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Your roof provides you and your family with protection from the weather, however it is also an important design element and has a dramatic visual effect on the overall appearance of your home.
In today's market you can purchase roofing in a vast variety of materials and each of those materials comes in numerous colors, textures and shapes. While the most common roofing for residential properties in North America, primarily because of price, is asphalt shingles more and more homes are installing other materials, for appearance, energy savings and protection features.
The following list will guide you to additional information on each aspect of choosing and installing the right flooring material for each room of your home. As well, this section covers floor support, sub-floors, squeaks, sagging and other structural aspects of floors.
Many roofing materials are home handyman type projects, if you have the time and don't mind heights. While others, such as copper and slate require professional craftsmen to cut, manipulate and install the material. Before investing in a new or replacement roof it is important that you understand your alternatives.
The following directory will guide you to additional information on roof structures, roofing materials, styles, installation and maintenance
Chimney Maintenance & Cleaning
If the chimney is not cleaned and maintained at regular intervals it can become a major fire hazard, and/or deliver carbon monoxide gas into your home.
Cathedral or vaulted ceilings as they sometimes called, open up living space and make rooms appear much bigger. Aesthetically they are usually a perfect addition to a home.
Trusses - Design & Construction
In traditional roof framing the main structure of all roofs are the rafters. One end of the rafter is notched out and sits on top of the wall plate.
Cutting Rafters For Skylight Installation
In order to maintain the support integrity of the roof rafter system, it is important that if rafters are cut that the load that was bearing on those rafters be transferred to new support rafters.
Designing A Roof
The approach to the structural design of the roof is much the same as to the floor systems. Loads and the transfer of loads from structural member to structural member is the most important consideration.
Flat roofs are much more predominate in commercial construction than in residential construction. As a general statement they do not give the visual impact that a slopping roof does.
The installation of rain gutters or eaves trough as it is sometimes called is not a complex project although the logistics may make the project difficult to complete.
Ice damming is the build-up of ice at the edge of the roof, caused by heat escaping from the house and melting snow that accumulates on the roof. This water flows down the under the snow covering the roof.
Most homeowners don’t think about their roofs until some damage is evident. Yet the roof and its roofing material are one of the most important structural parts of the home.
Metal roofs are durable, very lightweight, maintenance free, fire retardant and energy efficient.
In parts of the world where there is substantial wet weather it is not uncommon to find moss, lichen and algae growing extremely well on roofs, decks, walkways and on outdoor structures.
Overhang Construction
When building a home, addition, garage or even a shed, you must decide on how you are going to finish the roof overhang before you commence construction.
Rafter Sizing
Figuring out the size of the rafters you need when building a home or an addition is not a complex situation as we have provided a group of tables that will allow you to make your selection.
Roof Designs Styles & Components
One of the design advantages of wall or floor ceramic, porcelain, marble, limestone and granite tiles is the ability to install them in a wide range of patterns or layouts.
A sagging roof is usually the result of a damaged or broken roof rafter. However, if it is a small area, it can be caused by damaged roof decking and in some rare cases a sagging roof can even be traced to an underlying foundation problem, as it is the house foundation that eventually takes the full load of the roof.
Is it any wonder why almost 80% of homes in North America use asphalt shingles as the roofing material of choice. The prevalence of asphalt shingles has created a vast assortment of fittings and fixtures designed to work with them.
There are many advantages in having good attic ventilation and there are no disadvantages. One of the key components of good attic ventilation is having soffit vents.
This section presents the most common roof and ceiling system problems and shows North American home builders how to avoid them. It does this by improving their understanding of design principles, material performance expectations and proper construction procedures.
You'll be amazed at how a skylight or roof window can bring your house to life by flooding previously dark spaces with natural light. Introducing more natural light into your home from one or more skylights will make your rooms feel more spacious, expansive and more beautiful.
What is more beautiful or aesthetically pleasing than a natural slate roof? A slate roof is one of the most durable roofing materials available.
Available in many different shapes and colors, manufactured from clay or concrete, roofing tiles are increasing in popularity as a finished roofing material throughout North America.
Truss uplift is a strange almost unexplainable occurrence that happens in new homes when the bottom of the trusses separate from non supporting walls during winter months.
Ventilation - Attic - Calculation
There are two reasons that attic ventilating is critical to your home. In the summer the attic contains very hot air that is a result of the suns energy. This heat radiates through the floor of the attic into your home, which increases the costs of energy to maintain a cool atmosphere within the home.
Wood Roofs (Shingles & Shakes)
The vast majority of wood roofing shingles are manufactured from western red cedar because of its insect resistance and overall durability.
