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Roofing Information

Index

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

    Chimney Repair

    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 / Vaulted Ceilings

    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.

Construction

    Construction - Rafters

    Shed Roof Construction

    Slope

    Steep Sloped

    Trusses - General

    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

    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.

Gutter Installation

    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 Dams

    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.

Materials - Roofing

Renovation Considerations

    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

    Metal roofs are durable, very lightweight, maintenance free, fire retardant and energy efficient.

Moss Removal & Control

    Photos

    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.

Sagging Roof - How To Repair

    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.

10 Kitchen Design Tips

    A major part of any kitchen remodel is the cabinetry and many homeowners spend a lot of time on the aesthetics of the kitchen cabinets. There are so many cabinetry design and color choices, from traditional cabinets made of solid woods to modern cabinets with Formica or even stainless steel finishes and a host of choices in between.

Shingle Roofs

    Repair & Maintenance

    Replacement

    Vent Pipe Flashing

    Step Flashing

    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.

Why Install Soffit Vents?

    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.

Systems - Roof & Ceiling

    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.

Skylights

    Cutting Roof Rafters

    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.

Slate Roofs

    What is more beautiful or aesthetically pleasing than a natural slate roof? A slate roof is one of the most durable roofing materials available.

Tile Roofs

    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

    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

    Ventilation - Attic - Calculation

    Ventilation Attic - Solar

    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.