Understanding the Layers of a Roof
What do you know about your roof?
There’s shingles up there.
It protects your home from the elements.
Roof leaks aren’t good…
Anything else?
Understanding the layers of your roof can help give you a better idea of the different support structures that make up your home’s most important protective feature.
Having an understanding of your roof’s layers can also help give you a better idea of how to properly take care of your roof—everything from understanding common roofing problems, to knowing when it’s time for seasonal roof preparation such as roof and gutter cleaning to what might be needed when it comes to emergency roof tarping after a storm.
Scheduling regular seasonal maintenance with a local East Texas roofing company such as Steele Roofing in Tyler/Longview Texas goes a long way in helping keep your roof in top condition.
Why Your Roof Has Layers
When it comes to your roof’s layers, let’s start with why a roof even has layers.
There are multiple purposes for the layers of your roof. Each layer offers protection from the elements, but may also serve another purpose, such as insulation, which is necessary when it comes to helping keep the temperature of your home from becoming too hot or too cold.
The Frame
The home’s frame is technically your roof’s first layer, as the house frame is necessary as the structural support of both the home and roofing material. The frame is also what helps determine the shape of your roof.
Roof Deck
When your home was built, after the framing of your home came the “roof deck,” which is the—usually plywood—materials used on top of the frames and trusses that create the structure for your roofing materials to go on top of.
Insulation and Ventilation
Two important components of the roof that are also “layers” are insulation and ventilation. In many homes, the ventilation is in an attic, upstairs, or crawl/storage space. Where the insulation and ventilation are located in your home depends on many factors including how old your home is, whether you’ve had a roof replacement recently, whether you have energy-efficient roofing, etc.
Insulation and ventilation are crucial to helping keep the area below your roof free of moisture that would grow damaging mold and mildew and eventually allow rot to occur in the home’s frame and other roofing materials.
In addition, insulation is an important way to both regulate your home’s temperature and protect your roof from damaging extreme temperatures. East Texas can get scorching hot in the summer, making proper insulation a necessary part of your roof.
Moisture Barrier (Underlayment)
Next comes the moisture barrier or underlayment. This layer is generally made of a special type of felt.
The moisture barrier is really important because it helps keep any moisture from getting through and, in the case of wind roof damage, hail damage, etc. it’s a barrier to help keep your home safe from the elements in the unfortunate instance you lose shingles or a piece of the roof.
Flashing
If you have dormers, chimneys, skylights, ventilation systems, etc., you’ll have flashing on your roof as well. Flashing is a thin strip of metal used to help deflect water away from areas where it might otherwise have a tendency to pool and create issues.
Shingles
Last but not least are the shingles, which are the outer layer of your roof (and probably the one you’re the most familiar with). There are different types of roof shingles, but the strongest, most weather-resistant, and long-lasting are asphalt shingles.
This type of shingle is ideal whether you have a commercial roof or residential roof or both.
Roof Coating (Optional but Valuable Layer)
One other layer that most people wouldn’t think of is roof coating. A roof coating is an excellent way to protect your roof from storm damage and also help ensure that your roof lasts longer.
Why Professional Inspections Matter
A big reason it’s important to contact a trusted local roofer if your home is in need of emergency roof repair or needs a storm damage roof inspection is that a lot of common roofing problems occur in layers of your roof that aren’t easily visible.
Which is why it’s important to contact a professional local East Texas roofing contractor to perform a professional roof inspection if your roof has withstood a storm and may have suffered some damage.
Let the Pros Handle It
There are many parts to your roof, which is why it’s important to have it maintained and fixed by a professional roofer.
If your roof was damaged in a storm, it might seem simple to grab the shingles and attempt to nail them back into place, but not only is that dangerous, it could also cause major problems with the layers in your roof.
Big or small issues with your roof, it’s best to call a professional roofer.
