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Many people don’t realize how many different pieces of their roofing cannot be seen from the outside.
If you have searched a blog like this before, you know how important the health of your wood decking roof base is. The beams and rafters that hold up your roofline and its structure are known to be part of the “bones” of the house. They do their part by making a slope that water and snow can run off your roof. Really, the wood decking is what forms the base layer for the entire structure. Decking is normally built with something like plywood or an oriented strand board. Depending on the home, the decking could be polystyrene, concrete, or metal. Those materials are mostly all more common on flat roofs that commercial buildings need. Lastly, decking is attached to the rafters by nails.
The next layer piece is called underlayment. The shingles do hide it though.
The underlayment is needed to act as a barrier that is used for a short amount of time between the decking and rain or wind while your shingles are being installed.
The drip edge can also be referred to as “eave flashing.” Aluminum pieces are nailed in over the underlayment at the sides and under the underlayment at the edges of your roof to direct water into the gutter.
Throughout this blog, you may notice the stress on the importance of gutters. They are able to be seen, but sometimes a break or a leak in the system is hidden. It is essential that you clean your gutters and downspouts at least twice every season.
Your shingles are on the outside and are able to be seen, but they must be installed correctly to do their job. The edges of your shingles are fully hidden so that they form the best possible barrier against the heaviest weather.
A leak barrier is a device that typically is made up of fiberglass. It is placed on the areas of your roof that are most prone to leaking. These areas include eaves, valleys, rakes, and chimney perimeters. If you don’t have leak barriers protecting the weak spots of your roof, water is able to leak through and cause great damage to the inside of your home.
An attic ventilation system at the top of your roof is necessary to decrease any issues from heat and moisture that leak through the ceilings in your living areas into your attic. Having the proper ventilation also helps reduce the burden on your AC unit. This will be much more energy efficient in the summer. By keeping your attic ventilated and dry, you lower the chance of dealing with “ice dam formation” in the winter. If your attic is not properly circulated, extra heat and condensation can cause major damage to your attic trim and foundation, the attic insulation, the roof, and roofing pieces.
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