Home Improvement » Roofing

Need a new roof? What you should know about roofing systems

Author — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:56:16 +0000

Photo courtesy of Owens Corning

(ARA) – Fall is prime time to put a new roof on your home. But before you spring into action, there are a few things you should know. Most importantly, buying new shingles without the rest of the roofing system is like buying a car with no engine.

“Even the highest-quality shingles cannot work to protect a home if one other part of your roofing system isn’t operating in perfect concert with the other parts,” says Bert Elliott, Owens Corning roofing systems expert.

So what is a roofing system, and how do you choose one that’s right for you? Here are a few tips:

First, know the signs that it’s time to replace your roof. Most likely your roof has asphalt shingles, as four out of five roofs in the United States do. Conduct a simple visual inspection from a ladder or by viewing the roof through binoculars. Signs that it might need replacing or repair include algae growth on the shingles, damaged flashing around chimneys and other openings, buckling, curling, blistering, missing shingles or rotten wood in the attic.

Next you’ll need to make sure that you understand what a roofing system is to know what to ask your contractor. It’s easy, if you think of your roof serving three important purposes: protection from the elements, ventilation and beautification.

* Ice and water barriers protect vulnerable areas such as eaves and valleys from ice, snow and driving rain.

* Underlayment products provide protection against water seepage between the shingles and the roof deck.

* Shingles protect your home from the elements while adding curb appeal as they can make up to 50 percent of the face of your home.

* Hip and ridge shingles add extra protection and style to a home’s roof ridge line.

* Gutter protection prevents clogs, while allowing water to flow freely.

*Ventilation products help ensure that your attic is properly ventilated, preventing mold growth.

* Attic insulation allows homes to become more energy efficient by maintaining a more comfortable temperature year round.

Ideally, all parts of your roofing system should come from a single manufacturer as it is designed to work together for maximum performance.

“While your contractor is up on the top of your home, ask him or her to make sure your attic is sufficiently insulated. A properly insulated attic helps increase the energy efficiency of your home and make your home more comfortable,” Elliott says. “The best part is it pays for itself over time in energy saved – a properly insulated home can help save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling bills and insulation is eligible for the tax credit too, according to the government’s Web site for the ENERGY STAR program.”

Once you understand the parts of a roofing system, consider how a roof can impact the curb appeal of a home. Work with your contractor to find a style and color that coordinates with the siding, colors, and style of your home.

Choosing a contractor to install your new roof is just as important as choosing the overall system itself. Use references from friends and family, and online resources like Owens Corning’s contractor locator – found at www.owenscorning.com – to gather names and information on candidates. Be sure to check contractors’ license status before you seek bids from them. And don’t automatically go for the lowest bid – be sure competing bids are comparing apples to apples before you decide on one.

To learn more about complete roofing systems for your home, visit www.roofingsystem.com

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Asphalt Shingles — Are They The Best Investment For Your Home?

Author — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:57:01 +0000

(ARA) – During this time of economic uncertainty, you may be hesitant to invest money in your home. It is important to remember, though, that your home is a valuable asset. In order to maintain your investment, home maintenance or repair projects are essential. An important area of your home to maintain is the roof, which may provide up to 50 percent of your home’s exterior protection.

A roof repair or upgrade is one type of home investment that will likely maintain its value. Many American homeowners may be unfamiliar with the process to repair or upgrade their existing roof. Consider creating a list of goals and a budget. Then, it is important to research your options.

Asphalt shingles are a practical choice, and are one of the most widely used residential roofing materials. Asphalt accounts for more than 80 percent of all new and replacement roofing applications. Asphalt has been the most popular roofing material in North America for the past 150 years, according to the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association.

“Asphalt shingles remain a popular choice because they’re economical, long-lasting and readily available,” says Kent Blanchard, vice president of roofing manufacturing for TAMKO Building Products Inc. “There are two basic types of asphalt shingles: three-tab and laminated.”

