Even the most diligent homeowner doesn’t spend a great deal of time thinking about roofs.  As long as you do the general maintenance and have the shingles replaced by a professional when necessary, there really isn’t too much to think about.  The next time the need for a new roof comes up in your home, you do have a little more to think about.  In this day and age of environmental consciousness, you have an option in roofing that has been around for centuries and is currently enjoying resurgence in popularity.  Learn a little more about green roofs and decide if you think one would be the perfect fit for your home and lifestyle.

Roofing Contractors

Materials like metal and tile are considered to be fairly earth friendly, but a green roof takes things to a deeper level.  It’s likely you have seen restaurants or other places of business that have vegetation on the roofs.  They often use it as decoration, but this type of roof is not only attractive, it also promotes healthy plant based oxygen and certainly gives your home a unique look.  Thanks to a lot of work done in Europe with this ancient practice, this kind of roofing can be used anywhere in the U.S.  Let’s take a look at the layers of this kind of roof.

Closest to the roof itself, a waterproofing material is used.  If it doesn’t have a root resistant component, another layer with root resistant material will have to be added.  Obviously, it is essential for protecting the sub roof from potential damage due to the root system of the plants.  The next layer is the drainage layer.  A wide variety of materials can be used here.  Some people go with plastic or rubber to reduce weight, but it’s also acceptable to use clay or gravel as well.  Moving up the construction, you come to the soil layer.  Depending on your climate and the plants you are planning to use, this layer could consist of peat moss, regular soil, or potting mix.  Of course, your final layer is the plants themselves.  A qualified green roof contractor will be able to give you a good idea of which plants will work best in your situation.

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The idea of needing to replace the roof on your house is only exciting to those who are really bored with life or a professional roofer.  Especially if you have never had to replace a roof before, the sheer number of choices is enough to make you want to go a little crazy, but that is a whole other home improvement issue all together.  Since you have to make the decisions anyway, you may as well learn a bit about one of the newer options in roofing material, the flex roofing shakes.  While they are more expensive than just about any other option you could decide, with some information you might decide they are worth the expense.

There is a good chance you have no idea what flex roofing shake is.  To put it simply, these are shingles made from recycled steel belted radial tires.  In other words, they are rubber shingles.  For those who are concerned about the environment and are interested in recycling wherever possible, these shakes may be the perfect choice.  They certainly help limit the amount of tires found in landfills. 

Flex Roofing Shakes

Another advantage to choosing flex roofing shakes is that they come with a 50 year warranty. That is one serious guarantee.  As you know, rubber lasts forever.  After all, thousands of tons of truck and loads are moved on it everyday.  They are guaranteed against hail and other cases of extreme weather.  To give you an idea of how strong these shingles are, you have to understand that they weigh 350 lbs per square.  There isn’t a storm yet that can beat that. 

If you are worried about the top of your house looking like a truck tire, don’t.  The flex roofing shakes are coated with ground slate and can be purchased in whatever style or color you prefer.  No one but you has to know that you have leftover radial tires on your roof.  Of course when your neighbors have weather damage, you will still be sitting pretty.  Be sure to check with local authorities before installation though.  Some cities and towns prohibit the use of rubber on home roofs. 

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You may wonder why you need to be concerned about roof designs when it is unlikely you will ever design a building, let alone a roof in your entire life. The answer is pretty simple. You never know when the information may be helpful or important in your role as a homeowner. Things happen, whether it is a remodeling project or you need to replace your roof. It is much better to go into a situation like that informed at least a little than not at all. We won’t make this lesson too boring. In the end, you should have some idea of what goes into designing a roof.

Almost every roof design starts with the basic shape. For most houses, the basic design is either gable or hipped styles. From there all kinds of details can be added or subtracted to come up with the correct and most advantageous design for the house in terms of appearance, structure, and environmental hardiness. Of course, the preferred material will also have something to do with the final design.

Roof Designs

The gable roof is one of the most popular designs. This type can be used in all kinds of roof designs and is exceptional for allowing snow and rain water to run off the roof. Naturally this cuts down on leakage and ensures that a replacement roof isn’t right around the corner. You will find that all kinds of materials can be used to create a gabled or cross gabled roof. Everything from wood shingles to ceramic tiles to the standard roofing shingles is possible with this design.

With the hipped roof designs, the architect, homeowner, or whoever is performing the building or remodel can easily add gorgeous eaves to the home. This style is particularly popular in the U.S. southern states. Like the gabled style, this one can be modified to fit any taste.

Naturally this is just the basics of the many roof designs, but at least you have a place to start from. Every roofing option has its importance and you won’t be sorry you learned a bit about them so that you and your contractor can make the best decision for you next home project.