Number one with a rubber roof is a myth. It’s perfectly fine to roll rubber roofing over an existing roof. After all, it saves time from removing the old roof and in areas where the old roof is intact there’s double protection. Wrong! Whatever the other reasons, no roofing manufacturer will honor a warranty of a roof that has not been installed on a completely clean surface. Removing the old roof is a necessary step one, even with a rubber roof.

Rubber roofs can be easy to self install. Both rolls and shingles come in a variety of styles and colors. An ideal material for large flat roofs, rubber roofing will last for years, and won’t split or crack. Rubber roofing experiences less stress than other material shingles because it expands and contracts with the roof in response to weather changes. In fact the 1st rubber roof, has been performing in Wisconsin since 1980. That’s nearly three decades.

Adhesive is used to attach both roll and shingle rubber roofing to the roof. Ensure that the roof is as clean as possible with nothing sticking up which could pierce the rubber. The surface must be dry and free of oils or dirt. So make sure to blow or sweep away and dirt.

Once the base is clean, the rubber roof should be rolled out onto the area being covered and cut to fit over vents and pipes. It’s a mistake to apply adhesive before the rubber roofing is cut and shaped. Imagine securing portions of the roof only to find it doesn’t fit, or to develop a bubble or seam. When the roof is cut and fit then roll back about half to apply the adhesive. Apply it evenly and give it time to set up, to become tacky.

The roofing will be nearly impossible to lift once it’s stuck. So once the adhesive has set carefully roll the rubber roofing into place. The first half will have to dry for about an hour before the second half can be secured.

The home or building now has a rubber roof. Wow.

Roofing style, materials, and the climate in the area where the home is located are amongst the factor that affect a roof’s lifespan. Selecting roofing products with nearly the same lifespans will avoid piece by piece repairs over a ten to fifteen year period. In most cases, roofing materials last for about twenty years. This is if the roof has been maintained properly and there has been no significant damage to the roof from the weather. Some materials have a lifespan of as much as 50 years while some others last only 10 years. Here are some of the common roofing materials and their lifespans.

The average lifespan of asphalt roofing is from 15 to 20 years with proper maintenance. Asphalt roofing materials are one of the most common types of roofing materials used throughout the nation because of the low cost of the materials and the ease of repairs.

The average lifespan of fiberglass roofing is from 15 to 20 years. Fiberglass roofing  requires little maintenance and can be manufactured in many different colors and styles to give the homeowner the desired look. Roofs made from this material are water resistant and mold resistant.

Many homes in the northeastern portion of the nation use wooden shakes and shingles. These roofing materials will generally last between 15 and 20 years and could last for as many as 30 years if the shakes and shingles are well maintained.

With an average lifespan of 40 to 75 years, slate roofing materials are amongst the longest lasting roofing products.

Metal roofing lasts nearly 50 years. Metal roofs come in a variety of colors, finishes and styles, and can even resemble tiles and wooden shingles. These roofing products are nearly impervious to weather and can be installed over the current roof.

A less well known option is rubber roofing. It’s easy to install, to maintain, and it lasts a long time. It comes as a roll or as individual shingles. The very first rubber roof ever installed was in Wisconsin in 1980. It’s still in service after nearly 30 years.

So you see, there are many different roofing materials each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Starting at the top, let’s consider the roofing material. This is generally the roof as people see it and includes wood shingles, ceramic tiles, asbestos shingles, metal roofing sheets and tiles, rubber roofing sheets and shingles and more. The roofing material should be chosen based on location, so that the roof will stand up to the local elements and issues that impact a roof.

Lumber is used in a roof primarily as the support structure or frame. This generally consists of a triangular truss and a lattice of beams. The roof itself is then laid over the frame. Other lumber elements include the cornice, part of the frame that hangs over the wall, the fascia, or underside of the cornice, the eave, beam ends of the wood frame that allow water to drip away from the roof, and the soffit, or underside of the eave.

Pipes and vents protrude from the roof. They assist in the house breathing and are also the escape routes for smoke from a fireplace or cooking hood, as well as for hot air from the attic. The bottoms of pipes and vents are generally sealed with a boot, or metal strip, that includes a lead based or plastic sealant. These pipes and vents have one way shields sealed with rubber so that the air or smoke can escape, but water doesn’t flow into the pipe or vent.

Now onto the roofing tools which include the ladder to climb up to the roof, as well as other tools used for maintenance, installation and removal. These include mundane items such as a broom and bucket to hold waste shingles, a slater’s hammer that includes a hammer as well as an ax and blade, a slate cutter to saw through shingles, seaming pliers to grasp shingles, and a hip runner to install the ridge cap, the portion of the roof on top of seams.

