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Imagine, you're standing on the sidewalk, looking at an average house. You see the siding, the windows, the front door, and way up above, you see the roof. Does the roof have asphalt shingles? Wood shakes perhaps? Maybe it's made of metal or rubber tiles? What you see is where the focus goes, but it's what you don't see that really matters. There's more to roofing than meets the eye. So let's talk about what goes on, under the shingles.

The Roof Deck

We learn to crawl before we walk, so when talking about roofing let's start with square one, the surface area of your roof which is made of wood. Your wood roof deck is comparable to an automobiles metal body. It is installed on top of the basic house frame to give a surface area on which to install Shingles. Without a roof deck installed on your house, there would be nowhere to install your Shingles. And of course without the shingles, your roof deck would rot away due to exposure to the sun, rain, snow and ice and etc...not a comfortable home at all!

On Newer Houses, sheets of plywood or OSB boards are fastened on top of wooden trusses in your attic to form the roof deck. Plywood or OSB boards are installed in a staggered formation with small spaces between them to allow wood to expand and contract as the wood heats in the summer and cools in the winter. Older homes often have lengths of 2" x 6" installed instead of plywood or OSB board. When the time comes for you to replace your Roof System, remember to have your Calgary Roofing Contractor replace any and all damaged wood.

Remember, if your roof deck is rotting or damaged in any way, people walking on your roof could potentially crack or break through the wood, causing further damage to the roof system, such as to the shingles...and to the person who walked on it! However, most roof decks can withstand a little bit of exposure to water or ice before it needs to be replaced.

Metal: Drip Edge and Rake Edge

Drip edge and Rake edge is the first part of the Roof System to be installed. It is a long and narrow piece of metal which is installed along each end of your Roof Deck, ie: along the eaves trough and along the gable ends.

Some area local building codes require the installation of Drip Edge and Rake Edge and other building codes do not. Check with your local city building offices to find out. In Alberta for example, the Building Code does not require the installation of Drip edge or Rake edge. Therefore many new homes and/or low budget roof systems do not have drip edge installed in order to allow for more affordable roof prices. We recommend however that Drip edge and Rake edge be installed on every Roof System, no exceptions.

Drip and Rake edge is available in a variety of different colors and sizes and can be custom built for the needs of your roof system. Installing an appropriate drip edge often saves hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars when your roof system needs replaced.

If your Roof System does not currently have drip or rake edge installed, do not panic, you'll survive well enough. Just be aware that when your roof needs to be replaced, the Roofing Contractor you may need to replace some of your wood Roof Deck on an as needed basis.

Metal: Chimneys and Skylights

Arguably the most important part of every complete roof system. The metal installed in the valleys, chimneys and skylights take the brunt of water flow on every roof. Poorly installed, a brand new roof system can make a waterfall out of your living room.

Every chimney and skylight needs what is referred to as "a back pan", which consists of sheet metal folded at around a 90 degree angle (depending on the slope of your roof) and tucks under the shingles and up under the siding, stucco or counter flashing on the chimney or skylight. Every back pan needs a small 2" section of metal sticking out 1" or more from either side of the chimney or skylight to divert water away from the corners. Water should hit the metal back pan and be directed away on either side where it can continue its run into the eaves trough.

Metal: Valleys

In the same way water runs along the valleys between two mountains, water runs along the valleys on your roof peaks. Valleys generally receive the highest concentration of water flowing through them, therefore installing them correctly is extremely important!

As mentioned in the Leak Barrier section, valleys have leak barriers installed underneath them. Even though some Building Codes do not require such a leak barrier to be installed, we recommend installing one always in every valley.

A word of caution: Many roofing contractors install valleys in a style referred to as 'closed'. A closed valley consists of Shingles woven inside the valley, as opposed to an 'open' valley which has sheet metal running from top to bottom. Both the 'open' and the 'closed' style of installation are acceptable by the most Building Codes and by most manufacturers, however, the 'open' style installation has consistently out performed the 'closed' style...and costs exactly the same price to install. Ask your Roofing Contractor to use the 'open' style of installation for your roofs valleys, this could save you from having to replace your roof system prematurely and also can avoid headaches in the long run. Typically, an 'open' valley is installed with a 30 gauge sheet metal, 4' wide, coming in 10' sheets. This metal can be ordered in any color to match the shingles on your roof system.

