When purchasing a new roof for your Dallas home, there are a couple important things to take into consideration before you begin the process. First, you must make sure you contact an experienced professional in your area, like Alpine Roofing Construction, to help you with your questions and assist you as you purchase and install your new roof. Next, you should learn about the basic components of a roof system so that you understand your options when purchasing, installing, and repairing your new residential roof. Understanding the basics of your roof will allow you to feel more confident and involved when going through the purchasing and installation process. This quick and easy guide can help you with the basics of a residential roof system.
Most residential roofs are steep-slope roofs. A steep-slope roof is a roof with a slope of 25% or more. Steep-slope roofs are simple to understand, because every steep-slope roof has five basic components:
- Roof covering: Tiles, slate, metal, shingles, and underlayment that protects the sheathing.
- Sheathing: Boards or other sheet material attached to the roof rafters that cover your house.
- The main roof structure: This includes rafters and trusses that are constructed to support the sheathing.
- Flashing: Flashing prevents water seepage and is made up of sheet metal or other material. It is installed into a roof system’s various joints and valleys.
- Drainage: The drainage system is vital because it affects the roof’s overall ability to shed water. Drainage depends on the roof system’s design feature such as shape, slope, and layout.
Clearly, roofs are easier to understand than they appear. Now that you understand the basics, you will be prepared to purchase your new residential roof. In the unfortunate case that you ever need roof repair, you will also be more equipped to talk intelligently about what parts of the roof need fixing. If you need further help, don’t hesitate to call Alpine Roofing Construction at (817) 409-8975. The experienced professionals at our Dallas roofing company are ready to help you with any questions you might have. We can also help you if you would like more in-depth information about your new roof.