Wood Shingle Installation

Cedar shingles are a much more attractive alternative to asphalt. With proper care wood shingles last longer and provide more protection than asphalt shingles. The key to proper wood cedar shake life is to protect them from moisture. Modern shingles are pressed and coated with water resistant material. The fact remains that water is most likely to cause damage to wood. Wood resists impact better than thin asphalt, but it cannot handle standing water.

For that reason, it is best to use wood roofing in dryer climates. In areas where hurricanes frequent, only some higher quality cedar decking passes residential code. These shingles actually resist updrafts much better than composition shingles. Roofing contractors in Denver tell me that the increased thickness of wood shake allows it to hold a stronger nail than composition staples. This kind of roofing material can withstand winds far beyond hurricane strength.

Homeowners considering wood shingles often worry about the fire hazard. Wood is naturally much more flammable than many other building materials like metal or concrete. To fireproof shingles, the wood is treated with a fire retardant. The shingles are also connected to a fire retardant material that provides additional protection while making sure burning embers do not start flying around in a fire.

A good hardwood excels in impact resistance. Old dry, weak shingles can split from hail impacts. The best way to combat this is to use a sealant around the wood. This will keep the wood from drying to a brittle state. Shingle roofs exposed to moderate impacts should not tear, fracture, or split. Roofing contractors in Denver use an industry standard to determine what kind of resistance the wood has by what diameter steel ball it can hold up under. In Colorado, you can get a discount on your homeowners insurance by using strong roofing. The insurance companies figure that they will have to pay less on hail storm damage.

When getting shingles installed from roofing contractors in Denver, make sure they are certified under state building licenses. Other than the strength, the finish is second strongest part of the roof.

Alternative Roofing Materials

About three quarters of American homes are covered by composition asphalt shingles. They are cheap and easy to install but they have some drawbacks, primarily that they are bad for the environment and have a shorter life span than other roofing materials. If you do pick composition shingles, you had better be ready to pony up the cash for a succession of Denver roof repairs.

Even older than the asphalt shingle style are wood shake shingles. They last even longer than composition shingles. Wood is a more natural and softer look. Although they are made from trees, they are friendly in that they decompose unlike petroleum products. If well maintained they will last a long time, but wood shake is always a fire hazard.

Metal roofs are popular with those trying to save money on energy bills. Metal roofs make you save money on air conditioning bills because they reflect money in hot environments. If you choose a painted roof, you need to have periodic painting maintenance. However metal roofs last a long time, and do not need Denver roof repairs very often. Metal also does a good job of protecting your home from weather.

An older and environmentally friendly roofing material is tile. Tile is made of clay or sometimes concrete. These are naturally fire resistant materials. Clay is just earth, so it has no problems with decomposition. The main drawbacks of tile and concrete is that these are heavy, brittle materials. They provide good protection, but are liable to break and need a solid roof to support the heavy weight of these roofing materials.

Flat roofs have completely different roofing materials. Some are basically a giant asphalt shingle. It uses hot asphalt inlaid with stone. These are not very friendly because they use a large amount of smelly tar, which is a risk to installers as well as the environment.

Eco roofs that use soil on the top are very good for carbon consumption and global warming. They can basically have a garden on your roof that also provides insulation. Engineered rubber roofing is made of recycled materials but may be hard to find from your Denver roof repairs company.

Roof Replacement vs. Roof Repairs

Posted by: All Roofing

When it comes to roofing, slate shingles are usually billed as 100-year investments, leading a lot of homeowners to believe that once installed, their roofs can continue to perform with small or no maintenance for the next century. This assumption is false. All roofs call for typical upkeep. Failure to inspect your roofing every single year could lead to expensive repairs or even costlier replacements down the road. Maybe you have already let a year or two go by without having correct upkeep.

Perhaps you have loose, missing, cracked, or broken slate tiles that demand immediate attention. Should you consider roof repairs or replace it?

Which Is a better Situation: Roof replacement or just a few Roof repairs? Denver Roof replacement is not inexpensive, and if your slate shingles still have life in them, it is less costly to make minor repairs than a full-scale alternative. However, knowing the distinction among a roof that demands renovating and one that requires replacing is key.

Roof Replacement Indicator 1
Initial, determine if any of your slate shingles require replacing. Flaking and powdering are two excellent indicators, as is the "knuckle test"--tap every slate shingle in multiple areas and listen for any dull thuds. Hollow sounds indicate a slate shingle wants replacing soon.

Roofing Replacement Indicator 2
If much more than 20 percent of your slate shingles call for replacement mainly because they are missing, flaking, or fail the knuckle test, roof substitute might be much more economical lengthy-term than individual repairs. The up-front expense for a complete alternative may be higher, but if properly maintained your new roof is not most likely to need any further repairs for a number of decades.

Lastly, whether or not you replace or you decide on roof repair, always hire an experienced slate worker. You want a dedicated professional with plenty of expertise working with slate. Researching your local roofing contractors will save you time and funds in the end.