The parts of your roof.

There are many parts and a few layers that separate you from the elements while in your home. Your roof is designed to keep you safe and comfortable. Here is a breakdown of your roofing and the parts that make it up.

Here are the elements that must go into a proper roof:

1. Structure — the roof trusses and joists make up the skeleton of the roof. It must all be able to bear the weight of whatever material you put on top. Concrete or slate tile is much heavier than asphalt shingles and therefore the structure must be designed to handle the weight.
2. Decking —  The roof decking is the roofing material layer between the trusses and joists and the underlayment. Roof decking is usually made of plywood sheets of ½ to ¾ inch in thickness.
 3. Water shield – Typically a water shield (sometimes called ice and water shield) is a peel and stick product that adheres directly to the roof deck. It forms a water-proof barrier where ice or water most often builds up on the eaves edge. This is an optional product that is most useful in colder climates.
 4. Underlayment — The underlayment of a roof is the black paper (sometimes called felt paper) that's laid over the plywood decking in order to seal the roof from damaging elements (snow, rain, ice, etc.).
 5. Roofing Material — The shingles or tiles make up the outermost part of the roof. Sitting atop the underlayment, they form the outermost barrier against the elements. There are literally hundreds of styles, colors and choices for the final layer of your roof, but in general there are five main categories: asphalt shingles (most common), cedar shakes, concrete or ceramic tiles, metal sheeting, and foam.
 6. Flashing — Flashing refers to a thin continuous piece of sheet metal installed to divert water from places where it might collect, such as hips and valleys.
 8. Ventilation — Roofs need to breathe. Ventilation prolongs the life span of your roof.  Adequate ventilation regulates temperature and moisture levels in the attic. Left unchecked, heat and moisture can build up causing damage to rafters, sheathing, shingles, insulation, and raising energy costs. It may also lead to some ugly mold and mildew problems.

The Seven Design Elements of a Roof

 Ridge — This is the highest point or peak of the roof.
 Hip — This is the high point where two adjoining roof sections meet.
 Valley — This is the area of the roof where two slopes meet. These areas receive far more stress as water tends to collect there and require extra protection in the form of sheet metal or flashing to reinforce the area.
 Pitch — This refers to the slope or steepness of the roof. The flatter the pitch, the more water and snow will collect and cause wear and tear.
 Eaves — This refers to the part of the roof that hangs over the rest of the home.
 Gables — These are the triangular portions of the ends of the home, which extend from the eaves to the peak of the roof.
 Dormer — These are the sections of the home that protrude from the roof. They're usually added as a way to bring light into an attic or the upper level of your home.

Abracadabra Roofing serves Roanoke VA and surrounding counties. We endorse the use of GAF roofing products. For a free estimate visit Abracadabra-roofing.com or call 540-977-0045

Roof and Attic Ventilation

         Poor Attic Ventilation Can Ruin Your Insulation, Destroy Your Shingles, and Even Raise Your Energy Bills. An estimated 9 out of 10 homes in North America do not have proper attic ventilation. Why? Because most people are unaware that attic ventilation can impact the longevity of their entire home!
With improper attic ventilation:
 In the summer, attic heat can build in excess of 160°F; the super-heated air eventually travels to living area below.
In the winter, showers, appliances, and cooking vapors can contribute to excess moisture build-up, which eventually soaks attic insulation and reduces its efficiency.
In cold northern climates, ice dams can form on roofs, which may force water back up under shingles and into the home.
These problems can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars due to:
• Premature aging of your roofing system (“fried” shingles)
• Warping, cracking, rotting, or breaking down of wood framing
• Damage to siding, exterior or interior paint, ceilings, and walls
• Roof deck warping
• Buckling of shingles and felt
• Higher energy cost
Proper attic ventilation consists of a balance between air intake (at your eaves or soffits) and air exhaust (at or near your roof ridge). The Federal Housing Administration recommends a minimum of at least 1 square foot of attic ventilation (both intake and exhaust) for every 300 square feet of attic space. Proper attic ventilation systems allow a continual flow of outside air through the attic, protecting insulation efficiency and helping lower living space temperatures, which adds to your home’s longevity! Inadequate attic ventilation can often be attributed to homes having little or no intake ventilation.

• Ridge Vents are your best overall value in attic ventilation. They feature low installed cost with superior performance—and they won’t detract from the finished appearance of your roof!
• Power Ventilators (roof or gable mount) are your best overall investment in attic ventilation. While they may cost more to install than other types of ventilation, they remove the greatest volume of hot and/or humid air from your attic, saving you more in energy costs than other types of ventilation.

• Gable mount attic ventilators are a great choice for exhaust ventilation because they are the easiest power vent to install and won’t detract from the appearance of your roof!
• Whole House Fans are smart energy savers for any climate where air conditioning costs are a concern. They allow you to beat the heat by forcing hot air out of your home while bringing in cooler outside air. Whole house fans are an important part of a complete home ventilating system! (Designed for homes over 1,000 square feet.)