When it comes to roofing nails they must be long enough to go through the shingles and get about 3/8 inch below the bottom of the shingle. Anything that interferes with the nails biting into the wood might cause the nail to pop out and eventually the loss of shingles. This includes shingles with ridges, some under shingle materials, and of course nails that aren’t long enough for the roofing material. A skilled roofer can drive a roofing nail with one solid hit. A homeowner doing it themselves will find that they can drive the nails with one hit after only a few minutes.

Roofing supplies aren’t as simple as they first seem. But with a little planning, you’ll have everything needed for a quality roof.

Metal roofing materials have a number of other advantages. They are quick to install and excellent reflectors of heat from the sun.  People think metal roofs make the home hotter because if they stand on a metal roof it is hot. But that heat is reflected away from the home. If it’s hotter on top, it’s cooler down below the roof.

Metal roofs are made for the most part from aluminum and steel, but alloys such as copper are also used. While the new metal roofs can mimic the look of other traditional residential roofing materials, some architects stick to a commercial look because of its clean lines.

Surely it is not all peaches and cream for metal roofs. Metal roofs have drawbacks which each homeowner must evaluate in relation to the advantages. Metal roofs are expensive, between $150 and $600 a square (100 square feet). but unless the plan is to sell within a few years this cost will be recovered in the long run  and a metal roof helps save on engineering and structural maintenance of the supporting structure. In a rain storm having a metal roof can be a little like living inside a drum. A metal roof is louder than other types of roofs. But sound deadening insulation helps minimize this noise. Metal roofs, particularly aluminum and copper materials, are soft and prone to denting from hail stones. Some metal roofs, however, are warrantied against denting. When planning to walk on the roof for maintenance such as cleaning the gutters, keep in mind that a metal roof tends to be slippery when wet. Another issue is marring, including chipping, peeling and chalking, but many metal roofs are guaranteed against this.

Don’t be worried about lightning strikes with metal roofs. People assume that because metal conducts electricity a metal roof will attract lightening. This is not the case, in particular when trees or other objects surrounding the home are higher than the roof. Metal roofs can also be grounded for extra protection.

When you wish upon a star and residential metal roofing is where you are, look up at the shining light and be happy your choice was right.

TPO Roofing is considered a fully-adhered roofing. That means adhesive attaches the roofing membrane to the substrate material, forming a strong chemical bond. TPO is highly heat reflective, fire resistant, and energy efficient. It also resists UV rays and dirt. TPO is also popular in the automotive industry where it is known for impact resistance. Because of the potential for hail damage this same property is important in the roofing industry.  

Another advantage of TPO, for the roofing contractor and manufacturers at least, is that there is a shift from some lower priced materials like EPDM to pricier TPO materials. Commercial roofing sales reached $3.3 billion overall in 2007 with single-ply products being the largest segment. TPO has been taking more of that large share.

As the green movement grows, TPO is becoming more and more popular, particularly because it is recyclable. Not only can it be recycled for roofing materials, but it can be burned as a fuel. TPO will burn extremely clean with no toxic emissions when no flame retardants are present. It therefore has a high potential as a high energy fuel for waste-to-energy programs.

TPO roofs are categorized as “cool roofs.”  A cool roof can be defined in many ways by people or by different municipal codes. But basically, a cool roof reflects and emits the sun’s heat back skyward without allowing it to pass into the building or home. The more sun a roof reflects and emits, the cooler the roof. The Cool Roof Rating Council, CRRC, maintains an on line database of cool roof products. Some TPO roofs score high on the scale, some do not, so be advised.

TPO roofing is the way to go for many .

Let’s examine the claim by taking a look at GAF’s own explanations. GAF has manufacturing locations across North America – to serve you better. They have a lot of locations but do not sell through large retail merchants such as Home Depot. GAF invented the Timberline shingle which is the #1-selling architectural shingle in North America. If GAF didn’t make good products, people wouldn’t buy them. GAF was Awarded #1 visual brand by Life Magazine, which means GAF products look as good as they perform.  GAF’s Fireshield brand roof restoration system was named “Best Product” by the editors of Buildings magazine. GAF was rated #1 in shingle quality by home builders. GAF was the winner of the Builder’s Choice award. GAF’s Cobra brand ridge vents rated #1 in quality by home builders. GAF products are featured regularly in leading home and garden publications and on home improvement networks such as HGTV. GAF is the premium designer roofing shingles and has twice received the Architects Choice For Excellence award. GAF’s Freedom TPO self-adhering roofing systems was chosen Product Of The Year by Commercial Building Products magazine. GAF was named the most-used brand of shingles and roof vents by remodeling contractors. GAF was named #1 in innovation for shingles and ridge ventilation by home builders, and most-recommended brand by upscale remodelers. Lastly, GAF was the first company to produce an energy-efficient asphalt shingle available in rich colors, called the Cool Color Series.

