Simple Tips And Strategies On Home Improvement

"Do-it-yourselfers" account for more than 50% of homeowners within the U.S. Usually when a home owner is looking completing a home improvement project it is because they would like to obtain a more comfortable home, increase their energy savings or sometimes it is just general maintenance and repair. There are definitely a vast number of resources available to any homeowner if they are exploring options for home improvement.

Roofing

You can install your metal roofing right over top of old asphalt tiles. This alone will save you a great deal of time as you won't have to worry about the investment you would have to make into removing the old roofing. If there is three or more layers already, then you will have to remove the asphalt tiles that are there.

Metal roofing can be made of many different types of metals. Some of the choices you have when deciding are steel, zinc, copper, stainless steel, and alumninum. Any choice you have will have its pros and cons, you should look into each one of them to make an informed decision.

There are a variety of choices when it comes to the roof vent that you will use. A popular product for roof vents is created using ABS plastic. The nice part about this product is that it will typically match the come in the same color as the metal roofing product you use. It is pretty simple to install with metal screws.

Is metal roofing better than asphalt roofing? One thing that you will have to take into account is the pitch of the roof. Either one of these roofing materials will work for a steep pitch or steep slope roof; however for a low pitch roof you will want to consider metal roofing as shingles usually leak.

As the article states, there are many resources out there to assist with home improvement projects. A conscientious homeowner will do much research before beginning any type of home improvement project to insure that they have the correct materials and tools on hand to complete the project and ensure a successful improvement.

Green Roof Building

Green roofing is an exciting new prospect for the roofing industry and the world. Green roofing has the potential to take wasted space on the millions of roofs needlessly absorbing the suns energy and convert that into something useful. Green roofing does present some unique problems. Usually roofs are designed to remove water as quickly as possible, but vegetation needs water, and there will be an additional layer of sometimes wet growing material for the roof to support. This means that the roof must be much stronger to support all this additional weight. The roof also needs a very effective drainage system that keeps the part below the growing material dry.

The soil and vegetation layer of a green roof usually consists of low maintenance plants. Therefore the typical roof does not need a irrigation system. If the roof is more for looks or to play on, a irrigations system may be installed. These should be drip systems that deliver the water to the roots to minimize evaporative water loss. But most will let the plants grow naturally. A Denver roofing contractor may have to consult with a nursery on the correct type of plants.

The scientists behinds these roofing systems divide them into intensive and extensive categories. The extensive roof is also called an eco-roof. These are thinner and lighter, but the reduced soil limits the vegetation options. The common plants are mosses and grasses. These grow in a low profile and require little maintenance.

If your Denver roofing contractor is more ambitious, you could try an intensive roof. These have enough soil to make a full garden. This type of roof is ideal if you are looking to make a rooftop garden oasis. Small trees, and little patios can even be housed with enough structural support. If you do get your Denver roofing contractor to install and intensive roof, you will probably have to hire someone to maintain it.

Green roofs are very good insulators and reduce the heat of the roof overall significantly. This saves on heating and air conditioning costs. This can help reduce the heat island effect in urban environments. The plants and soil also filter the air and water in the area. Green roofs are especially popular in urban environments because they add yard space in areas where this was impossible.

Spray Foam Roofing

Spray foam roofing is an interesting roofing material consisting of two different liquid materials that combine to form a seamless roofing material. After mixing, the foam expands over 20 times to form a complete solid roof. These roofs are popular for the speed in which they can be applied, while providing high performance water resistance and insulation.

Abbreviated SPF, spray foam roofing becomes an adhesive, that will adhere and make a roof on almost any surface except bitumen. This means concrete, cinder block, wood and metal roofs can be covered, which leads to lower costs and less roof waste. Instead of tearing off the old roof and installing a new one SPF can be installed. Spray foam also doubles as insulation further reducing a step required on roofing contractors in Denver. Once sprayed, SPF lasts around 50 years. During that time, it will need occasional maintenance in the form of cleaning and priming.

