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.

Finding Leaks in Your Home

So your ceiling is leaking. Unless there is a problem in your heat pump or other HVAC equipment, it probably means you have a roofing problem. However, short of simply replacing the entire roof, it can be hard to find a leak. Water rarely drips straight down. Instead it finds studs and beams and follows them down into the home's interior. So the source of the leak, from both location and cause cannot be determined just by looking at watter dripping from the ceiling.

For small roof leaks, you may never notice because the water runs over such a long portion of your internal structure that it gets absorbed before it chips any paint or causes any other blatant damage. Water in the attic can cause serious problems. Moist areas always have problems with mold, but in the attic water can start to degrade your insulation.

When trying to find a leak, Denver roofing companies follow these basic guidelines. First any contractor or experienced roofer will inspect roof drains in the area. Especially in flat roofs, clogged drains can lead to standing water. The roof is not made to work underwater. It is designed to wick water off as quickly as possible while keeping the interior dry. A drain is not waterproof because it is only expected that water will flow straight down it.

For composition or asphalt shingles, you can run a blade along under the shingle. If it stops about an inch in, it is probably sealed with tar, but if it goes further there is a good chance that this could be your leak source.

Penetrations are the most common leak sources according to Denver roofing companies. Often these penetrations were added after the roof and were not sealed properly. All roof penetrations need special attention because they are weak points in the roof. A combination of flashing, pitch and roofing materials is recommended by Denver roofing companies.

The next place to look is the attic or crawlspace. This will get you closer to the source of the leak before water starts running everywhere. Sometimes problems with duct work or plumbing cause leaks that you think are roof leaks. On steep roofs, exposed nails can rust and cause holes for water to leak in. Accumulated debris can also cause water damage. Clear nests and sticks near chimneys and other obstructions. Swamp coolers with leaking pans will dribble water on the roof and shorten its lifespan significantly.

Think if any contractors were working on the roof around the time it last held up. HVAC contractors, electricians and the like might have added equipment or damaged something in the ceiling. Dropped tools are a leading cause of roof damage. The thin inner roofing material is not made to handle a heavy roofing hammer. In those cramped spaces it is easy to pull flashings loose and cause other roof damage.

Historic Spanish Clay Tile

Out of the monotony of common roofing material Spanish tile really pops. The distinctive barrel shape is instantly identifiable. Along with slate roofing, tile is one of the oldest roofing materials still in use. The main reason for its continued popularity lies with its sturdiness and artistic expressions. Tile will last for over a hundred years as long as it is not exposed to blunt trauma. Clay tile also comes in a myriad of roofing options, with different shapes, colors and textures. Some clay roofs have lasted hundreds of years.

Because clay tile is not water tight, it is often the flashing and waterproof roofing materials under the tile that has to be replaced before the tile. Working on the materials under the roof requires the removal of tile. Tile is strong, but brittle, so only an experienced Boulder roofing company should do this kinds of work. Usually what needs maintenance is the tile fastening system, the weather proofing or flashing.

Tiles resist weather and hail very well, but because there are spaces in between them they are not weather proof. During average rainfall most moisture will be quickly routed off the roof but there are always chinks in the armor. Because the tile is expected to last so long, it is important to install quality roofing materials underneath. This means metal flashing. Once properly installed, a clay tile roof should not need any further visits from the Boulder roofing company. Tiles often outlast the buildings and roofs they were installed in. There is actually a booming business in recycled tile from Spain. Broken tiles are the chink, and they do need to be replaced quickly.

These tiles are beautiful on historic and modern buildings. In olden days, clay tiles were hand made and fired in kilns. Historic buildings using tile often find that the tile is the most memorable aspect of the building.Some handmade Mexican and Spanish tile tradesmen still exist, but most tile used by a Boulder roofing company comes from factory made, machine extruded manufacturing.

Once installed in a new roof, tile often lowers the temperature of your roof and attic. All the air space allows for adequate airflow, essential in roofs. Without airflow, heat and moisture build up, eventually leading to rotting. The tile also acts as a barrier. It absorbs heat while there is the air space and roofing materials between the hot tile and the roof. Compare this with asphalt shingles which are thin, dark, and attached directly to the roof.

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.