Abracadabra Roofing serves Roanoke, VA and surrounding counties
For a free estimate on your roof call 540-977-0045
Abracadabra Roofing endorses GAF brand roofing ventilation systems.

Do shingle prices go up?

As with the price of stamps, the dollar menu at McDonalds, and chocolate, the price of roofing shingles are raised from time to time. In 2012 roof shingle prices increased anywhere from 10%-20% from the prices they were selling for in 2011 and now comes 2013 Shingle and it has happened again, multiple times. Shingle prices have been raised 3 times this year alone; on March 1^st, and again on April 15^th, and again on August 5^th.  Shingle manufacturers shipped a load of shingles to areas affected by Hurricane Sandy leaving the south with a shorter supply. Unfortunately, the price increase affected not only the cost of shingles but trickled down to homeowners whose insurance premiums went up. So, even if you don’t need to replace or repair your roof repairs, you can still be affected.

“The more this damage occurs, the more the insurance companies are laying out. They have to maintain their financial stability as well,” said Dave Colmans of the Georgia Insurance Information Service.

So if you were wondering why that $5,000 free roof estimate is now 10%-20% more six months later, now you know. These price increases will likely remain in effect through 2013 and probably much longer than that. Roofing costs should stabilize as the demand for shingles and other roofing materials subsides. As progress continues repairing Hurricane Sandy’s handy work, roofing prices should slowly start to fall. This could take quite a while so expect to pay more on shingles, insurance premiums and roof repairs for the time being.

Tri County Insurance Restoration still gives free roofing estimates and will help you get the most out of your roofing damage claim. Serving Roanoke, VA and surrounding counties. Visit  tci-restore.us

How many layers of shingles is too many?

A common question among homeowners is "When is it time to replace my roof?" This is no small decision, as a whole roof replacement can be costly and somewhat of an inconvenience (though not as inconvenient as waiting too long and suffering the consequences). One important factor to consider with regards to that matter is the number of existing layers of shingles on your home.

When your home was first built, only 1 layer of shingle was installed. This one layer has been designed to be able to withstand general wear and tear for a number of years (depending on the quality of shingle that was installed). When that first layer of shingles stops doing its job sufficiently (tabs missing due to wind, heavy granule loss, or noticeable water damage on the home’s interior due to water seepage through missing tabs), a roofer has 2 choices: remove all existing shingles and install a fresh layer, or put new shingles on top of the old. Either option may be appropriate depending on your circumstances, however reroofing will be much cheaper, as tearing up the old roof increases labor costs plus the cost of paying for and installing new underlayment (and sometimes new decking). Disposal fees would be higher as well.

That being said, putting a second layer of shingles on the original layer is accepted by some roofers and not accepted by others. Many believe (as I do) that the best course of action is to strip of the old and apply all new shingles and underlayment. If you simply apply a second layer, there may be underlayment or decking issues that would be otherwise unseen and unaddressed.

When it comes time to reevaluate your roof’s status and there are already 2 layers there, then your decision is a little more involved. Most building codes allow two layers of organic or fiberglass asphalt shingles on roofs with a 4/12 pitch or less, and three layers on steeper roofs, if the structure can support the added weight. Three layers of shingles gets to be fairly heavy, and if your decking is unable to bear the weight, or if the pitch isn’t steep enough, this can lead to problems down the line such as damaged or sagged decking which leads to water damage inside the home. So a third layer of shingles is usually not the best decision and is in some places illegal. It is sometimes the result of lazy roofing, where a contractor takes the less laborious route when they don’t want to go through the trouble of tearing off old materials.

You may occasionally come upon a roof with more than 3 layers of shingles. This is never legal and never in the homeowner’s best interest. According to the Housing Handbook: Requirements for Existing Housing One to Four Family Units 4905.1 on HUD.GOV:

2-12 Roof covering must prevent entrance of moisture and provide

reasonable future utility, durability and economy of

maintenance. When reroofing is needed for a defective

roof, already consisting of three layers of shingles, all

old shingles must be removed prior to re-roofing.

Furthermore, Per VC (8/99) form page 2 of 4 under section VC-9 Roofing reads:

HUD/FHA requires that the roof have at least 2 years remaining life. If the roof has less than 2 years remaining life, then the appraiser must call for a re-roofing or repair. The condition must be clearly sated whether the subject is to be repaired or re-roofed. FHA will accept a maximum of 3 layers of roofing. If more than 2 layers exist and repair is necessary, then all old roofing must be removed as part of the re-roofing.

Don’t let yourself get taken advantage of. Know the law and your local codes so that you get the service you are entitled to. One final note, don’t forget that many types of roofing damage are covered under your home owner’s insurance. So before deciding to fund the whole project yourself, have an adjuster come out and appraise the damage. It could save you thousands out of pocket in the end.

Andy Breivik is a claims manager for TriCounty Insurance Restoration, serving Roanoke and surrounding counties. For a free estimate, visit tci-restore.us