If you are new to this industry, you’ll find everything you need to know about roofing right here. Roofs are made of a complex set of materials that work hand-in-hand to maximize your home’s lifespan while also giving your home the aesthetic appeal that most have been striving for.
What makes a functional and efficient roof? What materials should you be looking out for and where can you hire a good contractor? No worries, we will be answering most of the questions people generally have about roofing.
Choosing The Right Materials
The first phase in every roof installation is choosing the right roofing material. Homeowners tend to focus on getting the most aesthetically-pleasing roofing material that they can get their hands on. In reality, there are more factors that you have to take into account than just the texture and visual appeal of your roofing materials.
Styles
When in your local builder’s depot, there will be a plethora of different roofing materials that come in different shapes, sizes and styles. Traditional roofing materials will usually come in the form of shingles, tiles, and shakes. Shingles are known for being able to effectively shed water and snow off of your roof. There are also some shingles that have been specifically manufactured to withstand hailstorms and high winds for houses that are in the path of storms. However, one of the drawbacks of shingles is that it can be vulnerable to breaking whenever someone is stepping on the roof.
Metal roofing will usually come in pre-made panels and roofing that will encompass the whole roof. There are also some metal roofing products that comes in the form of shingles.
On the other hand, flat roofing requires special modes of installation. Flat roofing like PVC, TPO, EPDM, and BUR are usually placed by heating up tar or spraying the top of your roof with the material that’s needed. Since flat roofing materials are different in terms of the installation process, it requires special materials that will work on flat surfaces.
Material Used
For most people who aren’t well-versed with the roofing industry, the first thing that people focus on is whether these roofing materials will harmonize well with their roofing materials. Roofing materials like asphalt shingles, corrugated metal roofing, slate tile roofs, and wooden shakes/shingles are obviously made out of different materials. Since these are made out of different materials, they will also have unique traits and characteristics. Some materials will fair better on different weather conditions. Slate tile and clay tile roofs are usually used on homes located in coastal towns since it can resist seawater and strong winds. Metal roofs are often used in colder climates since they can easily shed and dispose of water and snow.
Hiring The Right Contractor
The roofing industry has been around for thousands of years and is one of the oldest and still one of the most thriving industries in the market. Wherever there are buildings and houses, there’s bound to be a roofing professional who can get the job done. However, just because someone knows how to install a roof doesn’t mean they should be hired. Home owners need to ask the right questions to make sure that these professionals are well-trained and equipped to handle any service that’s needed from them. Hiring a roofing contractor is like interviewing someone for a job position, most home owners would not hire the first contractor they talk to.
It’s only logical that they answer some questions first, some on the best courses of action if you don’t have the necessary base knowledge on the industry. You can ask them the following question:
- How long have you been in this industry?
- How will you be installing my roof?
- Can I see your portfolio?
- Do you have any contact details of your previous clients?
- Are you accredited with the BBB? Do you have any documents that can back it up?
It might seem like there’s a lot of questions that need to be asked, but it is a necessity nonetheless. After all, this is someone coming into your home and installing your roof. It is only appropriate that someone is hired who has years of experience and training.
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Matt Kowalis
Marketing Manager for Central Roofing LLC
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About Central Roofing
Central Roofing is a top quality roofing company in Sullivan, IL that likewise operates in Mattoon and Champaign, and the rest of Illinois. We offer a wide array of roofing services to property owners like you. We have been the leading go-to roofing company of homeowners, business owners, and property managers for almost a decade now here in Illinois.