Blanchard says it is important to gain some basic knowledge of asphalt roofing products before making a purchase. To help you better understand asphalt shingles, he offers the following information on common types:

Three-Tab Asphalt Shingles

For many years, three-tab asphalt roofing shingles have been a popular choice for homeowners. These shingles are made from individual layers of fiberglass mat, an asphalt roofing base material manufactured from glass fibers that provides additional strength to the shingle. The fiberglass mat is dipped in asphalt and coated with fire-resistant granules. Classic three-tab asphalt roofing shingles generally include a 15 to 30-year warranty and are one of the more cost-efficient roofing product options.

Laminated Asphalt Shingles

Often used for replacement jobs and on new, upscale homes, laminated asphalt shingles have increasingly become a popular choice among homeowners. Also known as “architectural shingles” or “three-dimensional shingles,” laminated asphalt shingles have added dimensionality because of extra layers of fiberglass mat, which create a wood shake-like appearance. Laminated asphalt shingles provide a more distinctive look when compared to classic three-tab asphalt shingles.
According to ARMA, laminates are gaining ground in new construction. When reroofing, three-tab asphalt shingles remain the more popular choice, however industry experts predict the laminate category will continue to grow.
You may want to consider a premium laminated asphalt shingle, which typically comes with a longer warranty and additional advantages that could save you money in the future. For example, TAMKO’s Heritage Vintage premium laminated asphalt shingles are backed by a 50-year limited warranty and include a Class-A fire rating.

“If you’re planning to sell your home when the economy recovers, the shingles you select could affect your return on investment,” says Blanchard. “When you’re ready to make repairs or upgrade your roof, take your time, do your homework and select the roofing shingles that are the best investment for your home.”

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Being Exceptionally Professional

Jennifer — Mon, 25 May 2009 22:40:25 +0000

If you are a roof cleaning contractor, it is vital that you eventually have the entire possible roof cleaning equipment collection when you arrive on site to do the job that your customer is paying you for. You should not have to go off in a hurry to also go find some major roof cleaning equipment while you are on a customer’s premises.

If you have done a quote for the customer you would have taken a proper look at the roof and done a full inspection also to see for any other problems that may occur in the near future. By doing a proper and full inspection of the roof, even though you are only required to hopefully clean it, the customer will gain trust with you too and refer you if your service as been exceptionally good too.

Time Is Money

There is however times that you can improvise with some of the roof cleaning equipment, but not all. The pressure hose is one that you cannot do without for clay tile roof cleaning, as this is when time will start costing you money after you have budgeted to do the job in one day. After all the responsibility lies with you that all your equipment is in good working order, and you definitely cannot go and charge the customer more out of the blue since your roof cleaning equipment has suddenly failed to do what it is supposed to do.

The DIY Way

If you are planning to clean your roof yourself, you can rent roof cleaning equipment from hiring places, the only major rental that you would have is the pressure hose, which you could hire over a weekend and take your time to do a proper job without rushing to return the roof cleaning equipment in one day. Usually if you rent equipment on a Saturday you don’t pay for the Sunday, and only have to return the goods by the Monday morning. This way saves you money too.

If you feel you don’t have the need to rent roof cleaning equipment before repainting your entire roof, you will soon see that you were very, very wrong. Every little piece of old flaky paint should be removed, the roof should then be sound enough to put paint on that has a primer mixed with it for better adhesion. The best time of day to do roof cleaning is in the morning or late afternoon, as the spray of the water will only make you burn more in the midday sun and heat, or in the opposite direction to which the sun is moving, and hose with the wind if possible.

How To Get A Flat Roofing Contractor To Complete His Job To Your Satisfaction

Jennifer — Fri, 22 May 2009 22:26:55 +0000

There are several factors that you need to take into account before entrusting a flat roofing contractor with the task of fixing your flat roof. The first important consideration is positive as well as proper drainage of your roof. This in turn means ensuring that the flat roofing contractor should be capable of providing the right amount of slope that typically should not be more than about a fourth of an inch which will be enough to ensure that water does not form ponds on your roof that in fact, is one of the main reasons why a roof often develops a leak as well as results in roof failures.

Base Sheet

The next factor that you need to ask your flat roofing contractor to fix is the base sheet. It would be a good idea to have your own information in regard to what makes the best base sheet as then you will be in a better position to instruct your flat roofing contractor as to which material is best for your flat roof. Typically, you should ask for a three-ply as well as self-adhesive base sheet which will provide your flat roof with a professional quality and which when attached mechanically will allow for easy removal of the base sheet ? whenever it is needed.

The third most important aspect to instructing your flat roofing contractor is to ask them to use mid-ply that also has a smooth surface which will prevent your roof from suffering from weakness and which also provides back-up layer to prevent water penetrating into the seam of your cap sheet.

Next, you need to get your flat roofing contractor to fix the drip edge which should be done after the mid-ply has been rolled down – properly and tightly. You must instruct the flat roofing contractor to lap the metal a minimum of three inches and then to seal under this lap with material such as asphalt cement that is especially suited for roofing.

The last act that you need to get your flat roofing contractor to perform is to get them to install the cap sheet while also using full width course that should be allowed to hang over the drip edge by about a quarter of an inch.

It is also necessary knows how to hire the best industrial roofing contractor. Price is an important factor as too is reliability and adherence to deadlines. Such contractors are often used to do the roofing for small sized business’s buildings as well as for doing roofing that a homeowner cannot ordinarily perform on their own.

Roof Cleaning Chemicals: What To Do When Your Lovely Roof Turns Black

Jennifer — Tue, 19 May 2009 22:48:19 +0000

Watching your lovely composite roof turn black with roof algae can be quite distressing. Although algae do not necessary destroy your roof in record time but it can make your roof look dirty and ugly. Fortunately, you do not have to put up with a blackened roof for long. There are plenty of roof cleaning chemicals sold in the market that can help remove roof algae in no time. The best part of it is that most of these roof cleaning chemicals can prevent the algae from coming back.

Why should you use roof cleaning chemicals instead of just water and soap? According to people who are into the roof cleaning business, good old water and soap is not effective in removing algae from your composite roof. The idea of using soap and water to clean off a huge area of composite roof is not exactly that appealing. If your house is big, you will probably end up using galloons and gallons of soap and water just to get the whole area cleaned up. Besides, using soap and water to clean your roof may not be that safe after all. Just imagine how slippery your roof will become when it is drenched in soapy water. Wet slippery roofs increase the risk of accidents. Besides, soap and water is not a guarantee the removal of those stubborn algae stains. Take note that algae stains can be tough to remove from composite roofs. Only roof cleaning chemicals may be able to remove most if not all the strains on your composite roof.

Buying Roof Cleaning Chemicals

A lot of people think that all roof cleaning chemicals can remove algae stains on roofs. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Despite what those manufacturers of roof cleaning chemicals have to say about their products, some of these products are not as effective as they should be. Some of those cheap cleaning chemicals cannot remove stubborn stains. Moreover, some these roof cleaning chemicals are harmful to your roof and to the environment. Make no mistakes about it, some of these roof cleaning chemicals contain very strong ingredients that can damage your roof. If you do not want to end up with faded roof colors or worst, corrosion on your roof, you need to be very careful when buying roof cleaning products. Before you buy any roof cleaning chemicals, you need to read the label first and make sure that it does not contain any harsh chemicals that may damage your roof.

How to Put on Asphalt Roofing Shingles

Jennifer — Sat, 16 May 2009 22:47:20 +0000

Whether you are a professional roofer or just want to fix your own roof there are a few things that you are going to want to learn more about first. Roofing is not a job that you want to take lightly and just do on a whim. Instead, you are going to want to learn at least a bit about the basics and make sure that you know what you are doing before getting on that roof.

How to Shingle Your Roof

The first step to reshingling a roof is to decide what sort of shingles that you want. The asphalt roofing shingles are the most commonly chosen, but there are other types besides the asphalt roofing shingles that you can choose from as well. It is important to look at the particular roof that you are going to be working on, what sort of shape it has and where it is located, and use these factors to determine what sort of shingles, asphalt roofing shingles or other, are going to be best .

Now you are going to want to consider and plan your asphalt roofing shingles process, for your safety and the safety of anyone else who is going to be working on the job with you. After all, roofing projects are fraught with danger, and so the last thing you want is to get up there unprepared and have it result in an unexpected accident.

Whether you are fixing or replacing roof shingles, you are going to want to take a look at the weather, make sure that you have the proper safety equipment, and that you are otherwise all set up to head up on the roof and get the job done.

The best idea is going to be for you to have a big toolbox that you can put your asphalt roofing shingles and other supplies in so that you just have one thing to carry up the ladder and won’t have to worry about coming up and down the ladder several times just to get what you need.

Now when you are ready to actually start shingling, you want to start at the bottom corner and work your way up in even rows. Make sure, the entire time, that you are checking for proper ventilation and spacing throughout, and once you have all of the flat surfaces covered you are going to want to look at the valleys and see that these are done properly as well.

The Perils Of Employing The Wrong Roofing Contractor

Jennifer — Wed, 13 May 2009 23:06:00 +0000

Though paying a roofing contractor his price is not something that any homeowner relishes doing there is also no sense in hiring the wrong contractor whose charges may be low but so too will be their quality of work. It is therefore not advisable that you choose your roofing contractor solely on the basis of his quote ? as cheap as it may be. One little slip in choosing the proper roofing contractor can do a lot of damage to your home and what may have seemed a real bargain can turn out to be a very costly mistake in the end.

Things Going Wrong

You need to select your roofing contractor very carefully because otherwise things will start to go wrong and typically it can mean having to deal with leaking roofs as well as needing to pay another roofing contractor to fix the original contractor’s errors. So, why not instead pay heed to a few tips that will help ensure that you get the right and best deal?

By choosing the roofing contractor carefully you can avoid needing to have to pay to change your interiors because of damage done to parts of the building on account of leaking roofs. A leak can ruin the drywall as well as cause wood to rot and mold may also set in. In addition, leakages can ruin the flooring and furniture as well as your cherished photographs and electronic gadgets as well as any priceless items of family heirlooms.

In addition, besides these expenses a leaking roof that is the handiwork of a bad roofing contractor will also mean that your insurance provider will baulk at insuring your property. And, if they do agree to insure your property they will charge much higher premiums.

Next, the wrong roofing contractor can do considerable damage to your home and that in turn could mean that finding a buyer for your property will become especially harder and the price that you will get too will be well short of expectations. Last but not least, you might need to get the job redone which means that all your time money and effort in hiring the wrong roofing contractor will end up having been wasted and you will need to pay double for redoing the work.

There are also times when you will need to hire a metal roofing contractor to do the metal roofing installation because the job might not be easily accomplished with a do-it-yourself approach. No doubt, doing it yourself will help minimize costs as well as help you develop your own capabilities; however, the contractor is a specialist and so will be in a better position to offer better services that in turn is essential to the proper upkeep of a building.

Roof Cleaning: Easy Steps In Cleaning And Protecting Your Metal Roof

Jennifer — Sun, 10 May 2009 22:42:02 +0000

Metal roofs are some of the most durable types of roofs. If well maintained, metal roofs can endure even the most severe weather conditions. In fact, good quality metal roofs may be able to last for several years, possibly a lifetime. The key here is proper maintenance and roof cleaning. With proper maintenance and roof cleaning, you can preserve the good condition of your roof. No, you cannot cut corners when it comes to roof cleaning. When you get sloppy or lazy in cleaning your roof, you can get into trouble. Remember that damaged roof cost a lot of money to repair so make sure that you do not cut corners when it comes to roof cleaning. To help you keep your roof in good condition, here are some easy steps for you.

Do Regular Roof Cleaning

Regular roof cleaning is very important if you want to keep your roof in good condition. Remove debris and leaves from your metal roof regularly. Remember that rotting debris and leaves may cause corrosion on your metal roof. Moreover, you should remove all plants that may grow on your roof. Sometimes, seeds that are carried by the wind find a nice place to grow on your roof. When this happens, be sure to remove the plant immediately. These plants, no matter how small can cause a lot of damages on your roof.

When cleaning your roof, be sure to apply the right kind of roof cleaning products. As much as possible, go for those organic roof cleaning products. The good thing about these organic roof cleaning products is that they are biodegradable and do not cause so much pollution to the environment. Moreover, since these organic cleaning products are made of natural ingredients, they are less likely to be toxic or harmful to human beings and pets.

