New Roof Installation

Is it time to invest in your home and replace your worn-out roof before you incur internal damage that will cost you a lot more money? All roofs need repair or replacement sooner or later. Regular maintenance such as cleaning eaves, gutters, and downspouts can help prolong the life of your roof. Periodic roof inspections will help you spot problems before they cause costly damage to your home. The extent of the problem and the age of the top are key factors that can help you decide whether to do repairs or replace the roof.

Tile Roofs

Roof tiles are designed mainly to keep out rain, and are traditionally made from locally available materials such as clay or slate. Modern materials such as concrete and plastic are also used and some clay tiles have a waterproof glaze. A large number of shapes (or “profiles”) of roof tiles have evolved. These include:

  • Imbrex and tegula, an ancient Roman pattern of curved and flat tiles that make rain channels on a roof.
  • Roman tiles – flat in the middle, with a concave curve at one end at a convex curve at the other, to allow interlocking.
  • Pantiles – with an S-shaped profile, allowing adjacent tiles to interlock. These result in a ridged pattern resembling a plowed field. An example of this is the “double Roman” tile, dating from the late 19th century in England and USA.

Stay Dry Roofing Company

1820 S Grand Ave Suite M
Santa Ana, CA 95014

Orange County Area
714.519.4869 (Phone)

South Orange County Area
949.528.ROOF (7663)

Los Angeles Area
626.639.ROOF (7663)

Email: ocstaydryroofing@yahoo.com
Website: www.ocstaydryroofing.com

Shingle Roofs

Roofing shingles are made from several types of materials. Wood shingles are sawed from red cedar or pine. Modern shingles are cut from new-growth trees and must be treated with chemical preservatives to make them last as well as earlier versions that were cut from old-growth trees. They must also be chemically treated to achieve a fire-resistance rating comparable to other types of shingles; in fact, the highest rating can be attained only by installing them over a special subsurface layer. Aluminum shingles have a long life span, although they are comparatively expensive. Asphalt shingles cover about 80% of homes in the United States. Their popularity is due to their relatively lightweight, comparatively low cost, ease of installation, and low maintenance requirements.

A typical asphalt shingle is a rectangle about 12-18 in (30-46 cm) wide and 36-40 in (91-102 cm) long. Popular styles have several cutouts along one edge to form tabs that simulate smaller, individual shingles. Three tabs are common, but the number may range from two to five. Some styles are made to interlock with adjacent shingles during installation, creating a more wind-resistant surface.

Flat Roofs

Modern flat roofs tend to use a continuous membrane covering which can better resist pools of standing water. These membranes are applied as a continuous sheet where possible, though sealants and adhesives are available to allow for bonding multiple sheets and dealing with structures penetrating the roof surface. Far more expensive flat roof options include sealed metal roofs using copper or tin. These are soldered interlocking systems of metal panels.

Flat roofs tend to be sensitive to human traffic. Anything which produces a crack or puncture in the surface can quite readily lead to leaks. In other words, this sort of roof has a major weakness to failure from subsequent work done on the roof – such as upgrading building HVAC systems and so forth. It is thus not generally advisable to use a flat roof as a living area unless steps are taken to protect the roofing membrane from those using the area, for example, by building a wooden deck over the surface or using paving stones or similar materials to protect the roof membrane. It is not advisable in general to have living areas directly under such a roof either, due to the high likelihood of eventual leakage.