Leak Barrier

Think of a leak barrier as a "second layer" of protection for your Roof Deck. A backup plan, if you will, and also a protection against moisture build up. Leak barriers are nearly always installed on top of the Drip Edge and Rake Edge metal along eaves trough areas, gable areas and valleys because of the risk these areas pose for leaks, ice build up, shingle deterioration and water back flow.

If you've ever looked at your roof during winter, you'll notice how ice and snow builds up along the length of your eaves troughs and inside the roof valleys. As with Rake Edge and Drip Edge, some Building codes require Leak Barriers to be installed and some Building Codes do not. In Alberta, the Building Code requires a leak Barrier to be installed on all eaves trough and valley areas of a Roof Systems because of issues related to such snow and ice build up. As an optional upgrade, some high end roof systems even have leak barriers installed on top of the entire Roof Deck (as opposed to only along the special areas we just mentioned) where normally a standard Roof Deck Protection would normally have been installed.

Virtually all roofs in Calgary, Alberta have leak barriers installed, and many different types of leak barriers are available in today's market, each offering a different level of reliability, functionality and warrantee and produced by many different manufacturers.

Choosing an appropriate Leak Barrier and installing it properly is an important step in every Roof System. Speak with your Roofing Contractor to learn more about leak barriers, how to choose the right one and how to choose a Professional Roofing Contractor to install it.

Roof Deck Protection

Roof Deck Protection is very similar to a Leak Barrier. The difference is that Roof Deck Protection is installed on the entire Roof Deck area instead of only on "special areas" as we mention in the Leak Barrier section.

Typically, Roof Deck Protection is a step lower in quality than a Leak Barrier. As with Leak Barriers however, there are many different types of Roof Deck Protection available to choose from ranging from basic felt/tar paper to advanced plastic woven sheets of rip and wrinkle proof material. Choosing a reliable Roof Deck Protection is an important part of a quality Roof System.

A word of caution; most roofing companies use felt paper as Roof Deck Protection. Although using felt paper is a standard and acceptable practice, some issues can arise if the felt paper becomes wet during or after the installation. Ever notice how paper tends to curl when it dries after it was wet? In a similar way, felt paper can curl if water or excess moisture touches it. For this reason, and because the cost is quite small, we recommend installing a higher quality Roof Deck Protection such as a GAF/ELK Deck Armour. For a relatively small additional cost, you'll be rewarded with a much more reliable Roof Deck Protection.

Ask your local trusted Roofing Contractor about which under-layer would be best for your Roof System any why.

Conclusion

So there it is, life beneath the shingles. See how much goes on behind the scenes? Professional roofing contractors know this stuff inside and out and can help immensely in ensuring a roof system is reliable for many years. Product suppliers such as GAF/Elk and IKO can help answer specific questions about products as well.

All the best with your roofing project, and remember, be proactive, make educated decisions.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=138401&ca=Home+Management

Many commercial establishments have a rubber roof on the tops of the buildings. These are popular choices due to the slope generally found on these structures. Most of the roofs used for commercial construction are flat. The challenge with this choice is how to protect the building from water damage.

Unlike sloping surfaces, a flat roof does not have the assistance of gravity to direct the water away from the surface. This is the main motivation for choosing rubber as a surface coating. Over time you will likely need to do some rubber roof repair to protect and extend the life of the surface.

All roofs will eventually leak. It is an unfortunate, yet indisputable fact. All roofing materials expand and contract on a daily basis in response to heat and humidity. This requires materials that are flexible, yet durable. If you are in need of a rubber roof repair, you will find that the technological advances of the last few years offer many viable options.

Previous to these improvements, this type of roof was mopped with compounds to fill cracks and defects. The products and procedures were very costly and only offered temporary solutions. It was sort of a hit-and-miss technique, only used when there was a problem.

In today's market of rubber roof repair, you have the option of totally resurfacing the roof with state of the art materials and procedures. Unlike the products of the past, today's products create the solid bond with the existing materials that will not cause future problems.

