Roofing how do

That means whoever does the work needs the know-how and the integrity to do the job right. The first way that roofs shed water is their slope. The greater the slope of a roof, the faster water runs off it, and the less time it has in which to find a hole to leak through. All roofs slope. Roof shapes range from flat roofs as the most affordable option, offering, space for mechanicals or a rooftop deck to to the most common A-framed gabled roof built in a variety of pitches to best shed water and snow.

Coastal homes benefit from the low profiles of the four sided hip roof that resist hurricane winds and lift-off. Mansard roofs, the other curved hip roof, originated during the Empire period and is the favored design for spooky mansions belonging to likes of the Munsters and the Adams family. The gambrel roof is recognized for sheltering stacks of hay in the archetypical American barn. Both roofs deliver max headroom for storage or a cathedral height ceiling for additional, luxurious living space.

The peak of a roof is called a ridge, the bottom is the eave, and sloping edges are called rakes. Where two roof planes meet at an inside corner is a valley, while at an outside corner the intersection is a hip. Underlying all these roofs will be the frame, which consists either of rafters or of trusses. Rafters are cut on site from framing lumber such as 2x10s. Pre-fabricated trusses are webs of smaller, 2-by-4, members assembled in factories, delivered to the site and craned into place.

Atop the rafters or trusses will be sheathing, usually of plywood or OSB, although older houses may have tongue and groove or narrow 1-by skip sheathing boards of sawn lumber. Roofs rarely leak in the middle.

The problem areas tend to be valleys, eaves, and where roofs meet walls, chimneys, or plumbing vents. Special treatment in the form of flashing is required in these areas.

Flashing is usually metal, ranging from zinc, copper or lead on the high end, to the far more common aluminum. It all can work well and last the lifetime of the roof—the key is proper installation. One common issue is discoloration or moss growth. Discoloration is usually due to algae or mildew growth, and as with moss, the problem can be solved with the addition of zinc flashing and strips higher up the roof. As zinc gradually leaches out of the strips, it kills the organisms that are covering the roof.

Shingles curling at the edges or losing their mineral surface are more serious. Both are signs that a roof is nearing the end of its life. Steeper roofs can be covered with a variety of materials , with asphalt shingles being the most common and one of the easier DIY options. Even here you need to choose between three-tab shingles and architectural shingles. Three tab shingles are called that because each 3-foot long shingle is divided with slots into three-tabs. A single panel of three shingles are nailed down at once for the simplest look of a slate roof configuration.

Architectural asphalt shingles are built up and shaped to replicate the look of many different roof shingles like octagon scales or hand staved shakes. As a result, these dimensional shingles are often heavier and thicker. There are a variety of metal choices, from copper to the more common aluminum and steel that is galvanized or coated for corrosion-resistance. At this point, the soil elevators should be removed. These are used to moderate the height to which the plants grow before installation, and allows for water, nutrients, and other healthy organisms to pass from planter to planter.

Note that, if doing this step yourself, you will need to pull the soil elevator out at an angle to avoid damaging the plants. Once all the trays have been set, the edging needs to be secured to the roof, and the plants should be watered. Receiving certificates from LEED will financially assist with projects that fall under their definitions and regulations of what is environmentally positive.

By installing a green roof onto your building, you may qualify to receive credits from LEED that can lead to financial assistance. There are a variety of aspects of your green roof that can help you qualify, including:. Firstly, bring in a structural engineer to not only ensure that your roof can handle the weight of such a job but to better understand what you can do to further protect your home in the process.

If the weight of your green roof shifts or changes, you may need to take the time to restabilize portions of it, moving planters around for better support and safety. Restabilizing portions of your roof may make an important difference in protecting yourself and your investments.

Secondly, reach out to a trusted contractor to see if they complete green roof jobs, as well as to get a quote. Considering this will also give you an idea of what the transportation charges average, depending on how far away the group lives from where you are located.

You can also take this time to ask questions about the intensive or extensive formats, helping you to make a decision on which type you will be working with moving forward.

Lastly, once you have all the information you need and have a good idea on the direction you want to take the project in, you should talk to those who live in your building or family and friends if you intend to do this yourself. If so, you will likely be able to use the assistance of those around you to make the process easier, whether it be physical labor the day of the installation, any tools you may need to collect for the process, or for future maintenance of the green roof.

Your article is very informative but to build the roof there is always company. I know the experienced contractors provide every kind of Roofing Services.

They can maintain, repair and provide other services too. I am also interested in making my roof green and ecofriendly but I am confused about how it will react to the humidity that a green roof will formulate or is there any danger of leakage to seep through the roof?

All Rights Reserved. Website design and development by Viv Web Solutions. Contact Us Newsletter Jobs and Internships. In urban settings, the inclusion of green roofs reduces the overall heat conducted by the buildings, covering many of the surfaces that would generate the most warmth.

The plants prevent the distribution of smog and dust while also catching many of the pollutants found in the air. Green roofs can be public spaces, such as gardens or recreational areas, to be enjoyed by the community. Due to the amount of work and money that goes into the creation and installation of green roofs, the use of them in a neighborhood can result in an increase of jobs and revenue for local businesses.

Since your roof is covered by plants, the amount of it exposed to the elements is limited, enabling the roof membrane to last much longer than if unprotected. Green roofs reduce the amount of energy your house needs for heating, saving you money. The fire retardation provided by green roofs helps protect your home.

Since green roofs utilize waste products that would otherwise end up in landfills, as well as extending the lifespan of your other household products like an HVAC system, the use of one reduces the amount of waste generated by your home. The weight of the green roof may result in liability issues if the pressure of it causes sagging. Any damage the plants might do to the building, such as the roots growing into the shingles, will result in costly repairs.

There are a variety of aspects of your green roof that can help you qualify, including: Employing a variety of plants that promote biodiversity while requiring little or no upkeep. We are slowly getting to the end of the installation. Now on the other edge of the valley, you can overlay the valley, hit a chalk line, and gently trim the piece that is located at the center of the valley. While doing this, you should keep the nails 12 inches away from the center of the valley and use a 4-inch wide roofing cement bed to attach everything.

You can simply overlap the sheets at the ridge using the cement and nails for the final piece. But note that the last piece does not come down at least 8 inches past the ridge peak.

Ensure that the peak embedded in the cement is well covered. You can seal your roll roof with cement. The cement is often applied on the surface of the nails. The seal will glue the nails to the roof. The reason is simple: both roll roofing and shingles are a composition of the same asphalt material. Besides, roll roofing is easier to install on your roof. Depending on the number of existing seals, you may want to remove the covering. It depends on your budget, but installing an underlay is not out of necessity but preference.

While roll roof underlay is not costly, they offer some layers of protection. Make sure you nail down the underlay and then roll it, making sure it is both smooth and flat. If you are dealing with a slanted roof, then you should strip off roofing materials, and position them to flush with the drip edges along the eave and rake.

Then attach them by pushing the two rows of nails and use the trowel to spread the cement over half of the strips. Finally, roll and position the roofing cautiously as repositioning is not an easy task. Now you can press it into the cement and drive nails into its top edge.