Sometimes roofing contractors in Denver add UV resistant granules to the top coat of foam to protect it from the sun. Foam is actually pretty hardy. The word foam often turns people off, but the foam is hard and durable. They handle human traffic better than asphalt roofs, but can still be damaged from limbs and tools falling on the roofing surface. However, because it is foam roofing contractors in Denver love SPF for its insulating abilities. A square foot of the substance weighs less than three pounds. This means the rest of that material is insulating air.

In warm climates especially, SPF roofing will pay for itself with reduced energy bills on cooling. Studies show that this roofing material pays for itself in 4-5 years. Few other roofing systems will pay for themselves ever. For the two polymers in the foam to correctly combine, the spraying must be done right. The gun, hose and feeding systems must all operate correctly to install a 1 to 1 ratio of the polymer bases. If something goes wrong, it must be fixed immediately or the project must be stopped. It can be hard for some roofing contractors to do this because this means swallowing the costs of redoing the roof.

Roof Types

Before considering a roof redesign, roof replacement or when building a new home, you should look up the kinds of roofs available. You do not necessarily have to use the same kind of roof as in your old home. There are many options out there that have differences in utility and aesthetics.

One of the most common types of roof is the gable roof. Gable roofs with composition shingles represent more than half of American homes. It is simple for Denver roofing contractors to build, and it has some positive design features like easy ventilation and rain shedding. Some even use the false thatched roof style, that uses tan shingles formed on the eaves to look like a thatch overhand.

The hip roof is similar to the gable except it has triangles that shed water on the ends, while the gable just has two planes. It is harder to ventilate, and some HVAC contractors dislike it because of the possibility of leaks and less room inside.

A frames look like a capitol A stuck into the ground. The roof goes all the way to the ground and doubles as the walls. Usually used in smaller cottages and the like, now some ambitious Denver roofing contractors are using A-frame construction on churches in unconventional ways.

The flat roof is popular on the big box retailers because it is the cheapest roof. You just construct a flat plane on the top of the beams. These roofs are usually not considered very attractive for two reasons. One, because it is flat, you cannot see it from below, and two, the top is often covered with layers of felt, tar and gravel. This is called "built up roofing" by Denver roofing contractors. A perfectly flat roof would have problems with water pooling, so even flat roofs on large buildings should have a slight pitch for water drainage. These roofs are uncommon in the north because they do not shed snow.

Still in the simple roof construction category, the shed roof is a roof that only has one angled plane. So the high side is on one wall and the low on the opposite. This is also easy to build, but uncommon in larger structures.

Tile vs Slate Roofing

The upper tier of roofing materials in terms of quality and looks are tile and slate roof shingles. Both tile and slate will last a long time due to the strength of their material. Tile is made out of baked clay, while slate is either stone or a synthetic material.

The most recognizable form of tile are the red Spanish s-tiles. These are a traditional and classy look, but tile can come in may more designs as well. Some tile is even made of concrete instead of clay. Concrete can be molded to look like other types of roofing materials. Both forms are very resistant to weathering because of their density. The only real weakness of tile is that it is brittle and can shatter when people walk on it. However if for example a tree limb falls on a tile roof, it will only break a few tiles. Compare that with having to call a Denver roofing company to completely replace a thinner asphalt shingle roof.

Tile can withstand fire, hail and other adverse conditions well, however it is very heavy like slate roofing. Slate has many of the same benefits, but it is the most expensive roofing material. Some at the Denver roofing company say this is because they look better, however the real reason is because slate is really made from stone. It is a hard to gather natural material.

The main benefit of using real rock is that it lasts almost forever. It may cost 10x as much as asphalt shingles, but slate roofs will last 10x as long as well. They require much less maintenance from a Denver roofing company over that span as well. Like tile, slate is very heavy and requires a sturdily built roof to hold it up. Not all roofers are familiar with slate.

One interesting factoid is that light colored roofs significantly reduce the amount of solar energy absorbed. This keeps the house cool in the summer, and it also reduces the effects of global warming by reflecting heat back out into space. So in warm climates pick a lighter colored tile if possible. Slate is loosing some of its popularity because of the price. There are new synthetic slate roofing materials that are made of either slate dust or cement and fiber resin. They are slightly cheaper and retain many of slate's good qualities.

