Roofing Material: 6 Choices For Your New And Improved Roof

With the variety of roof materials available these days, here are six options to help make choosing the right one for your roofing project a little easier.

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.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.Roofing Material #5: Metal Metal roofs are cheap, rugged, and long lasting. They vary from the low end of galvanized metal, like you would see on a barn, to high end copper. Metal roofs can be a great residential roofing option, as it is generally maintenance free and can protect from fire damage in high fire areas. Metal is another roofing material that requires proper installation as even small mistakes can cause leaks.Roofing Material #1: Asphalt Shingles Asphalt shingles are the most common roofing material seen on American homes these days. They are an inexpensive roofing option and they come in a variety of colors. They are generally guaranteed for 20 to 30 years and require no maintenance. The drawback is that this roofing material is so common your roof won�t stand out from the crowd, however the asphalt shingles have great value in their durability and ease of installation. You can choose from the standard 3-tab shingles or upgrade to a thicker architectural shingle. Ask your contractor for samples of each to determine which type of asphalt shingle is the roofing material best suited for your residential roofing project.Metal: Drip Edge and Rake EdgeIn 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!These days there are many types of roofing shingles that are manufactured to look like wood or shake, among other things. These products meet fire codes and restrictions and can often be cost effective and low maintenance. A good contractor can help guide you in your selection of engineered roofing materials.Metal: Chimneys and SkylightsAs 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.Roof Deck ProtectionThink 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.

Ceramic roofing material is most commonly seen in Mediterranean style homes. The most often used ceramic is the barrel tile, or the half cylinder, but also common is the ceramic clay tile roofing material. Ceramic roofs are beautiful but are heavy and the installation is quite labor intensive. A good contractor can locate master roofers to ensure proper installation of a ceramic roof.

Author: Elite Roofing and Home Improvements