It is important to understand the basics of the various kinds of roofing products that are available. It is impossible to get a reliable roofing quote from a contractor when you have no idea what that contractor is talking about. It only takes a few moments to develop an understanding of the basic products used by the roofing industry.
Roofing shingles come in a wide variety of styles and designs. The most popular kind of shingles are asphalt shingles, which can come in a range of colors. In most cases, asphalt shingles come in what is called a three-tab design. This basically looks like three shingles put together into one piece. A three-tab shingles allows roofers to install quality solutions on larger homes at lower prices.
Cedar roofing shingles are used in some of the warmer parts of the country, and they are made from cedar wood. These shingles offer a very unique look and are often used as part of a home with a colonial or rural look to it.
Another popular type of shingle is the shingle tile. These are also popular in warmer climates and have a very unique look. These are overlapping tiles that can be extremely durable and resistant to weather.
A very popular kind of roofing is metal roofing. Instead of installing individual asphalt, cedar or tile shingles, the roofer will install sheets of metal that are designed with ridges to help displace rainwater. Metal roofing usually requires a special installation of insulation to dampen the loud sounds that can result when rain, small animals and branches make contact with the metal material. Metal roofing is becoming extremely popular in northern climates, mostly because metal roofing tends to last longer than asphalt shingles.
Roof decking is the wood foundation of the roof that is essential to the proper installation of any roof. When a roofing contractor removes old roof tiles, the first thing he will do is inspect the wood decking to ensure it is in good shape. If the decking needs to be replaced, then it is usually done with treated wood that can resist the weather and last for a very long time.
When you watch roofers put a roof on a house, you will notice that they roll down a dark paper along the roof before they install the shingles. That is referred to as the roofing felt and it is used as a protective layer between the roof shingles and the decking. When the job is done, you will usually see the overlapped felt where the roof meets the gutters.
In the areas that experience snow or extreme weather, an ice barrier is installed along the perimeter of the roof. The ice barrier can be as narrow as 18 inches in areas where the ice does not normally collect, or as wide as six feet in areas where the ice can build up and be a problem. In many regions, an ice barrier is a necessary part of a roof installation because of local building codes.
Some homeowners look at flashing as the finishing part of a roofing project in much the same way that crown molding is the finishing part of a room remodeling project. But flashing serves a very important purpose that makes it much more functional than crown molding. Flashing is installed wherever the different levels of the roof meet, or where the roof meets the siding of the house. Flashing is also installed around the external perimeter of the roof to help seal the home from rain and ice.
Roof caps are those areas where the roof peaks and requires a special kind of shingle. When a roofer installs a roof cap, he will sometimes install a protective rubber layer underneath the cap to prevent water from leaking into the home. In order to be effective, a roof cap must be installed in a straight line with clean, overlapping shingles. If the cap is not installed properly, then water can get down underneath the shingles and ruin all of the good work that the roofer did on the rest of the roof.