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Property Maintenance – Roofing

A roof is what protects a building and its contents from elements of the weather. A roof mainly provides protection from rain but it also provides you with protection from aspects such as heat, sunlight, cold and wind.

Author: Carolyn Clayton

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The reason that a roof protects against rain is due to the fact that rain water can be potentially damaging to a building as rain water may run down the walls and seep into the mortar. Rain water also has the potential to cause structural damage to a building as it lies around the buildings foundations. This is why modern roofs have a drainage system such as gutters or drain pipes.

When it comes to the material of your roof there are many different aspects that you roof may be made out of such as straw, seagrass or aluminium sheeting; however the most common form of roof covering in many parts of not only the UK but throughout the world are ceramic tiles; they have been the dominant roof covering for many years now.

The construction of your roof is determined by the roofs method of support and if the roof is pitched. The pitch of a roof describes the angle at which the roof rises from its lowest point to its highest. Most domestic architecture have pitched roofs. Certain types of roofs, such as thatch require a steep pitch in order to be waterproof as well as durable. Other types of roofing, for example pantiles, are unstable on a steeply pitched roof but provide excellent weather protection at a relatively low angle. In regions where there is little rain, an almost flat roof with a slight run-off provides adequate protection against an occasional downpour.

All roofs are designed with two parts, which are the support structure and the outer skin. The support aspect of the roof comprises of beams that are long and strong such as timber, cast iron or steel; however in many cases the traditional use of timber is chosen over other methods, especially in places such as cottages where the beams are often exposed.

When it comes to the outerwear of a roof there are numerous materials available. The materials that are used as the outerwear of a roof really depend on the location of the building. For example countries that are prone to heavy snowfalls may opt to use steel on their roofs as the smooth surface of steel will allow the snow to slide off easily so that the roof doesn’t get damaged due to weight being placed on it.

Roof shingles are the most widely used roof coverings that are used and the industry has recognised this as with the turn of the 20th Century the manufacture of composition shingles, which can last from 20 years through to thicker shingles, which can last a lifetime. The cost of these shingles depends on the durability of shingle. When the life span of shingles does run out or if a shingle gets damaged they will need replacing so when this happens the shingles are stripped away, along with the underlay and the roofing nails, which makes way for a new set of shingles to be placed on the roofs structure.

About Author

Helen is the web master of ARCH Building Solutions, specialists in Roof Maintenance and all aspects of Property Maintenance.

Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-carolyn-clayton-1268.html