Repaint Your Roof When Needed

Painting your roof is important both for aesthetic and maintenance reasons. Painted roofs are less likely to suffer from corrosion than those unpainted roofs. If your metal roof is unpainted, now is the right time to paint it. On the other hand, if your metal roof is painted, make sure that the paint is still in good condition. Check the paint of your roof when you do roof cleaning. Be on the look out for bubble like appearance on painted roofs. The bubble like appearance in your painted roof can mean that your roof is corroding. To prevent further damage, remove the paint and scrap off the source of the corrosion. After scrapping the source of the corrosion, repaint that portion of the roof.

A Guide to Flat Roof Repair

Jennifer — Thu, 07 May 2009 22:27:39 +0000

Working on a flat roof is going to be different than if you were working on any other type of a roof and you need to be aware of this going into the job. If you are not educated enough and do not know what you are doing then you are going to be able to go through with any flat roof repair job successfully and are probably going to end up stuck.

Whether you are going to be working on rubber roof repair or any other flat roof repair, there are a few things in particular that are going to be helpful to you and which will be discussed more here.

Getting Started

When you have an angled roof the rain or snow will usually just fall right off but with a flat roof you have to deal with a lot of different situations. A lot of rain or snow buildup on a flat roof can cause leaks or other problems, and even potentially cause the roof itself to cave right in.

This is why you have to be especially careful if you have a flat roof on your home, and make sure that you are always keeping your eyes on it for damage, especially water damage and leaking in the home.

Now when it comes to flat roof repair, one of the best things that you can do if you need to go through with flat roof repair is sweep the roof to get off any dust or dirt. This is important because you want to get it away from the area that you are going to be working on before you get started. Plus, the roofing cement that you need to use in most cases on a flat roof is not going to work properly if the surface is not clean before applying it.

You are also going to want to cut out around any of the cracked or peeling areas with a razor knife and then once you have done this you remove each of the bad sections. This way you are really going to be starting off brand new with your flat roof repair and will be coming out of this all with the best possible results.

Remember that the materials you are going to need will vary from one type of job to another but there are a few basic tools for working on a flat roof that you are almost always going to need including roofing nails, putty knives, brooms, hammers, and utility knives.

The Right Kind Of Roof Over Your Head

Jennifer — Mon, 04 May 2009 22:38:54 +0000

Having corrugated roofing material on your home’s roof means usually one thing, a steel roof. It can however be a resin based corrugated roofing material, which is used for sun rooms to allow more light through. It is also not uncommon for people to use both steel corrugated roofing material and the resin based one together as their profiles can be matched. It does not make a difference what material is used, but the shape or the waves or arches in the corrugated roofing material mean it is corrugated.

So even if someone mentions clay roof tiles they too will be corrugated. This profile was designed for joining long sheets of materials that water cannot easily flow from one sheet into the other, so when these corrugated roofing material sheets are laid, they are laid with at least overlapping one wave where the joins are, for safety measure they should be overlapped by two waves, but since roofing contractors like to make more money with ordering too much stock and using as little as possible, only one overlap is done with the wave.

If you do have tin roofing material on your roof, you will have to use a lot of sound proofing in-between the roof and your ceiling, as you will hear every shower sounding like applause when it does come down. Tin roofing is usually used for stores and warehouses. It would not be a good idea to use this material for your home as in summer if you have very high temperatures, you will be sweating very soon, and the same goes for winter, as there is no real density or thickness to the roof covering itself.

Increasing Value Of The Home

When you have a house designed it is critical to know what type of roofing you will be having, as the trusses have to be designed to carry the weight of it. Corrugated roofing material is not as heavy as clay tiles if measured per square meter, and by not considering this, could cause a roof that was originally designed for some light materials to be used to cave in if a heavier material was used.

The roof on a home completes the home; it should however also compliment it. It doesn’t help building a stunning expensive home and then putting on the cheapest of materials just to get the house finished, do the job properly and completely. Since the value of your home also depends on your roofing material, rather use clay tiles if you can afford them.