You want a safe home. You want a warm home. And of course, you want an energy-efficient home. Do you know what can help you achieve all of these goals? Your roof. That's right, if you call up a roofer and tell them about your desires, they can recommend some roofing repairs or materials to help you achieve those desires. They may recommend a metal roof, or they might recommend adding zinc strips to the roof peak. It all depends. One thing we can promise, though, is that learning more about roofing is a good idea. This blog is a good resource, but we recommend looking for other ones, too.
Between Decking And Shingles: 5 Necessary Materials For A Full Roof Replacement
A complete roof replacement involves more than simply putting on new plywood decking and topping it with fresh shingles. There are several components that also may need to be replaced at the same time.
1. Leak Barrier
A leak barrier is also sometimes called a water and ice shield. This barrier goes down on the decking first to provide an additional barrier against moisture in the most vulnerable areas. For most roofs, you will find this barrier installed from the edge of the roof, extending several inches to a foot above the eaves, which is a high-risk area due to winter ice dam formation. A leak barrier may also be installed along roof valleys, which can also be prone to water accumulation and leaks.
2. Synthetic Deck Barrier
The deck barrier goes on over the leak barrier. Deck barrier is sometimes called roofing felt or tar paper, although it is no longer made of felt or paper as it was in the past. Synthetic deck barrier covers the entire roof, not just suspected weak points. It provides additional leak protection so that small amounts of moisture or condensation that manage to get under the shingles won't lead to wood rot in the decking boards.
3. Starter Strip
Shingle starter strips prevent your shingles from blowing off by providing protection at the weakest wind point — the edge of the roof. The standard shingles that cover the bulk of the roof overhang the edge, where they can catch wind updrafts. Starter strips prevent this issue. These generic-looking strips won't be seen as they will be covered with the main shingles, so they may not match the roof color. They come in strips with adhesive specially placed so they can be installed to hug the edge of the roof.
4. Ventilation
Good ventilation keeps moisture and condensation moving so it can escape your attic, which will prevent damage from occurring to the underside of the roof. There are vents under the eaves, called soffit vents, which pull in cool, dry air. Then there is the roof ridge vent where the hot, moist air escapes. There may be additional vents along the main roof surface as well, depending on the roof shape and size. Vents and sometimes screens may require replacement along with the roof.
5. Flashing and Boots
Flashing consists of metal strips that seal the gaps between rooftop penetrations, such as vent stacks and chimneys, and the surrounding shingles. Rubber boots serve a similar purpose and may be used instead of flashing around round or curved penetrations, such as plumbing vents. Over time, the flashing can warp, rust, or begin to degrade, so it may need to be replaced along with the roof.
Contact a residential roofing contractor to learn more.