Key Features of a Good Roof
Taking care of the roof of our house is of paramount importance. The roof is the basic structure of a house. Without a roof, there would be no house. Therefore, it is essential to take care of it properly. Inspection, repairs, and beautifying it are all part of the process. Those would of course be easier for us only if the quality of the roof is initially good. Before deciding on the repairing of roofs, it is crucial to know what makes a good roof. Below are the properties of a
good roof:
1. Resillience
Having a good roof means having a strong roof. How to achieve this is simply by selecting the correct roofing material. Some examples include metal, wood, asphalt, green roofing, or solar roofing. One of the best would be without a doubt asphalt and metal, especially the latter. Metal is known to be super strong with it be very durable. A strong roof means being protected from the harsh conditions outside such as strong winds and snow. One should select materials according to the place one lives. If this particular place is prone to heavy rain, then materials such as metal is to be avoided.
2. Water Resistance
It is fundamental for your roof to be waterproof. This would aid in preventing water leakage and therefore damaging the interior and exterior of the house. Moreover, water can give rise to other problems such as mold and algae. These can however be removed by either using high-pressure water or chemicals. Many materials are today prone to damage by water, such as metal. Therefore, galvanizing is very important in order to prevent it from rusting. Moisture is indeed a huge problem.
3. Fire Resistance
Materials like wood attract fire, however, there are some like slate and metal that are fireproof. Therefore, it is important to look for a roof that will suit your climate. Places that often have forest fires or extreme temperatures in summer cannot use certain materials.
4. Wind Resistance
Strong winds are one of the main hindrances that weaken the roof. One should look for roofs that can resist strong and harsh winds such as metal. Roofing systems such as solar roofing and green roofing are not recommended in this case as they are quite fragile.
5. Proper Drainage
A good drainage system would in the future help to prevent accidents. Most of the time, the gutter gets clogged by debris such as leaves and twigs. To clear it is very important. Moreover, one should make sure that the gutters are all well positioned and also not separating itself from the walls of the house. The gutter is responsible to direct the flow of water from the roof to the ground. If not properly done, it could cause problems such as leakage.
6. Properly Installed Shingles
It is quite common to see when passing, several houses with damaged or missing shingles. A good roof is one which as all of its shingles in its proper state. A missing or loosening shingle has to be replaced for it usually gives rise to water leakage.
7. Design
This, however, is upon oneĀ“s personal taste or facility. Some people prefer flat roofs and others prefer roofs with slopes or other shapes. For example, some prefer slanted roofs because it facilitates the drainage of water.
8. Energy Efficient
Concerning this topic, there are two sides to see. One should either consider saving greater energy in the hot season or cold ones.
Hot seasons: When temperatures are increasing, then energy consumption is too. The need to cool off makes us all wan to turn on the fans and air-conditioners. To minimize the consumption of electricity, solutions like using lighter coloured roofs can be used. Another solution to the problem would be better ventilation in order to cool the warm air. However, all those would be disadvantageous during the winter season.
Cold season: The contrary is to be done. Instead of lighter coloured roofs, one can use darker coloured roofs. It is common knowledge that dark colours help to attract and retain warmth. Therefore, the need to use a heater would be less. Roofs such as the green roof can be implemented. This type of roof is considered nowadays as quite trendy. It is a special type of roof that has vegetation growing on top. This helps as being an insulator. It functions by trapping heat and therefore, keeping the house warm.
Solar roofing is also another possibility. Moreover, all those methods aid in reducing the emission of greenhouse gases by being eco-friendly.
9. Materials
This is honestly the least important characteristic. However, one should also take this point into consideration. Roofs usually demand different types of materials for installation. If those said materials are not easily available all year long, then it could be a huge hindrance in the future. It is always sensible to use materials that are easily available. It would typically facilitate the yearly repairs and also the sudden ones. Imagine having to wait for a month or two for the arrival of the materials!
10. Inspections
Roofs have to undergo regular check-ups. This is essential in order to prevent future accidents. By locating the problem earlier, you prevent the problem from deteriorating. It is always better and helpful to have a roof which is easy to inspect. No need to buy special materials. It is fundamental to do a thorough check-up each year by an expert. This is because experts do it better than us. However, there are some small inspections that we can by ourselves. These include checking the drainage system, the asphalt, checking for the presence of mold and algae.
Having a good roof is therefore really important as it lies in our house. It provides us with shelter, so we should make sure that it is in a position to do so. Do not forget to look at the roof too when buying a house!
In Awe Roofing Limited is an Award-Winning, family owned and operated Vancouver Roofing Contractor with over 17 years of roofing experience. We serve the entire Lower Mainland area, from Whistler to Chilliwack, employing a team of professional staff members. Our team has won numerous awards including Best of Homestars for the last five years, and Three Best Rated six years in a row. Learn more