If you’re planning to do some work on your roof, like a DIY project, here are five parts of roofing you should know.
- Underlayment
The underlayment is the first layer on the roof decking, underneath the shingles. It acts as a barrier against any water threatening to breach in. The preferred material nowadays seems to be synthetic underlayment; especially by professionals. Although it is more costly than the traditional felt, it has the bonus of not cracking and rotting.
- Roof Shingles
Shingles are the exterior covering on a roof. They usually come in individual flat, rectangular designs. They give extra protection to a building and also add character.
Inspection on your shingles is a necessity, as they degrade with time. Extreme weather also plays a part in loosening shingles and causing them to fall. Be on the watch for fallen and missing shingles.
- Rain Gutters
The roof gutters are a long trough set along the edges. Usually, there are the valley (the intersection of two roof slopes) gutters as well, helping flow water down. The rainwaters gather in the gutters, then they’re taken to the downspouts.
Blocked gutters are one of the causes of roof leaks, as the water overflows with no direction to go. They can also weaken the foundation of your house. And they add weight to your edges, causing parts to collapse.
- Roof Eaves
Eaves are the overhanging edges of the roof. You could consider them good structural designs, but they also keep water off the walls. There are two parts connected to the eaves; the fascia and the soffit.
The fascia is a board that spans along under the roof edges. This is where you would attach the gutters to. The soffit is the underside covering of the eaves. It serves the purpose of keeping away moisture, heat, and pests.
- Flashing
A flashing is usually a thin sheet of water-resistant material for weatherproofing. Here are different kinds:
- There’s step flashing, named because of the appearance of its pieces overlapping each other. These are found around chimneys, dormers, and other features along the roof.
- There is also the drip edge, or eaves flashing. These are found at the roof’s edge. They help direct the flow of water into the gutters.
- There are more kinds of flashing, like the vent pipe flashing and valley flashing. They’re all found in separate sections on the roof, for the same purpose, to seal penetrations on a roof.
There you have it, 5 parts of roofing you should know that will help you as you plan to do some roof repair in Southgate, MI.
