Basics of roofing
We are all familiar with the word roof, well we have one over our head but how much do we know about our roof? If you are someone who is planning to do roofing for your property or someone who wants to renovate the existing roof, the below information will help you. Here you will find out everything you need to know when you talk to your roofing contractor or if you are going to buy roofing materials yourself.
What elements constitute a roof?
A roof consists of roofing material which are roofing tiles, roofing sheets or shingles, a roof structure made of wood or metal that supports the primary roofing material. The roof structure can be made of the intermediate purlins and rafters or it can be concrete or a wooden deck. Some people also prefer to use a layer of insulation on their roof.
What all accessories are required for the roof?
The main accessories that go on a roof are
- Ridge (Peak of the roof where two roof areas meet)
- Valley (To collect rainwater flowing into the valley area)
- Screws/Nails (To fasten roofing sheet/tile to steel/wood structures)
Apart from the above main accessories, you can also use
- Verge (Strips to cover the edge of the roof safely and aesthetically)
- Roof Lights (Transparent roofing to let the sun light in to the building)
- Rain water gutter (To collect rain water from the roof)
- Ventilation Fillers (Roof Barrier to let the air in but to stop the entry on insects and small animals like rats)
- Flashing bands (Tapes to be used at ridges and hips for waterproofing)
What is roof pitch?
The roof pitch is the steepness of a roof.
To calculate the roof pitch, divide the vertical rise (h on the drawing) by its horizontal span or slope (b on the drawing).
The roof pitch varies according to the roofing materials selected, the architectural style and the use of the building.
What is a roof ridge?
The ridge is the upper line of the roof that joins the 2 roof pitches. It is the split line of rain waters.
Ridge is also used for the wooden part, also called the ridge beam or the roofing element that covers and protect the ridge beam (also called ridge capping).
Good to know: select the ridge element in the same material as your roofing. All pieces will keep the same performance.
WHAT ARE VALLEYS?
It is the area where two roof slopes meet. It is a very important part of your roof because it channels rain water down the roof. Properly maintaining them is essential to keep leaks away.
WHAT ARE EAVES?
The part of the roof that hangs over the wall. Verge pieces are used to cover the eaves.
Roof Ventilation
This is a very important aspect in roofing. You must always provide space for air to circulate. Ventilating the roof space prevent condensation and it affects the heat insulation positively as well. In order to obtain desired efficiency from ventilation, air inlet and outlet locations should be adequately measured and selected according to the physical properties of the roof. Never block the sources of roof ventilation.