Homeowner's Guide To Roofing Basics: What Comprises A Roof And When Should You Replace It?

It's one of the most important elements of a house's construction. Strangely, it's also one of the most ignored. Your roof sits on the top of your house and shields you from the rain, snow, wind, and sun. Rather than calling attention to itself, it's content to simply do its job without fuss or fanfare.

But like everything else, your roofing is susceptible to aging. With each year that passes, it becomes more vulnerable to broken or curled shingles, cracks, and leaks. These problems expose you and your family to the elements. As such, they warrant prompt attention.

In order to fully appreciate when your roof needs to be fixed or replaced, it's important to be familiar with its constituent parts. This article will describe the main components of your roof, and offer a few tips on how to know when it's time to contact a roofing contractor.

5 Key Components Of A Typical Roof

When most people think of roofing, they think of shingles. While shingles, or tiles, are an important part of a roof's design, there are several other notable parts. Each one plays a major role in a roof's integrity. The following is a brief guide to the 5 most important pieces.

#1- Shingles

The shingles are the most visible part of your home's roofing. Their composition typically includes a fibreglass base with a blanket of asphalt covering both sides. They can also be constructed of wood, slate, clay, or metal (usually steel or aluminium).

When it comes to preventing water from entering your house, the shingles do the heavy lifting. Unfortunately, that means they're usually the first element to show signs of damage.

#2 - Flashing

When someone mentions flashing, they're talking about the metal components that direct the flow of water so that it falls off your roof. Flashing is found along the edges and in places where your roofing comes together to forms valleys. Its job is to prevent water from leaking into your house.

The components are usually made of copper, steel, lead, aluminium, or zinc alloy. Due to their durability, they can be expected to outlast the roof.

#3 - Sheathing

Sheathing refers to the material found between the joists and trusses of the roofing structure and the layers that provide insulation. It may be constructed of metal, concrete, plywood, or oriented strand board.

As long as the sheathing is nailed down properly, it can be expected to remain in place and present few problems. However, when its connection to the roof's main structure is poor, it can be torn loose in high winds.

#4 - Drainage

To be considered effective, your roof must prevent water from getting into your house. In order to do that, it must have a system for carrying water away from it. That's the job of your roofing's drainage.

The drainage includes the rain gutters, gutter guards, downspouts, and downspout extensions. Together, these components ensure that water that falls upon your roof is carried off of it and delivered to the ground.

It's important to note that gutters can be damaged relatively easily. In such cases, they should be replaced. 

#5 - Underlayment

The underlayment sits underneath the shingles and prevents water and debris from migrating inside your house. Although the shingles are the first line of defense, moisture and dust can potentially get past them. The underlayment prevents both elements from getting further.

The material is typically made of a lightweight felt or polymer base. If it rips or tears, a replacement can be purchased at relatively low cost. However, installing it usually requires the help of an experienced roofer.

There are, of course, several other parts to a roofing system, including the ridge, rake, eaves, gable, and fascia. However, the 5 components above are among the most important pieces to take into account when deciding whether to replace your roof.

Signs That Indicate You Need To Replace Your Roof

Most people wait until water is noticeable on their ceiling before they call a roofing contractor. But that's too long to wait. By the time water has leaked to the point of being conspicuous, it may have already caused a significant amount of damage to the entire structure. For that reason, it's important to be aware of early red flags that suggest a new roof might be in order.

Postponing this project could lead to damage that makes replacing it even more expensive down the road. If you suspect your roofing needs replacement, contact Opal Enterprises, a local roofing contractor.