Depends on multiple factors. The main ones being the condition of the existing shingles, number of layers, time of year ( temperature ), type of decking ( plywood or planks )., length of nails used on last install, etc. In the winter, on a 1-layer tear off I prefer the regular old flat bottom spade shovels. They dont tear up the shingles allowing me to tear off the roof neatly and take up all the nails along the way with most of the nails staying in the shingles helping with the nails on the ground problem. In the summer i like to start at the bottom and pull the shingles up in big chunks by hand if possible and then come back and beat the nails down or pull them out with the teeth style newer tear off tool. If that doesn't work well then I will use TWO 4 prong pitch forks, starting at the ridge and getting underneath the old felt paper. On a multi-layer sometimes i tear off all layers at once and other times one layer at a time depending on how it comes off. If doing 1 layer at a time i use the teeth shovels to remove the nails after removing the top layer or else the next layer wont come off worth a poop! Tearing off is only half the battle with clean up being the other half. Every time i tear off a roof and upon finishing a side look back and see no trash on the roof or ground and no nails sticking up I just smile and holler SHINGLES boys!!! :whistling:
