There are plenty of necessary components that comprise the exterior of your house. One of the most important? The roof. That’s why selecting the right roofing for your home is such a vital part of the home-planning process.
Repair or Replace?
If you’re in the market for a new roof, you have two basic options, according to the National Roofing Contractors Association. You can tear off your existing roof system and do a complete roof replacement or re-cover your existing roof system. If you’ve already done one re-cover of your roof system, you’ll likely have to go for a complete replacement, as most building codes only allow one roof system re-cover.
If your roof existing roofing has sustained any damage or leaks, you’ll likely want to remove the existing roof and repair the substrate before installing a new roof.
Roof System Components
Even if you plan to hire someone else to handle your roof replacement, it’s a good idea to know the basic components of your roof.
Steep-slope roof systems (those with a slope of 25 percent or more) have five main parts, according to the National Roofing Contractors Association:
1. Roof Covering. This consists of shingles, tile, slate, or metal, as well as an underlayment to protect the sheathing from weathering. (I’ll post more about roofing materials soon!)
2. Sheathing. The boards or sheet material that are fastened to the roof rafters to cover a house or building.
3. Roof Structure. The structure includes the rafters and trusses constructed to support the sheathing.
4. Flashing. To prevent water seepage, this sheet metal or other material is installed into the roof system’s joints and valleys.
5. Drainage. This is the shape, slope, and layout of the roof system, which affects its ability to shed water.
Style Considerations
Your roof not only protects your home from the elements, it’s also a major feature of your exterior. For that reason, you’ll want to consider material selection carefully.
How prominent is your roof? Large, steep roofs will have a much greater visual impact on the exterior home—and may require more careful selection of roofing materials style and color—than smaller, lower-sloped roofs that are less visible.
Use your home’s architecture as a starting point for narrowing down your roofing choices. For instance, tile is commonly found on Mediterranean- or Southwestern-style homes, while standing-seam metal roofing offers a more contemporary touch.
Consider color too. Lighter roofing can make a house appear larger, while darker roofing can make larger houses seem less imposing. On the flip side, however, in an area with a lot of houses close together, light-color roofing may make the lots appear too crowded; and small houses appear even smaller when topped with dark roofs.
Cost
How much your roofing material costs will, of course, be an important consideration. You will want to factor in your budget as well as the quality of materials—installing a quality roof that will last for years without problems or maintenance may be worth a bit of additional upfront cost. Average-quality asphalt shingles generally will be the least expensive option; clay tile and natural slate usually cost the most.
Stay tuned—you’ll learn more about these materials (and more!) in an upcoming post.
Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All
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