Take marketing speak with a grain of salt, but GAF does have a positive reputation in the roofing industry.

GAF-Elk is GAF Roofing’s residential brand. This roofing brand includes quality shingles, 100% watertight leak barriers, roof deck protection, low-slope membrane roofing, fiber cement siding, ridge cap shingles, attic ventilation, starter strip shingles and accessory paint. Good Housekeeping awarded GAF-Elk it’s Good Housekeeping Seal, a sign of quality. GAF-Elk products are not carried by large chains such as Home Depot, but they do list distributors on their web site http://www.gaf.com.

GAF Roofing also offers stone, decking and siding to help compliment and complete the home. Always compare multiple roofing products before making a choice. No matter how well liked~ the company or how many awards it has, it’s always wise to consider a number of options.

Fore further free information on roofing try visiting Roofing Help.

In the old days wood roofing shingles were considered good. But eventually asphalt and asbestos cement replaced wood as common materials. Fiberglass based asphalt shingles are currently the most popular shingle used in the United States. The obvious issue with wood is fire, and fire is the reason wood and paper backed shingles are used infrequently in modern construction.

Most people have seen a special type of wood shingle, but wouldn’t be able to identify it. This roofing shingle is named a shake, a wooden shingle made from split logs. Shake roofs were commonly used in building log cabins, and with many wood frame homes. They’re still in use today, most commonly transported by helicopters, but it wasn’t always done that way. Shakes were tied into packs and transported by pack animals, or even people, before helicopters were invented. Often cut in hilly areas, they were carried down the slope with the help of a long line run from the bottom to the top. This line served as a kind of hand hold so people carrying the shake packs wouldn’t fall.

The main difference between a shingle and a tile is flexibility. Tiles are generally made from ceramic. They’re brittle and ill suited to locations where tree limbs might fall on a roof. Shingles are flexible and therefor better able to resist damage from tree limbs. Wood shingles rot, while ceramic tiles don’t, but modern materials such as the asbestos base for most shingles don’t rot. Another main difference is the shape. Ceramic tiles have an “S” profile to allow them to interlock for strength while roofing shingles are flat.

Believe it or not slate is also used for roofing shingles. Slate can be easily split into thin sheets. Such sheets, the slate shingles, make for an worn look for a roof. Slaters, tradesmen trained to work with slate, cut and install slate roofing shingles. The same qualities that make slate excellent for roofing shingles, it is fireproof and an electric insulator, made it useful for early 20th century switchboards and relay controls on large electric motors. Imagine that, making a phone call on your roofing shingles.

A roof’s lifespan depends on a number of factors, including roofing style, materials, and the climate in the area where the home is located. It’s generally best to select roofing products that have nearly the same lifespan to avoid piece by piece repairs throughout a ten to fifteen year period.  In most cases, roofing materials last for about twenty years. That assumes proper maintenance and no significant weather damage. Some materials have a lifespan of up to 50 years while some others last only 10 years.  Here is a list of some common roofing materials along with lifespans.

The average lifespan of asphalt roofing is from 15 to 20 years with proper maintenance. Because of the low cost of the materials and the ease of repairs asphalt roofing materials are one of the most common types of roofing materials used throughout the nation.

The average lifespan of fiberglass roofing is from 15 to 20 years. Fiberglass roofing  requires little maintenance and can be manufactured in many different colors and styles to give the homeowner the desired look. Fiberglass roofs resist water and mold because they don’t have organic components.

Many homes in the northeastern portion of the nation use wooden shakes and shingles. These roofing materials will generally last for about 15 to 20 years, and could last for as many as 30 years if the shakes and shingles are well maintained.

With an average lifespan of 40 to 75 years, slate roofing materials are amongst the longest lasting roofing products.

Metal roofing lasts nearly 50 years. Metal roofs come in a variety of colors, finishes and styles, and can even resemble tiles and wooden shingles. These roofing products are nearly impervious to weather and can be installed over the current roof.

A less well known option is rubber roofing.  It’s easy to install, to maintain, and it lasts a long time.  It comes as a roll or as individual shingles.  The very first rubber roof ever installed was in Wisconsin in 1980.  It’s still going strong after nearly 30 years.

So you see, there are many different roofing materials each with their own strengths and weaknesses.