The Basics of Roofing and Guttering
Roofing is one of the most important aspects of any home. The roof is what protects you from the elements of nature. So a lot of caution and planning has to be taken when deciding the roofing for your home. Roofs have to be tough and durable to handle all kinds of weather. A roof has to be water proof and fire resistant to protect your home from rain, hail, snow, sleet and from the sun’s heat and light.
Roofs are available in different designs and can be made of many materials. The basic construction of a roof will have its framework and the roofing material. Also some optional components like chimneys also can be found. Roofs can be of asphalt, slate, concrete tiles or even metal. Nowadays gutters have become part of a roofing system. During rains and snow, the gutters collect the water and stream them down in a controlled manner through a downspout.
One of the most common options for roofs is slate. The look of natural slate roof is always something that is desirable. Slate is attractive and also is long lasting. Moreover slate is proven to offer good fire protection. Slate roofs are hard to install and also much more expensive than the normal asphalt roofing.
Concrete tile roofs come in a variety of looks. As they are made from concrete, they can be moulded into any shape or size. They are ideal for custom roofs. Concrete tile roofs are also durable and fire resistant like slate roofs. But concrete is heavy and that means the load on the building increases drastically when a concrete tile roof is installed. Also concrete roofs can be damaged by hail. So it is recommended to go for concrete tile roofs where the possibility of hail is the least or non-existent.
Metal roofs are very durable and are resistant to hail and winds. Metal roofs are also available in a wide variety of colors and styles. Metal roofs are mostly made from steel that are recycled and hence are environmentally friendly. They are known to last long too. But metal roofs are hard to install and also expensive. During rain, metal roofs can be noisy. The sound of rain drops hitting the metal roof can be annoying for some while music to the ears for some.
No matter what roof you are planning to install, never overlook the need for proper guttering for your roofs. When it rains water tends to flow from all sides of our home. When gutters are installed, they collect the water that falls on the roof and guides it down to the ground through a downspout. You also have the option of letting the downspout outlet into a small reservoir to collect the water or even drain it into a water conservation unit.
Two major types of gutters are available in the market. The traditional gutter usually made of iron sheets and the newer seamless gutters. Traditional gutters nowadays are being upgraded to seamless gutters. As traditional gutters have a lot of joints welded, the possibility of a leak in future is very high. Seamless gutters do not have any break anywhere. They are made from copper, galvanized steel or aluminum.
A good roof with a proper guttering system will ensure that your roof does the job it is supposed to do – to protect you from the different elements of mother nature.
Author: Daniel Roshard
If you are looking for Columbus Roofing and Guttering services, please call us today at 614-263-8899 or complete our online request form.
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