Roof Replacement Costs

Installing a new roof is a big decision. You will have to hire a roofing contractor and pay thousands of dollars in roofing materials. If you are constructing a new home, the best bet is to go with what the architect advises and what will be the longest lasting investment.

Unfortunately roof shopping is not like shoe shopping. These materials cost a lot and will be what is protecting your family from the elements. So you will want to do some research and make some calculations about the overall costs and benefits of each product. The roofing contractor you choose is also important. Don't let them tell you that shingles will last longer than Denver metal roofing.

Although asphalt shingles are everywhere and have been the cheapest roofing choice for years, most roofing contractors do not recommend them anymore. Sure, the roofer will probably get more business because he will have to replace the whole thing every 10-20 years. In the meantime the roofing contractor will also make money as shingles break and need to be replaced. However, this results in significant extra costs to you, and significant waste in terms of old shingles. Those shingles are made of a petroleum byproduct, asphalt and do not bio degrade. So for economical and ecological reasons we do not recommend asphalt shingles.

To determine if you want a roofer, consider their track record. Ask about their other jobs and customers. If they offer any product or construction warranties, make sure you get those in writing. They should be helpful and give you a written proposal, not try and convince you to let them start work immediately. That is unless you have put off roof replacement for so long that your roof damage is starting to damage the interior of the home as well. Denver metal roofing is probably the hardiest type of roofing and it is not complicated to install.

Once you decide on a roofing contractor and type of roofing, price will probably influence your final roofing choices. When doing roof replacement, oddly shaped roofs or an excess of protruding roof structures like vents will make the job more difficult and expensive. The base price is found by multiplying the cost per roofing unit by the amount needed to cover the roof. The roofer then adds expenses like fasteners and labor. Labor often costs more than the total costs of roofing supplies. If you had a poorly designed roof or suffered damage, the roofer may have to tear off the old roof before installing Denver metal roofing. This is a much more expensive process than just laying tile shingles.

Eco-Friendly Metal Roofing

Metal roofing's biggest plus is its durability vs asphalt shingles. Shingles need regular replacement and if just one shingle gets damaged, that could equal immediate water damage. The strength of an asphalt shingle also leaves much to be desired. Anyone could snap one of these shingles in half with their bare hands.

If you want an alternative that does not use tar and asphalt, metal roofing is a green roof alternative. The fabrication of metal sheeting certainly has its environmental effects, but those effects are minuscule compared to using asphalt. Asphalt is basically just oil residue, but it does not last very long. Asphalt shingles need to be replaced regularly, while Denver metal roofing will last over 50 years.

The amount of maintenance required of metal roofing makes it much cheaper over time. Correctly constructed, Denver metal roofing should be like a shield, protecting your home for years. Most homeowners do not replace their roof or realize there is a problem until there is a leak causing damage in the home. With replaceable shingles, this means possible roof damage every few years, instead ever half decade with a metal roof. Asphalt roofing is becoming obsolete because there are so many roofing materials now that do the job better, with less labor required.

Asphalt is still the cheapest, but as a property owner, you should be looking at the house as an investment. Over time asphalt will require many repairs and it will not increase the value of the house like Denver metal roofing can. If you are just flipping properties, you may not have time for a metal roof or other superior roofing materials. Asphalt shingle manufacturers claim that their roofs will last around 15 years. During that time however, you may need to do some roof repairs or replace broken shingles. These shingles are sent to the dump, and the asphalt is certainly not good for the environment.

Some people think metal roofing is boring, and this may be if you just leave it like it is. But metal can be painted and this leaves you with an array of colors and designs to choose from. You do not have to have your house looking like a barn just because you bought metal roofing! They now have metal that mimics slate or wood shingles, so you can get the best of both worlds.Choose your roof color to match your home and personality, just like you would anything else that is customizable.

To add green energy savings, choose a light color in hot areas with a lot of sun, and a dark shade where it is cold. Reflective roofs can save you a great deal on air conditioning costs. As the sun's energy comes from above, much of it is absorbed by the roof, and light colors minimize this. Metal will not deteriorate in weather and leak into the environment like other roofing materials.