Keeping the Rain Where It Belongs: An Homage to Roofs

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Top Three Features Of A Resilient Roof

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A resilient roof can withstand diverse and extreme weather events and remain largely intact. Having a resilient roof means you are unlikely to suffer water damage due to leaks or need to flee your home because the roof is no more. Below are some of the top features of a resilient roof.

Wind Resistance

Wind can cause all manner of damages to your roof. For example, strong winds can:

  • Rip off the whole roof
  • Strip shingles off the roof
  • Break shingles
  • Damage gutters
  • Force rain into the roof structure

Here are a few tips for a wind-resistant roof:

  • Get a roof with a hip (four-sided) design
  • Opt for a moderate roof pitch
  • Use nails rather than staples on the roof decking
  • Use strong roof-to-wall connections or attachments
  • Use wind-resistance materials (for example, class ASTM D 3161 )

A wind-resistant roof incorporates everything from the design to the materials.

Fire Resistance

At best, a fire-resistant roof should go through a fire incident without much damage. At worst, the roof should withstand a fire incident long enough for firefighters to put out the fire. A fire-resistant roof should have:

  • Class A rated roofing materials
  • Minimal spacing between the roof decking and covering
  • No or minimal roof debris
  • Adequate clearance between the roof and nearby trees
  • Covered roof edges

Do everything possible to deny embers, fire, or flames entry to internal roofing structures.

Impact Resistance

The impact damage on your roof depends on the roofing materials. For example, for an asphalt shingle roof, a strong impact can dislodge the individual shingles, remove granules off the shingles, or crack the shingles. An impact-resistant roof can withstand impact from hail or windblown debris.

The best way to have an impact-resistance roof is to install impact-resistance roofing materials. Roofing manufacturers rate the impact-resistance of materials on a scale of 1 to 4, with classes 1 and 4 having the lowest and highest rating, respectively.  

Heat Resistance

Heat damage to the roof often goes unnoticed because it doesn't happen all at once. Unfortunately, heat can shorten your roof's lifespan and make it more susceptible to damages. Again, the specific damage that sunlight can cause to your roof varies by material.

For example, for asphalt shingles, sunlight can dry the shingles and increase their risk of breaking or cracking. Sunlight also causes expansion and contraction of material, which triggers thermal shock.

Here are a few tips to prevent sun damage on the roof:

  • Use roofing materials with light colors
  • Ensure the roof has adequate insulation
  • Use roofing materials that expand and contract with minimal damage, such as metal

Everything you can do to keep as much heat out of the roof as possible will help. Don't forget to inspect the roof regularly and repair emerging issues before they become full-blown problems. 

For more information about making your roof resilient, talk to a residential roofing contractor in your area.

 


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