Roofing materials
November 26, 2008 by Laminate & Hardwood Flooring
Filed under Roofing Materials & Contractors
A variety of roofing materials, each with advantages and disadvantages, can be used to top a house. Location is a top concern when selecting materials, for example in coastal areas where hurricanes are common a sturdier material is used. In the medical profession a popular phrase is “doctor heal thyself,” but for homeowners it’s “owner know thy roof.”
Fiberglass asphalt shingles consist of a base of glass fibers covered with ceramic coated mineral granules . This is an inorganic shingle with a high fire rating and often a longer warranty (and life span) than other types of shingles. This shingle resists water and cracking. According to Underwriter Laboratories it can also withstand high winds. Sounds like a winner!
Architectural shingle is an inorganic, three dimensional shingle. Because it is multi layered it has depth and thus an appearance closer to wood or slate roofing. Disadvantages are weight and cost, both more than other shingles.
Roll roofing is less expensive than shingles. It can be used on roofs with shallow grades, or in addition to shingles on steeper roofs. This is used most often on industrial buildings. It has a heavy felt base, saturated with asphalt, covered by a smooth or mineral surface. Easy to install, this type of material will last between 10 and 20 years.
Metal roofing is steel panels used in place of shingles. The best steel panels are made with zinc. Like roll roofing this is most common on industrial buildings. Durable, long lasting and resistant to fire, metal roofing is a great choice.
The earliest shingles were made of wood, and wood shingles are still used in modern construction. Cedar is the most common wood used for these shingles, but many consist of a variety of woods. These are more difficult to install than asphalt shingles. Wood burns. A fire-retardant coating reduces the flammability, but does not eliminate it.
A roof has other elements in addition to the shingles. These are not shingles or tiles or total roof coverings, but nevertheless are elements of a roof. Flashing consists of roofing material or sheet metal strips placed to cover joints, to make the joints waterproof. A special type of flashing is a “boot,” made to fit around a vent pipe. The boot is sometimes plastic. A Drip Edge is an “L” shaped, weather-resistant material placed at exposed roof edges to help protect wood portions of the roof by shedding water. Felt paper, or building paper, is a sheet with a tough, fibrous base saturated with asphalt installed under shingles. Felt paper also contributes to protecting the wood portions of the roof, particularly the frame.
A great source of information on roofing materials is the Internet. The more you know the less likely you are to get wet.
EPDM roofing
December 2, 2008 by Laminate & Hardwood Flooring
Filed under Roofing Materials & Contractors
An excellent rubber roofing solution for flat roofs where inflexibility, weathering and failing joints often cause roofs to leak is EPDM roofing . If you’ve been struggling with a flat roof leak, or you have a flat or gently sloping roof project, you’ll be happy to discover EPDM rubber roofing. With billions of square feet installed, EPDM has been proven to give many years of leak free service. The best part is, it’s easy to install.
EPDM is ethylene propylene diene M-class rubber with a benefit of not tainting run off water. This means the water coming from the roof can be re-used for sanitation purposes. Since an element of the green movement is to harvest rainwater, EPDM roofs are popular in green projects. Like TPO roofing, EPDM roofing is a membrane product. It is commonly used in big box stores with large open areas. Chances are if there’s a Walmart nearby it has an EPDM roof.
EPDM has been in use as a roofing material since the 1960’s. Efforts to recycle it began in the 1990’s. Presently there are more than 1 billion square feet of EPDM new roof coverings installed every year, with over 20 billion square feet already installed. EPA standards in 2007 raised the recycle bar to call for 50% of roofing materials used in any new project to be recyclable. An EPA study conducted in 2007 was used to determine if EPDM could be recycled to that level. The results were positive, but with some question remaining as to whether the recycled material could be used and produced in enough quantity to be feasible.
The EPDM Roofing Association, or ERA, is a trade association for EPDM. According to this group, “Since the early 1960’s, EPDM single-ply rubber membrane roofing products have gained wide industry acceptance and respect by providing long-term, economically efficient, dependable roofing solutions for the construction community. Their attributes include long-term warranties, low life-cycle costs, reduced labor costs, minimal maintenance and user-friendly code approvals. The sustained growth of EPDM roofing systems is attributed to the development of complementary technologies that have made it possible for EPDM roofing systems to be beneficial in a wide number of applications. Architects and contractors have come to depend on this proven track record of performance. As environmentalists and code regulators place more emphasis on the long-term performance of building materials, EPDM has become an increasingly obvious choice. The need to provide the construction and roofing communities with current and accurate data documenting the many benefits of EPDM roofing systems led to the formation of ERA.â€
Wind resistance is one EPDM benefit heavily pushed by the EPA. EPDM roofs can be designed to resist winds of 120 MPH or more. For buildings in hurricane areas, that’s of huge benefit.
