Installing Roofing Felt

Roofing felt is a layer that is put down on the roof that will keep moisture out of your home and attic. The roofing felt is usually made out of asphalt material and is an important component of a well-built roof, as this is a key piece of material that will protect against moisture.

While installing the roofing felt is easy, there are some things that you need to make sure is done properly to keep your roof in good condition and waterproof for many years.

Exactly what is roofing felt?

It’s a barrier that will protect the wood roof which is under the shingles from getting wet. It’s like a layer of tarp that is laid down between the shingles and roof.

You want to add this layer of protection to your roof to prevent leaks and expensive roofing repair jobs from the wood roof getting wet from storms.

Adding the roofing felt isn’t that hard to do, but there are some things that you must do to make sure that the roofing felt is effective against the elements.

When laying roofing felt you will want to:

Make sure the roof is clean:

Sweep off all debris, and make sure the roof is dry. You want a flat surface to lay the roofing felt on. The sheathing must be dry also. If anything is wet, you will want to wait a few days till everything is dried.

Overlap:

You will want to overlap the felt on the room to make sure that you get that water tight seal on the roof. You will want to overlap the felt about 3/8 of an inch so that you have that watertight seal.

Smooth it out:

Once you have it overlapped you want to make sure it’s smooth before nailing it down.

The most important part is to make sure that the sheathing is dry and the roof is dry before you install it. This way you will know that no moisture is trapped under the felt.

To install roofing felt you will want to start at the eave of the roof and work your way up overlapping as you go. You will want to make sure that it’s a watertight fit so that it prevents damage to your roof.

Healthy Roof Tips

Roof of a building is just as important as the foundation is. Though the roof does have a long shelf life, a lot of external factors can cause damage. Many people buy the house which is already constructed and know very little about the construction and roofing aspects. When faced with a challenge of leaking roof, they make the efforts to learn more about the subject.

First of all it is important to ensure at the building stage that the roofing is done perfectly. Though externally not visible, poorly executed jobs ultimately show up after two to three years. Seepage and leaks can cause damage to the walls and weaken the structure. Externally they also cause the paint to wither away and the seepage shows through the painted wall. Such dampness is very bad for the health of the people living in damp rooms and can fall ill due to the dampness.

Roof damage can happen due to the strong winds or other vagaries of weather. In other cases the type of roof will determine the vulnerability of the roof to damages. Sloping roofs no doubt do not let water accumulate or stagnate, but are more prone to get unsettled by strong winds. Flat roofs on the hand are very stable but water stagnation can be a major issue if the water proofing done is not adequate or if the roof slant angle is not appropriate and leads to water stagnation.

In all cases whether one is building a new house or in the case of replacing a new roof on an old building, it pays to know everything about roofing. Only when you know the subject in detail can you make meaningful conversation with the engineers and contractors like Timothy R. Jonhson to get a perfect job executed.

Traditionally the roofing used to be made out of wooden planks and shakes. Even now quite a few old buildings continue to have wooden roofing. Such roofs require regular maintenance and are prone to mold formation and catching fire. With advancement of technology, wooden roofing has given way to asphalt shingles which have gained wide acceptance. Asphalt shingles are very apt for slanting roofs. The other alternative roofing materials are also available and very popular in urban houses.

Metal roofing is very popular roofing method in industrial buildings as well as houses with wide carpet area and requires metal girdles and C section pillars to be erected and sheets nailed with screws at the top. The sheet profiling is made in such a way that leaves no room for leakage when overlapped with another sheet. Tiled roofs are very neat and when laid perfectly are found to be very durable. It is easier to repair tiled roofs because one can easily remove and replace the tiles in the effected area without having to damage the entire roof.

Though roofing your home is a little expensive, but worth every penny you spend on it. It protects your building and avoids any damage to the walls and other parts of the building. A new roof on the building increases the value of the property.

Information About Roof Insulation

Having enough insulation in your home is an important part of making your energy use as efficient as possible. If your home is improperly insulated, you will be wasting a lot of energy. During the winter, heat will escape from your house, making your furnace have to run more frequently. In the summer, your air conditioner will be overworked.

An important type of insulation is roof insulation. There are two basic choices when you are insulating your attic, depending upon your preference.

A cold roof space is one where the roof itself is not insulated. In this case, you need to make sure that the floor of your attic is properly insulated around the joists. This way, heat will not escape into the attic.

A warm roof space, on the other hand, is one in which the attic is fully insulated.

Fiberglass insulation is one of the most commonly used types. It can be found in sheets that are put in place from the inside, or as loose fibers that are then blown into place. An adhesive is mixed with the fibers so that they stick together.

A newer type of fiberglass insulation consists of two different types of glass. The different types cling together, which reduces the need for adhesive. This makes the installation process easier and less irritating.

Cellulose fiber is another type of insulation that can be used on roofs. It offers superior performance as compared to fiberglass insulation, doing a better job of trapping heat. Cellulose is treated with fire-retardant chemicals that can help protect your house from a fire.

Another type of insulation is polyurethane foam. This comes either in blocks that can be cut to fit the space or as a foam that is sprayed into place. After it is sprayed, it expands to fill the available space. If you are building a house, blocks of foam are easier to use. The spray works better when adding new insulation to an existing structure.

When you are choosing a type of insulation, it is important to compare the R-values of different types. The higher the R-value of a material, the better a job it does at insulating your home. You also need to take the cost of each type into consideration.

Choosing the right kind of roof insulation is important if you want to heat and cool your home in the most efficient fashion. Consider your alternatives carefully before making a decision.