WEATHER AND WEATHERING - HOW CLIMATE AFFECTS YOUR ROOF
RAIN OR SHINE: HOW ROOFS WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME
WEATHER AND WEATHERING - HOW CLIMATE AFFECTS YOUR ROOF
PART
I
Weather and Weathering How Climate Affects Your Roof Your roof is your homes’ first line of defense against the weather, providing you with protection 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Extreme weather conditions can wreak havoc on your roof but even everyday exposure can also take its toll, putting your property at risk. So how does the climate affect your roof? Damage over time can be observed due to:
RAIN OR SHINE: HOW ROOFS WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME
WEATHER AND WEATHERING - HOW CLIMATE AFFECTS YOUR ROOF
SUNLIGHT
Even on a cloudless, sunny day, your roof is taking damage, with sunlight contributing to the aging and decay of roofing materials, albeit at a slower rate. Compare shingles, for instance, that are in the shade and those that receive more sunlight and you’ll see the latter as showing more wear. The south-facing portion of your roof will receive more sunlight so shingles in that area will age faster than those in other places on your roof.
WIND
As with sunlight, your roof is constantly exposed to the wind. While roofs are engineered to withstand normal windy conditions, the wind can eventually rip away shingles that are already loosened or were installed incorrectly in the first place. And when strong enough, winds can strip a roof away from a home, resulting in areas that leave your home exposed.
RAIN OR SHINE: HOW ROOFS WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME
WEATHER AND WEATHERING - HOW CLIMATE AFFECTS YOUR ROOF
RAIN
Water’s effect is subtle and slow, but over time can be dramatic. Think the Grand Canyon. While water damage to your roof will not reach that scale, rainfall will still wear away at your roof, most especially if you’re using a roofing material not particularly suited to constant exposure to water. Aside from wearing away roofing material, water can also seep into weakened parts of a roof, causing moisture damage inside the home.
Because of these, roofs have to be carefully engineered to withstand whatever the element will bring. In Part II, we’ll be discussing exactly how a roof is able to fight off the weather.
RAIN OR SHINE: HOW ROOFS WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME
WEATHER AND WEATHERING - HOW CLIMATE AFFECTS YOUR ROOF
PART
II
Roof Design and Weather Resistance When it comes to longevity and resisting the elements, no two roofs are exactly the same. The fact that different roofing materials have different expected lifetimes serves to stress this. But while it can be argued that balancing cost, durability, and service life is a matter of trading off different factors to find a solution that will meet your needs the most, it is a fact that certain combinations of materials and engineering make for roofs better able to resist weather damage.
RAIN OR SHINE: HOW ROOFS WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME
ROOF DESIGN AND WEATHER RESISTANCE
ROOF DESIGN
Wind primarily affects roofs in the form of uplift. The more sloping surfaces a roof has, the more resistance it has to wind and uplift forces. This means that a hip roof, with four sloping sides, will be able to resists strong winds better than the more common gable roof, which only has two slopes.
THE DANGER OF OVERHANGING AREAS
Projecting surfaces and large overhangs not only provide areas for the wind to latch onto and tear at your roof, but also makes the overhangs inherently weaker at resisting the effects of the wind. If you’re getting an entirely new roof, keep in mind that gable ends should be avoided and whatever overhang your roof might have should not extend beyond 20 inches from exterior wall edges.
RAIN OR SHINE: HOW ROOFS WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME
ROOF DESIGN AND WEATHER RESISTANCE
ROOF PITCH
A roof’s slope also plays a part in resisting hurricane-force winds. To maximize resistance to uplift, you want a roof with a 3.6/12 slope, meaning it rises 3.6 inches for every 12 inches that it extends. Generally though, roofs with pitches ranging from 4/12 to 6/12 will also do well in offering wind-resistance. Aside from resistance to wind, a roof’s pitch also helps determine how well it will shed water. Typically though, the steeper the roof, the faster it sheds, minimizing water damage.
Paying particular attention to roof design can help you fashion a roof with optimum weatherresistance. In Part III, you’ll be learning about the other things you can do to keep your roof in shape no matter what the elements may bring. RAIN OR SHINE: HOW ROOFS WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME
WEATHER AND WEATHERING - HOW CLIMATE AFFECTS YOUR ROOF
PART
III
Weather Beaten, Not “Weather-Beaten” Your roof may be built to last but you’ll still want to do whatever you can help it along and prevent weather damage from setting in for as long as you can. Preventive care will require effort but it is effort dramatically simpler than what reactive care will require. A small problem, after all, will grow over time, resulting in a need for a solution that is not only more complex but more expensive as well.
RAIN OR SHINE: HOW ROOFS WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME
WEATHER BEATEN, NOT “WEATHER-BEATEN”
INSPECTING YOUR ROOF
Generally, your roof should be inspected at least once or twice a year, preferably in the spring or fall. However, there is an exception: after a storm. You can get started with doing a visual inspection on your own. From the ground, give your roof a onceover to see if anything needs immediate attention. To give you a better, clearer view of your roof, you can use a pair of binoculars to zoom in on certain areas. NEVER go up on your roof yourself, especially after it has just rained. Leave that task to the professionals who not only have the right equipment for the job but have also been trained to properly do it.
RAIN OR SHINE: HOW ROOFS WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME
WEATHER BEATEN, NOT “WEATHER-BEATEN”
OTHER PREVENTIVE MEASURES Keep trees around your home trimmed. Aside from the risk of falling branches damaging your roof, trees can also be a source of gutter clogs, thanks to their leaves.
Keep your gutter system clean. Gutters are designed to direct water away from your property when it rains. When your gutter system is clogged, water can pool and overflow, resulting in water damage for both your roof and the rest of your home. To keep your gutters clean, you can either schedule regular cleaning sessions or have gutter covers installed.
RAIN OR SHINE: HOW ROOFS WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME
WEATHER BEATEN, NOT “WEATHER-BEATEN”
ARRY’S ROOFING SERVICES, INC.
401 East Spruce Street, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689
(727) 362-2230 www.ArrysRoofing.com
RAIN OR SHINE: HOW ROOFS WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME