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At Family Roofing, we take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality and customer service. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. Our reputation is based on service, safety and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.

 

The Different Layers of a Roof

Many homeowners look at a roof and only think about the shingles.  Shingles are all you can really see from the street.  However, a roofing system is much more complex.  Each part of the system contributes to protecting your home from severe weather.  Understanding the different layers of a roofing system is crucial to having a successful project and positive experience when hiring a roofing contractor.

We will start at the bottom of the deck and work our way up through all the roofing layers until we reach the shingles and sunshine above your roof.

• Framing – includes the roof trusses that sit at the top of your house and support the weight of all the materials used to build your roof.  Some materials like ceramic tile and slate are much heavier than asphalt shingles, so the structure must be designed for the materials used.

• Insulation – in your attic is used to reduce the loss of heated air rising up from your home. Attic insulation will be found on the attic floor or when the attic is finished, between the rafters over the attic ceiling.

• Ventilation — is critical in attics to rid the space of heat and moisture that enters from the house below.  Without adequate ventilation, heat and moisture can cause damage to the framing, insulation and the plywood sheathing that sits on top of the rafters.  You may also find yourself dealing with mold and mildew problems.

• Roof deck – is the roofing material that sits on top of the roof trusses.  Most roof decking is made from sheets of plywood.

• Water shield – is the next roofing layer, that creates a water-proof barrier where ice or water can buildup near the roof eaves.  It’s usually a peel and stick product that adheres directly to the roof deck.

• Underlayment – is usually felt or fiberglass paper, that covers the entire roof deck.  It is water-resistant to allow moisture to pass through.  It will prevent the passage of water in its liquid form.

• Shingle starter strips – are either purchased or created by snapping regular shingles in half.  They’re installed at the eaves, pointing in the opposite direction  to create a first line of defense against wind uplift along the edge of the roof.

• Roofing material – is where most homeowners focus their attention with hundreds of materials, styles and color to pick from.  The five main types of roofing materials are asphalt shingles, cedar shakes, concrete or ceramic tiles, metal sheets and rubber used for flat roofs.

• Ridge vents – are at the top of your roof, covered by roofing material but with a gap designed to allow warm, moist air to escape from the attic.

• Flashing – is made from sheet metal and used to prevent water from penetrating seams where different materials meet on the roof (and other parts of your home’s exterior).  Flashing along the roof eaves are called drip edge, and along chimneys it’s called step flashing.  Flashing is also used around skylights, bathroom vents and any other features sticking up through the roof.

DECKING

Most often made out of plywood, this roof layer is installed over the framing in a typical roof install. It provides structure by tying the trusses and joists together. You can usually see the underside of plywood decking from the attic.

ICE/WATER BARRIER

This self-adhering, water-proof, and self-sealing membrane is applied to the roof deck.  It is designed to protect against water infiltration from ice buildup or wind-driven rain.

FLASHING

This thin material is used to direct water away from where the chimney or siding elements and roof elements intersect.  Flashing is usually made of metal, such as galvanized steel, aluminum, or copper.  It tends to fail before the shingles do and should be inspected regularly to make sure your home has a watertight seal.

DRIP EDGE

Drip edge is metal flashing installed at the roof’s edges (eaves and rakes) to keep water away from your fascia and from getting underneath your roofing components.  If your roof doesn’t have drip edge, water gets behind your gutters and rots out both your fascia board and roof decking.  It’s actually a code that your roof must have drip edge and that it’s installed correctly.  Unfortunately, some roofing contractors cut corners by leaving off drip edge to lower their prices or are too lazy to install it correctly.  When this happens, it’s going to be a lot harder to pass a home inspection because your roof isn’t up to code.

STARTER STRIP

These specialized shingles line every edge of your home’s roof.  They are installed after roof decking and before underlayment.  Their purpose is to seal the edge of your roof, significantly increasing the roof’s ability to withstand punishing winds and wind-driven rain.

STARTER SHINGLES

Starter shingles are a pre-cut row of roofing material that goes underneath the first course of shingles before they’re installed. It makes sure that there’s roofing material between the joints where the shingles butt against each other on the edges of your roof.

Starter shingles also have an adhesive to ensure the first row of shingles are sealed at the eaves and along the rakes.  This seal helps improve your roof’s resistance to strong winds.

UNDERLAYMENT

This felt, or rubberized asphalt sheet, provides an extra layer of protection between your shingles and your roof deck.  It helps reduce blow-off by allowing your shingles to lay flatter and more uniformly.  Additionally, it prevents wind-driven rain from getting under your shingles and causing damage to your roof structure or the inside of your home.

SHINGLES

Shingles are the element that most homeowners are familiar with as it is the layer you can see from the outside of your home and it is an important aesthetic aspect.  Asphalt shingles come in two major types, 3-tab and architectural.  3-tabs are less expensive but also less durable, have lower wind resistance, and have a “flatter” appearance.  Architectural shingles make up most roof replacements today, as their cost is only marginally more than 3-tab, and they come with far superior specifications and warranties.

ROOF FLASHING

Roof flashing is a thin metal material that directs water away from certain areas (walls, chimneys, roof valleys) of your roof. It’s a crucial roofing component that every roof needs to have and is installed at the same time as your shingles.

Your roof flashing will be made of aluminum, steel, or copper.  No matter what kind of metal it’s made of, your roof flashing should outlive the original roof it was installed on.  This means you might not have to replace it when getting a new roof.  However, it’s crucial that your roof flashing is inspected as part of annual roof maintenance to prevent or catch potential leaks.

Ridge capping

After your shingles are installed on all facets of your roof, it’ll be time to install the ridge capping.  Ridge capping is the trim installed at the top of where two slopes of a roof meet.  Typical shingles can’t cover ridges well, though, so this specialized extra-long shingle is installed along the ridgeline of a sloped roof.  It fits over the joint between these two edges to keep rain and snow out of the home, while also allowing hot air to escape.  Ridge caps also finish the look of the roof by creating a tightly sealed joint along the two sides.

Ridge capping is thicker than regular shingles and pre-bent, so they can form to the ridges on a roof.  Be aware, some roofing contractors use 3-tab asphalt shingles as ridge capping to cut down their costs for an asphalt roof.  They’re not designed for this and will lead to a roof leak. That’s why it’s crucial to use the manufacturer’s ridge capping accessory when getting a dimensional or luxury asphalt roof.