It will no longer take a labor-intensive effort to prepare the surface. Most of the current products do not require the time and effort of applying a primer before the actual application. All these improvements have increased the quality and reduced the long term costs of protecting your commercial establishment.

If you have a rubber roof repair in your future you should choose an EPDM product. This is termed as an elastomeric product that will provide the flexibility and protection you need. This particular coating choice will also provide strength to the roof's surface.

It has excellent insulating properties that will assist with lowering your heating and cooling expenses. It is completely weatherproof, and when applied correctly with last for many years without the need for repairs. There are professional companies who will tackle the large jobs. It is also available in smaller quantities for the do-it-yourself set . . .

One choice of many homeowners these days is the application of a tile or masonry roof for their house. These materials come in all manner of colors and styles to add an elegant flare to even the simplest construction. There are flat tiles and tiles with three-dimensional design. There are smooth and textured tiles.

You can also choose among a rainbow of colors to coordinate with your exterior design and scheme. They are quite durable, but like all roofing materials, they are exposed to the elements. This will lead, inevitably, to the need for tile roof repair.

Compared to shingles, which are the most common roofing materials by volume, tiles are heavier. This will often require extra reinforcement under the actual tiles. This can be damaged if there have been leaks, which can increase the labor, materials and expense for tile roof repair. The most common occurrence for this type of roofing material is cracking.

If a tile is cracked, it can most likely be repaired or replaced with a minimal amount of effort or expenditure. Be aware that the replaced tile will not be the same color due to the length of exposure of the surrounding tiles to the weather. If, however, you delay the repair it can lead to further problems such as damage to the supporting structures.

There are options on the market for tile roof repair that do not involve replacing the cracked tiles. There are fillers that will seal the crack effectively if they are used correctly according the manufacturer's instructions.

If you choose to pursue this option on your own, you should be aware that in order to reach the cracked tile you might have to walk on other tiles. When you do this, you pose a huge risk of cracking previously undamaged tiles with your weight. Also, the surface of these particular roofs is slippery and can be very dangerous for the inexperienced.

Despite the tricky nature of completing a tile roof repair, this particular material provides long lasting and durable protection for your home. It carries a much higher value for insulating your living spaces than shingle or metal materials.

This will result in lower heating and cooling bills. The life of a tile or masonry roof will far exceed that of a shingle composition if you have it professionally installed and maintained. It is an attractive and environmentally friendly option for your roofing material choices...

The granddaddy of all roofing materials is slate! These are considered to be 100-year roofs and will definitely live up to their reputation. If you properly install and maintain slate as your roofing material you can expect a life of somewhere between 75 and 200 years.

These amazing roofs are not, however, completely immune to damage and deterioration through the years. It is vital that you have your roof professionally inspected once per year to see if you need any slate roof repairs. Only use a contractor who has experience and knowledge about this type of material.

If you notice a leak in your home and think you may need some slate roof repairs, the first step is to have a look at the actual surface. Without the need to climb on a ladder you can survey the roof surfaces for any irregularities. If there are missing or broken slates then these will need replacing.

If the leak seems to originate around a pipe, vent, chimney or other penetrating element, you will need someone to inspect the area more closely. You are best advised not to try this yourself. The surface of slate is by its very nature unstable for walking. And if repairs are necessary, you will not want to attempt this by yourself either.

One trick of the trade for determining if you need any slate roof repairs is to check the attic for dust. Yes, attics are covered with all manner of tiny particles. For this test you need to determine if what you are seeing is slate (rock) dust.

This is a definite sign of deterioration as is the presence of flaking on the outer surfaces, which can end up on the ground around the edges of the house or in the gutters.

The weakest parts that will most likely be the causes for you to have slate roof repairs are the surrounding elements. The flashing that is used around all penetrating parts as well as in valleys and at the edges is probably going to be the first thing that needs repair. These components are made of metal and will not last as long as the slate.

Flashing can be seen above the slate application, but it is also found underneath the stone. This may have damage or corrosion and you will not know it until you see a leak. This is not a job for the amateurs among us. There are many skills and techniques to safely and correctly fixing these problems. Leave this one to the pros.

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Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=123220&ca=Home+Management