The prospect of your house is tightly sealed and dry is attractive to you and every homeowner; a sound roofing system ensures this. Replacing your present roof will add value to your home and improve its curb appeal and feel. Are you thinking about updating your roof? Here are parts of a roof you should know.
Roof structure
As stated on Orlando roofing, this is the frame of the roof. Depending on your home’s structure, it is made up of beams or rafters and determines the shape and slope of the roof. Most residential roofs are made of wood compared to steel, which is used commercially.
Roof Sheathing
The roof sheathing is the bare sheets of flat material securely fixed on the roof structure. The most commonly used sheathing material is the Oriented Strand Board (OSB) because it’s affordable and lightweight. In roofs that hold more weight like concrete tiles, plywood is usually used.
Roof Flashing
Roof flashing involves protecting your roof around its joints and structures such as vents and chimneys. It keeps water from entering your roof. Flashing is a thin stripe of material, mostly metal.
Roof Ventilation
The roof ventilation is vital as it reduces indoor temperatures and, if done properly, will extend your roof’s lifespan. The roof ventilation is made up of the intake vents and exhaust vents. Most roof vents are installed under the roof covering and roof edges so that they are barely visible.
Roof Covering
The uppermost layer of your roof is the roof covering. Here are some of the popular roof covering materials:
- Wood or asphalt shingles
- Concrete, clay or slate tiles
- Flat roof coverings such as rubber and PVC
- Metal
Roof Drainage
The roof drainage of your roof guides run-off water away from your roof and prevents water from pooling on your roof, causing it to leak.
Types of Residential Roof Materials
While proper installation and roof framing are crucial, the roofing material you choose will elevate your home exterior to a higher level.
Here are roofing materials to consider when it is time to update your roof.
Asphalt Shingles
These are the most popular residential roofing material in North America. This is because they are easy to install and cost-effective. They usually come with a warranty of up to 30 years, making them a practical choice for your roofing needs.
Shingles are made of asphalt or fiberglass and mineral granules. Fiberglass shingles are less expensive and lighter than asphalt shingles. Fiberglass provides more heat resistance and is well suited if you are constructing a new home or replacing your entire roof.
Shingles are available in a range of colors and work with many house designs.
Metal Roof
While traditional roofs last for approximately 20 years, metal roofs can last up to 60 years and provide unrivaled durability. Metal roofs also have a higher solar reflectivity than asphalt shingles. They are resistant to extreme weather conditions and are entirely fireproof. Metal roofs come in copper, stainless steel, aluminum, and zinc.
Metal roofs are long-lasting, lightweight, and recyclable when they eventually wear out. Installation needs to be done by a professional roofing company. Metal roofs look great on cabins, bungalows, and contemporary-style homes.
Clay and Concrete Tiles
These roofing materials will add elegance and texture to your roof. Clay tiles are made of clay, which is shaped into interlocking figures and fired for toughness. Concrete tiles are made from a mix of sand and concrete.
Clay tiles are extremely heavy and durable and must be installed by a professional. Concrete tiles are less expensive than clay tiles but are also heavy. Both clay and concrete tiles are non-combustible, long-lasting, and energy-efficient.
The biggest disadvantage of clay and concrete tiles is that they are expensive and require further framing.
Clay and concrete tiles work well with Mission, Mediterranean, and Southwestern-style homes.
Slate Roof
This is perhaps the finest roofing material available. Slate roofs are made up of thin slips of stone.
Slate is easy to mine, thus perfect for roofs. Installing a slate roof requires specialized skill; hence you should contact a reputable roof company.
Slate roofs are beautiful and have a unique, stylish look. Slate colors include shades of grey, green, black, purple, and red. Slate is fireproof, durable, and sustainable, as it can be recycled.
The downside of slate is it is costly. Slate roofs work well with Colonial and European homes.
Wood Shingles and Shake
Wood roofing is very attractive and has been the go-to choice for many homeowners for years.
However, they are quite expensive and are do not last long and not ideal in areas with wildfires or high humidity levels.
Although both shingles and shakes are made from natural timber such as redwood and cedar, shingles are thin shaped blocks of wood made from sawing.
Shakes are thicker with a rougher feel. Shakes are more expensive than shingles.
In a dry climate, this roofing will last up to 60 years while in wet climates, it will last for approximately 20 years. Wen roofs work well with cottages, bungalows and craftsman-style homes.
Membrane Roof
These are synthetic roof products such as polymer rubber and plastic. They are manufactured to give a colorful look and feel of natural materials like wood and slate. They are durable, easy to maintain, and some are fireproof.
Types of the membrane include:
- PVC
- EPDM
- Polymer modified bitumen
- Chlorinated polyethylene
One of the best membrane roofs is the rubber roofing, which is applied in large sheets to bind the number of ridges where water can penetrate.
Synthetic roofs are not as expensive as natural roofing materials. Synthetic roofs work well with various architectural designs.
Built-Up Roofing (BUR)
This is one of the oldest material options for flat roofs. They are built with many layers of roofing felt filled with asphalt. The felt is smeared in overlying layers to form a thick barricade, and then a layer of crushed stone is soaked in hot tar to form a durable, impenetrable roof.
There are a lot of roof materials to choose from. Choosing the right roof for you requires you to weigh the cost, appearance, and longevity. With this information, you should consider replacing the roofing material when updating your roof.
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