Roofing may seem like a mundane subject, but the truth is anything but! The roof is a vital part of any structure, and there is more to roof ventilation in particular than many people realize. In fact, a roof has to “breathe” by circulating warm air through soffit and gable vents at the bottom of the roof and then out the top through ridge and turbine vents. If this airflow doesn’t occur, then moisture would collect in the attic and the roof would swiftly rot. Let’s learn more!
Metal Roofs and More
In the past, metal roofs had the reputation of just being for barns and industrial buildings. This is changing, however, and metal roofs are becoming increasingly popular on residential homes. They last for decades, and they do not leak. They can also be recycled at the end of their long lives, so they’re sustainable as well.
Did you know that flat roofs aren’t completely flat? They have a very slight slope that isn’t visible to the naked eye, and, if they didn’t, water would never drain off of them following a storm. The bigger the building, the more a flat roof makes sense. Think of Wal-Mart and other big box stores, and if they were built with sloping roofs like residential houses!
Strip the Shingles
While it might seem like a good idea to simply cover an aging roof with a new layer of shingles, this is a bad idea. When a second layer is added, the problems below do not disappear. That’s why it’s important to strip the first layer before putting on the second. Something else interesting is that shingles are becoming more sustainable as contractors increasingly use recycled shingles to save money and reduce waste in landfills.
A second layer of shingles can be a deal-breaker in a potential house sale. So can other problems with a roof, like visible leaks, rotting sheathing, etc. Buyers don’t want to pay for a whole new roof, especially immediately after a sale, and a bad roof is a sign that there could be other problems with the structure below.
If you do have a new roof put on before a sale, never skip the final inspection. You might even want to hire a second contractor to do an additional inspection because the roof is soon going to be looked at carefully by home inspectors hired by potential buyers.
In short, there’s more to the roof over your head than meets the eye! You may already appreciate the shelter that roofs provide, but knowing some of the fun facts about them helps you appreciate them even more. When you need roof construction services in Portland, OR, contact Bliss Roofing.
