Home Improvement Articles

Choosing a new roof for a new home or re-roofing project can be a daunting task. Considering the diversity of perspectives and concerns of architects, designers, contractors, suppliers, building departments, architectural committees, sub contractors, building inspectors (and there may be others!), it’s easy to understand why it can be difficult to make sense of all the voices. I’ve been in the business 30 plus years and harmony from that choir is something I have learned not to expect.

Various Kinds of Metal Roofs

Roofing is very serious business. As such, it is critical that you choose the best metal roof materials every single time. If you are having a contractor do the job for you, they may very well provide their own materials.

This will make your decisions much easier.

The most crucial part of any home is undoubtedly the roof. Without a good solid roof up above, all of the contents and family are at risk from the elements or worst case scenario, a collapse.  It is important to inspect the roof after every winter season and before the rainy season begins.  The best method is to climb up onto the roof and walk around looking for missing shingles, soft spots, or cracks along where any skylights or vent stacks protrude from the roof.  This task is not recommended for the average homeowner, but is best left to a professional.

There are many different roofing materials that are commonly used today. The most frequently used are asphalt shingles.  The majority of shingles manufactured come with warranties of 10, 20, 25, 30 years, or lifetime depending upon the grade and model of shingle used.  It is important to differentiate the difference of warranties covering materials or installation.  Most warranties do not cover the actual workmanship of the roofing installation.  If the installers made errors while installing the shingles or roofing system, then quite commonly the standard warranty will not help with the repair costs. 

The top grade of the premium line of many shingle manufacturers’ warranty does cover all aspects of the the materials and even roofing installation.  Some major shingle manufacturers are able to do this because of a certified training program that each roofing installer is required to to pass in order to install the premium product.  With this best warranty coverage, however, does come a higher initial cost.  The higher cost may not appear to be worth the extra investment until the homeowner realizes that the potential repair and replacement costs in the future will only continue to increase.

Another roofing material more commonly used in warmer climates are roofing tiles.

Eaves are the part of the roof that overhangs from the building wall line average five hundred millimeters wide. This area is covered by a boarding of timber or PVC tongue and groove, gypsum or weather proof materials. If this part of the building is not covered or is damaged due to weather, it could lead to rodents or birds nesting in the open ceiling.