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Being a homeowner can be overwhelming at times. Think about it - how many times have you let the "honey do" list get out of hand? Maintaining a home takes organization, skill, money and time. Let's face it - who has an abundance of that? In today's busy world, we're constantly looking for new ways to save time & money.

One of the most important parts of maintaining the exterior of your home involves maintaining your roof. In the past, there weren't the vast number roofing options there are today. Composite roofing is a great option for individuals who want the authentic tile or slate look without the hassle of installing or maintaining it.

1. Composite roofing takes less time to install.Composite roofing tile is so lightweight that it is not necessary to reinforce a roof like you would need to do with traditional slate or concrete/clay tile. Removing this step speeds up installation time. Composite roofing tiles looks like authentic clay and slate roof tiles but aren't as heavy and difficult to work with.

2. Not interested in replacing your roof so often? Composite roofing is a long-lasting alternative. Most high-quality composite roofing products offer a long warranty too. Distinction Tile and Distinction Slate both by Trimline Building Productsoffer great warranties.

3. Composite roofing is more durable than traditional clay or concrete roofing products. There is less breakage and waste than traditional roof tiles. Composite roofing products are made from High Density Polyethylene. Most composite roofing products are 100% recyclable at the end of its life.

4. Composite roofing products perform well under high UV light and low temperatures. Composite roofing materials can withstand a wide range of weather from sub-zero temperatures to relentless heat and sun exposure.

5. Similar to traditional clay roofing tiles, composite roofing is available in a variety of colors. Find out how different color combinations look by using the Trimline Building Product's Interactive Roof Designer.

Today's homeowner has more choices than ever. Choosing wisely will save you time and money in the long run.

It's every homeowner's worst nightmare: a leaking roof. Whether it's been caused by wear and tear or is the result of a hurricane, this is a situation that requires immediate attention. Failure to take proper action can seriously compromise the structural integrity of your roof, as well as cause major damage to the interior of your home. Simply slapping some plastic over a damaged roof is not sufficient; you must make sure that you use the right materials and take the correct measures to do the job right.

When a leak occurs in a roof, the damage extends far beyond the shingles and structure of the roof itself. A roof that experiences water damage can weaken or rot; over time, it can even completely collapse. Also, water damage can result in mold, which can further weaken your roof and make it structurally unsound. Therefore, as soon as a roof has incurred damages that may cause leaks, it needs to be covered thoroughly with the proper material.

The first - and most important - step in properly covering your damaged roof is choosing the right kind of tarp. One of the most popular, widely used choices is 2.7 ounce blue tarp. This kind of tarp is a big seller because it comes in a huge selection of sizes and is one of the least expensive options. However, you do get what you pay for: in exchange for saving a few dollars, you run the risk of not properly protecting your roof. Blue tarp is just not heavy duty enough to do this important job adequately.

Rather than skimp on the materials, you should invest in a heavy duty tarp that will do the job right. A great example is a silver, 6.0 ounce per square yard style tarp. These are incredibly strong and tear resistant. Using a tarp like this to protect your damaged roof is a great first step in ensuring that further, irreversible damages do not occur.

Once you have purchased the proper kind of tarp, gather the other necessary supplies. You will need a couple of 2 x 4 wood strips, nails, a hammer, a knife, safety glasses and a ladder. You will preferably want to have all of these supplies at the ready on a utility belt so that your hands are free. Pinpoint the areas on the roof where the damage has occurred and where leaks have started, then carry your silver tarp and tools to the roof and follow these steps:

1) Roll out enough of the tarp to cover the damaged section(s) of the roof; it should extend from the eaves to the peak, and it should be cut so that an additional four feet are on either end.

2) The 2 x 4's should be two feet longer than the width of the tarp; wrap one end of the tarp around one of them. Carefully nail in or staple the tarp to the 2 x 4.

3) Nail another 2 x 4 over the tarp that is already secured to the first 2 x 4; the tarp will now be between the two strips of wood.

4) Place the secured end of the tarp on the eaves line; drape the tarp over the ridge and to the other side of the roof.

5) Secure the other end of the tarp the same way you did the first one (see step 3); nail it to the roof cheathing.

6) Use additional 2 x 4's to nail down and secure the other sides of the tarp.

By purchasing the right kind of tarp and carefully following these steps, you can make sure your roof is properly protected. Why run the risk of having your roof destroyed? Doing this job the right way, with the right materials, is imperative.

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.

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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 . . .