Metal Roof Shingles – What Metals Are Used?

Roof Shingles - Jan 02,2012 - No Comment

If you’ve wondered about the materials that metal roof shingles are made of, then you’ll find this information fascinating.

“Curious about the metals used for roofing? Copper, Zinc, Galvanized steel, Galvalume, Aluminum are usual metals used in roofing. Copper metal roofs last several decades for upto 150 years. In the first few decades after they are laid the metal roof goes from bright copper color to dull copper green to full green green. It acquires a patina due to exposure to the elements.

This lovely green color gives the home a nice aged look and is unique to copper. Standing seam metal roof lasts for a long time. The sloping roofs shed ice and snow fast. This keeps the roof light and well ventilated. There is not much problem of snow or ice buildup frequently seen with other types of roofs. Standing seam metal roofs are both modern and versatile offering homeowners a fabulous choice in roofs when building stylish homes.

There’s a lot more to explore on the
Metal Roof Shingles directory.

How To Pick a Roof Contractor

Roof Repair - Dec 17,2011 - No Comment

Choosing a roof contractor who knows his or her job, will be professional and deliver quality and value is not easy when you go by an advertisement in the local newspaper or a free ad listing in the yellow pages. After all, who in their senses would believe all that’s in a paid ad? What we would love to have is proof that the roof contractor is good, and references from people we know or trust to vouch for the contractor’s credentials. There are many roof contractors to choose from in any area, and that’s hardly surprising considering how many buildings need roof repairs and replacement.

What should you look for in a roof contractor? First, verify and don’t blindly trust. Check claims made by any roof contractor using all means available to you. Get references of work done for prior clients, and then contact them for feedback. Don’t just accept the company’s general reference, but enquire about the specific roof contractor who was involved in the project. A larger company might employ many different contractors and the one who works on your home is the one whose track record matters to you.

Check that the roof contractor has an office that’s permanent, with a phone number, fax and other fixed assets indicating they are not a fly-by-night outfit. This will become important in case you have to contact them later on about problems with the installation. A startup roof contractor might close shop after fitting a few roofs and making a quick profit, and if there’s a problem with the job, you’ll be left holding the bag.

Your roof contractor must have insurance. Check the insurance papers for workers who will be involved in your project as well as the contractor’s own papers. The insurance should be comprehensive and cover all liabilities and compensations involving all workers. It could get expensive if you were liable in case of accidents at your work site.

Worker safety is an important industry norm. If your roof contractor does not have the necessary safety training, you’d be taking a big risk. Check to see if the other workers have been trained as well. Some States have regulations that mandate this by law and instruct licencing boards to check their members are bonded. You can ask your state board for these details or even check their website for the information. This is intended to protect you, so even if you’re in a hurry, be sure to check this out.

For more information about hiring a roof contractor, be sure to read this full report.

Roofing Shingles Colors – The Role of Shades

Roof Shingles - Dec 15,2011 - No Comment

Shades of roofing shingles colors can match any building, design and decor. Versatile roofing materials are now available to fit the taste and orientation of any home owner. This short report about roofing shingles colors is worth checking out.

“The darker colored shingles help make a very tall building look less taller. White roofs give off a classic touch to any home and make it look at once light and airy. They can also help a low slung roof appear taller and brighter.

The flip side of white roofs is that they soon start looking grimy and dirty unless very religiously maintained. Unless you live in very clean and mild weather conditions whites may not be ideal. Darker shades also deteriorate faster.

If you choose dark colors then make sure that you have proper ventilation to prevent overheating of the roofs as this cause damage to the shingles. Also, white roofs are not that attractive even if they are energy efficient. So, go for light shades or shingles that have flecks of white in them. This have excellent reflection and are elegant too.”

To read the rest of this article, visit the Roofing Shingles website.

Installing a Shingle Roof – Some Powerful Tips

Roof Shingles - Dec 05,2011 - No Comment

A shingle roof can be designed to fit any taste and style, coming as they do in different colors and patterns. You can have a shingle roof made from various materials like wood, slate, asphalt or metal. There is a wide range to choose from depending upon the weather and climate conditions as well as your lifestyle and budget.

How does one go about building an asphalt shingle roof? Picking the best asphalt roof shingles isn’t difficult. You do have wide range to select from, and can choose the colors and sizes, shapes and textures that match your design and taste. Your shingle roof must complement and fit with the rest of your building, including the walls and even neighborhood. Since the house is still unfinished, this takes a little bit of imagination to visualize and plan.

Your shingle roof needs to match your building’s design and go nicely with the overall architecture and structure. If your building sports contemporary architecture, then a roof made of rounded shingles may not go well with it. The siding that you choose and the windows, doors and accessories you’ll fit on your roof need to match with each other and add to the building’s appeal, and not stick out like a sore thumb.

Your neighborhood indirectly influences your choice of shingle roof. If your house clashes boldly against the trends in your area, it may not be a good thing, unless your goal is to stand out. Where your property is located, and how you intend the building to stand in the ground will further determine what shingle roof you select. For roofing materials, make your decision based on the value and durability they provide as well as other features and benefits such as being resistant to wind, fire and other weather elements. Going with good quality roofing materials is an advantage because they will usually last longer and provide higher quality of protection. This will in turn reduce the cost of your shingle roof when considered over the entire lifetime of your building.

Another important question about a shingle roof is how many of them you’ll need. As a general rule, you can estimate that one square (100 square feet) of roof will require 3 bundles of shingles to cover. So if your roof is a straightforward one, then just divide the area in square feet by 100, and then multiply that by three to get the number of bundles of shingles you’ll need. Be prepared for some loss by breakage or damage while installing your shingle roof, and order a few extra because at times you’ll not get the exact same match. Most manufacturers have flexible return policies to accommodate this reality. Check that your extra shingles can be returned in such an event.

For more about installing a shingle roof, be sure to read the full report here.

EPDM Roofing – A Good Choice

Roof Shingles - Dec 01,2011 - No Comment

EPDM roofing is a popular choice of smart and savvy home owners. And that’s for good reason. EMDM roofing has significant advantages not seen with most other conventional roofing materials.

“EPDM roofing material is made of ethylene propylene diene M-class rubber, as this type of roofing material has the ability to not contaminate or pollute run-off rain water. This is very beneficial for homeowners since the rain water that runs off from EPDM roofing can be used for lots of purposes like watering garden plants, washing vehicles, or even roof cleaning. This is the main reason why EPDM roofing is gradually increasing its popularity among homeowners and contractors due to their being eco-friendly and convenience.

EPDM roofing is very durable, dependable, efficient, and economical, aside from the fact that they are very easy to install, maintain, and repair, which makes them very convenient and excellent to employ for people whose location or area is prone to various extreme weather conditions such as storms and hurricanes.”

Enjoy the entire report at the Roofing Shingles Prices blog.

Picking The Best Roof Contractors

Roof Repair - Nov 25,2011 - No Comment

Having the best roof contractors work on your building is vitally important because the roof is your most important asset and important for the safety and security of the entire building. If you install the wrong roof or do it poorly, then that alone can ruin the entire construction, make it look ugly and be very expensive over time. Worst of all, you may need to replace the entire thing shortly.

Experienced roof contractors will bring to the table many years of experience and training. They will be able to save you from expensive mistakes and wrong judgments, and by following the appropriate installation techniques they will enhance the value of your building and save you money in the process. Be it installing flashing, drip edges or roofing shingles, good roof contractors are worth their weight in gold.

You must seek out roof contractors who have many years in the business, while accumulating many references. They are the professionals who work with quality materials without charging exorbitant rates for them. Ask your own friends and family for endorsements by roof contractors who have served them well. If they can’t help you, then ask national or state level agencies and trade associations for suggestions.

Once you get referrals, be sure to verify and validate them before hiring roof contractors. Try and visit the buildings where the recommended contractor has worked before. You’ll get some idea of what kind of work they deliver and you can check to see if the quality is really good.

You should aim to secure quotes and details from at least 3 competing roof contractors. Ask them to provide details including which materials they will be using. You should critically evaluate their suggestions about the type of roofing system they will install, and check if they are indeed experienced in working on that kind of roof. Do not make the mistake of picking the lowest quote without looking at other things. Poor quality labor that costs you less upfront may well end up costing you dear over the lifetime of your roof.

For more about roof contractors and things you should evaluate before work begins, be sure to read this full report.

Flat Roofing Materials – What Do You Know?

Roof Shingles - Nov 15,2011 - No Comment

How much do you know about flat roofing materials? In a marketplace growing increasingly aware of green homes and roofing solutions, this trend is sure to grow and gain popularity. This short report will help ground you in the basics.

“With the rising awareness of environmentalism, a roof that supports vegetation is termed as a ‘green’ roof. Such a roof can serve plenty of purposes, like, providing insulation to a building, absorbing rainwater, contributing in lowering temperature levels of air and producing a habitat that supports wildlife.

Basically, there are two types of green roofs. One is the intensive roof that is thick and is capable of supporting a significant amount of plant varieties. Such a roof would naturally require good maintenance. Another type of green roofs is extensive roof. It is comparatively lighter than the previous type.”

Learn more about this on the Roofing Shingles Prices Guide.

Types of Industrial Roofing Services

Roof Repair - Nov 04,2011 - No Comment

Industrial roofing services are a lucrative avenue of opportunity because industrial roofing is costly and maintaining these roofs can be intensely frustrating for owners. This is a guide to what industrial roofing services entails and how to go about choosing the best ones for your specific needs.

Industrial sheeting services are one of the services typically offered by professionals. They are meant to provide industrial roofing systems with single or double skin covers, or even composite panel, standing seam and over-sheeting systems. These services all involve installing a new roof system over the currently existing one, without needing removal or tearing down. A spacer bar is first installed over it, and this will support the new roof while protecting the older one beneath it.

Insulating the space between the two roofing systems is an optional extra. Over-sheeting is a useful industrial roofing service because it permits work to continue inside the building even as construction work happens on the outside. There is little if any disruption to regular commercial services, which provides a major benefit in economic terms to the business owner. As a result of the industrial roofing services, the appearance and energy efficiency of the office building is improved because of the insulation effect.

Another industrial roofing service is roof felting. At times it becomes necessary that an industrial roofing system is stripped and resheeted. This happens more often in buildings that were once roofed with asbestos sheets, in light of the growing awareness about the health hazards of asbestos roofing. Removing asbestos roofing makes the work place safer, and that has led to a specialized group of roofing contractors whose area of expertise is roof felting. In buildings with a flat roof, a torch-on or single ply roof felting will lower the fire hazards and prevent combustion related injury to roofing systems. This matters specifically in the petrochemical and food industries.

One more area of industrial roofing services is roofing gutter systems. When gutters are not properly maintained or become damaged, they can cause severe problems with your roofing system. This can weaken the structure of a building and even impair the integrity leading to further damage. Industrial guttering services tackle this problem. Installing modern systems is an important industrial roofing service, and involves installing liners made of light weight materials. In case the budget for repairs is more limited, seamless gutter lining systems are an attractive option that can protect the roof without requiring extensive overhauls. These single-piece linings are designed to minimize leads at gutter joints.

For more about industrial roofing services, check out this comprehensive report.