Your roof makes up quite a significant portion of the exterior of your home. In addition to giving it curb appeal, it also provides safety and security for you and your family. It is expected that you will need to replace or repair your roof at some point while owning your house. According to Zillow, it is a good idea to have your roof inspected annually. Unfortunately, many homeowners do not know much about their roofs and roofing material. Continue reading to find out all the information you need to know.
Common Elements That Make Up Your Roof
There are basic roofing components that all roofs have. No matter the type of roof you have, you can expect all of these various items to be on your roof. Therefore, it is essential that you are familiar with them. According to the Green Home Guide, when you choose the right roofing material, you can decrease the about of energy your home uses by 30%.
Shingles
Singles can be made from various materials, depending on the type of roof you have. Just about all asphalt roofs today in the U.S., roughly 90%, have fiberglass shingles. Regardless of the roofing shingle material, they all serve one main purpose, which is to protect the sheathing underneath from weather elements. Traditional shingles are square. The typical square of shingles is 100 square feet. So when you have a 2,500-square-foot roof, you need 25 squares.
Sheathing
There is a sheet material or boards which are attached to the rafters the cover and protect your home. This material is called sheathing. You may also hear it referred to as the deck of your roof. There is also a seam in every roof that runs along the hip or ridge. The trim is the roofing material that is installed to protect this seam and prevent water and other material from getting inside the roof and into your house. The rafters are slats made of metal or wood that sit inside your home. Their main purpose is to support the shingles and the sheathing. Often the rafters are considered the skeleton, or bones, of your roof.
Underlayment
The underlayment is a material that is similar to paper, and it is also water-resistant. The underlayment is placed over the plywood sheathing and provides a seal that protects it from damaging weather like rain and snow. The underlayment is used in conjunction with a vapor barrier or membrane. This is often a plastic sheet that prevents water and air from getting through the underlayment.
Flashing
The flashing is roofing material that is often sheet metal but could be some other material that is installed on top of the joints of the roof system. The flashing work to prevent water damage to the roof. A joint on your roof. Is anyplace where there is a change in direction. The flashing works to seal these points of directional change from the elements.
Drainage
There is a design feature on your roof that allows it to remove water. This is called the drainage system. Every roof has a slope or pitch. The slope is determined by the number of inches it rises for every foot of horizontal distance it has. This is called the run. An example of this is a roof with a 5-in-12 slope. This means that the roof rises five inches for each foot of distance.
Listed here are just some of the more common roofing elements you should know to get you started. Of course, there is more to know about a roof, but if you believe you are having any problems with your roof, contact a professional to inspect and assess it.
