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Roof Components: What’s On My Roof?

Posted on May 11, 2022

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Roof Components: What’s On My Roof?

The roof protects your home from the weather, provides a structure for the attic or other areas of the home, and is an important part of a home’s market value. But you should know that even though the roof is often looked at as a whole, it is actually made up of a lot of parts, known as roof components. The components of your roof work together to accomplish these tasks. With the following blog, you will get to know about each of these components so that you do not get confused when it is time to install or replace your roof

Roof Deck

The decking is the plywood that rests on top of your rafters or trusses. It’s the first layer of a roof, and it’s fastened directly onto your rafters (or joists) to create a flat surface. The decking is usually made from plywood or OSB (oriented strand board), but some contractors use EPDM rubber roofing instead. The roof deck serves as the basis for all the other roof components. Once installed, you won’t see this part of your roof from ground level—it’ll be covered with shingles! Note that the roof deck is fabricated wood and is not a waterproof material. Waterproofing is done after the deck is installed. 

Roof Underlayment

After the contractor installs the rafters and deck, he will move along with installing roof underlayment. Think of it as the skin that covers the skeleton. In order to keep water out of your home, it is important that you install an appropriate underlayment. Underlayment is the layer between the shingles and the sheathing or plywood decking, which helps prevent moisture from seeping into your home and causing damage due to leaks. So if your shingles get damaged, an underlayment will come into action.

Underlayments can be divided into two categories: felt paper and synthetic underlayment (also called ice and water shield). Underlayments are typically installed with nails or staples, but you can also use adhesives if you have trouble keeping them in place during installation.

Flashing

Now, let’s move to the visible parts of the roof. Flashing might not be talked about enough, but they do play a crucial role in protecting the other roof components. There are some areas on the roof that are more vulnerable to water damage, such as chimneys and skylights. To prevent this damage and direct water away, flashing is used.  Flashing is a sealant that’s used to prevent water from leaking into your home. Flashing comes in different sizes and shapes, depending on where it needs to be installed. There are three main types of flashing: metal, plastic and self-adhesive. Metal flashing is the most popular and is typically used around chimneys; plastic is used around skylights, and self-adhesive flashing can be applied directly over the seams between two pieces of shingles (or other materials).

Drip Edge

A drip edge is a metal or plastic strip that is installed along the upper edge of a roof to prevent water from leaking into the walls. The purpose of a drip edge is to direct water to the gutter and away from moisture-sensitive areas of your home. A drip edge comes in a variety of materials. 

Metal drip edges are usually made from aluminum, galvanized steel, or copper. Plastic drip edges are often made out of PVC or EPDM rubber.

Water that’s not collected by gutters can flow off the roof and down the side of the house. If this happens, it can cause damage to your home’s walls and windowsills. The addition of drip edges can prevent this from happening as they will help to direct the water away. 

Shingles

There are variety of roofing materials available in every market, but you will see nothing more than roof shingles. Shingles are the most common roofing material in North America. They’re typically made of asphalt, wood, slate or fiber cement and come in a variety of shapes and colors. Shingles can be found in many different styles. 

Shingles are the most visible component of your roof, and often the first thing you think about when imagining what someone’s house looks like from the outside. They come in many different styles and colors, from white to red to brown to green—you name it!

Shingles are meant to protect your home from weather, which is why they’re usually made out of asphalt or fiberglass. They are typically installed in one layer over top of an underlayment (the waterproofing membrane), which sits on top of wood sheathing or plywood fastened directly onto structural elements within walls like rafters.

Fascia and Soffit

Fascia and soffit are two important components of your roof.

Fascia is the board that covers the top edge of the roof. It’s usually made of wood or another material with a similar appearance. The fascia helps to keep water away from the house, and it also protects the structure from snow and ice build-up. Fascia plays an important role in holding the roof structure together. 

Soffits are the vertical panels that run along the bottom of a roof. They’re usually made of wood, metal, or vinyl and they protect your home from weather damage by covering the part of your roof that’s exposed to wind and rain.

Gutters And Downspout

Gutters are another important component of a roof. They help to force rainwater away from the foundation of your home, which could otherwise lead to water damage. Gutters are also good for keeping leaves and other debris out of your roofing system.

Gutters come in three different styles: seamless, rolled, and welded. Seamless gutters are made from one long piece of metal, meaning there is no seam where the gutter ends and meets another section of the gutter. This type of gutter is more expensive than rolled or welded gutters because it requires more material.

Downspouts are the pipes that carry water from your roof to the ground. They’re usually connected to gutters, which catch rainwater and channel it into the downspout.

Want To Install Or Replace A Roof? 

Now we hope you get an idea of how your roof is made and how the different components of a residential roof system are used together to build a strong roof. 

If you are thinking about installing a new roof system then you need to ensure that you get the best roof components so that your roof system does not get compromised. Each of the components of a roof should be installed correctly to get the best performance. If this is not done properly then your home’s roof will not be able to face tough conditions and will be vulnerable to damages such as leaks, etc.

This is why you need to hire a professional roofing contractor such as Miller Roofing and Renovations. 

We have more than 35 years of combined experience, which means we have spent a lot of time roofing houses, and are good at it. Also with us you will get expert installation of world class roofing materials manufactured by leading companies such as Owens Corning and Atlas. So what are you waiting for, contact us at 901-457-9405 to give your Memphis home a new, strong roof.

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