class 4 for impact resistance and adds Scotchgard Protector for algae resistance.
Lifetime Tool pipe flashings and bath vents. Pipe penetrations are one of the most common leak points on a roof, so every plumbing vent got a new pipe flashing and the bathroom fan got a new roof vent.
Plastic cap nails for the underlayment. The underlayment is fastened with Stinger plastic cap nails instead of plain staples. The wide plastic cap holds the sheet flat and seals around the nail, so the deck stays dry if rain arrives before the shingles go on.
Keeping your roof in good shape
- Have a roofer check the step flashing on homes with lots of roof-to-wall transitions. Those joints are where water most often gets behind siding on a large two-story home.
- Watch for moss. Damp, shaded roofs in the Pacific Northwest grow it fast, and moss holds water against the shingles. A roof maintenance visit can treat it before it lifts the shingle edges.
- Clear fir needles and leaves out of the valleys and off the roof after fall windstorms, so rain can run off instead of pooling behind the debris.
- Clean the gutters at least twice a year, in spring and fall, and every 3 to 4 months under heavy tree cover. Clogged gutters overflow onto the fascia and eaves, which is how eave boards rot.
- Look the roof over from the ground after big wind or rain events. The National Weather Service Portland office issues wind and storm warnings for Clark County and the Portland metro, and missing or lifted shingles should be checked before the next storm.
- Keep the attic vents clear. Insulation or stored items blocking the intake vents cuts off the airflow that keeps the attic dry.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Stanley Roof and Solar replaced this Deer Creek home’s roof in Camas in January 2025.
Usually not. This roof was worn out across the board, so the homeowner replaced it instead of patching one leak and waiting for the next.
Yes. This Camas roof was replaced in January, with the deck covered in synthetic underlayment fastened with plastic cap nails as the old roof came off.
Malarkey Vista AR shingles in Midnight Black, with Malarkey EZ-Ridge hip and ridge caps.
Planning a roof project in Camas?
Stanley Roof and Solar inspects roofs across Clark County and the Portland metro and tells you honestly whether you need a repair or a replacement. See our Camas, WA roofing services, learn about our roof replacement process, browse more Stanley Roof and Solar projects, or get a free estimate.