Top 5 Frequently Asked
Glendale Roofing Questions
Many homeowners really don’t have a thorough knowledge of roofing. Here are 5 of the most often asked questions we get in Glendale Arizona concerning roof repair.
Answer: There are several tip-offs to this. Age is the biggest factor in determining replacement of your roof. If it is over 20 years old, then it is highly likely it needs to be replaced. However, some younger roofs can also fail. That is why regular roofing inspections should take place no less than once a year. You don’t need to worry about climbing any ladders, just break out your binoculars and you can spot just about any problems while keeping your feet on the ground.
What you want to look for are cracked or missing shingles, any that are lifting up on the end with curled edges, or any smooth dark areas that indicate a wearing away of the protective granules. Another good method is to climb into the attic, turn the lights out, and look at the underside for any holes that may bet letting light through.
Look for soft spots and moist areas. These will show up well just after a hard rain. If there are quite a few of them, then you need to call in a Glendale roof repair team.
Answer: There are pros and cons on both sides of this question. Steep roofs are less likely to stop and collect falling leaves and debris. These can hold in moisture against your shingles and promote moss growth. A steep roof that is unshaded will be taking the full brunt of the sun’s wrath, which is fatal to most any type of roof.
There are really other factors that are more important in terms of shingle durability. Whatever side faces the worst weather will suffer the most. You need to have a roof system with proper ventilation to keep the heat from building up underneath the roof and give it longer life.
3. A friend looked at my roof the other day and said my flashing was in bad shape. What exactly is flashing?
Answer: Flashing is a material like aluminum or sometimes galvanized steel, used to cover the roof’s joints and the wall construction, while preventing water from seeping through and causing any damage.
It depends on your style of roof, but flashing is generally laid down in the valleys as well as around the pipes and chimney or any skylights and dormers. Weather and oxidizing can cause damage to the flashing, which in turn can enable water damage. The flashing needs to be spot-checked every now and then to ensure it has not come loose or deteriorated beyond being effective.
4. Why does an Arizona roofing Company use felt paper?
Answer: The felt paper serves as a barrier between two materials, which are the wood and the asphalt. In times past it was used to keep the sap that oozed out from the wood from breaking down the backside of the shingles. It also served as a type of lightweight protection when a really driving rain beat down on the roof.
5. Explain to me the difference between roof windows, sky windows, and skylights?
Answer: Not much actually. Any type of glazed assembly allowing natural light to shine through a roof, you can label as a ‘skylight’. There are a few manufacturers who will label them as a ‘roof window’ when they are large and placed so low that you are able to see out into the landscape.
That means a ‘skylight’ lets you see the sky, and a ‘roof window’ acts more as a window for viewing the landscape. Sky Window is not a very common term. Some manufacturers use this term to describe a large glazed area within a flat roof. Most of your skylights are intended to be placed on roofs that have a slope of no less than 15 degrees.
These are 5 of the many questions that get asked by Glendale Arizona homeowners. Hope this answered some that were in your head as well!