What are the Most Important Parts of a Roof?

by Lisa Matthew Roofing Contractors Tennessee

Can you imagine that there would be assembly manuals for a house’s building? It would have thousands of pages! For instance, your home’s roof is not a singular entity. Instead, it is an assemblage of components. They work together to form a watertight cover for your dwelling.

Indeed, your roof comprises three layers that are critical to its optimum performance.

Roof Deck

The joists in your home’s attic serve as the “floor” while the rafters work as the “ceiling.” These timbers hold your roof (rafters) and link your home’s walls (joists). The rafters and sheathing make up your roof deck and form the first layer of your roof’s construction.

Because of how tightly the rafters are placed, they can support a heavy weight without buckling under the strain. Instead, they will transmit it to the walls. You can adjust your roof’s pitch or steepness by cutting the rafters at an angle to resist the severity of snow, rain, and ice that can fall.

Likewise, the builders place sheets of plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) on top of the rafters to provide stability. Besides, it makes it possible to use many roofing materials. To allow thermal expansion, they will firmly screw these thin sheets of veneered wood (plywood) or glue and chips (OSB) into place with small gaps. Your ceiling may buckle otherwise.

If your roof has some defective rafters, faulty rafters can be “sistered”. That is, installing a second rafter beside the original or replacing it.

Having a solid roof deck is essential for the longevity and well-being of your roof. So, the health of your roof deck will depend on performing at least one roof inspection each year.

No one is better than a professional and certified roofer to evaluate your roof deck condition.

2. Ice and Water Shield

Our roofers know better than to risk the harsh winters without installing an ice and water shield around the eaves. This is true whether the roof is being installed for the first time or replaced entirely. This thick, self-adhesive, sponge-like substance helps prevent water from seeping in via ice dams and through nail and staple holes. Besides, an ice water shield also protects the valley walls and the hips.

A roof’s hips and valleys come from the intersections of the roof’s different planes. Indeed, you can install an ice and water shield anywhere there’s a risk of water seeping into your house.

Simply by looking at the eaves, a roofer will be able to detect if a roof has this essential layer.

If you plan to replace your roof, you also must replace the ice and water shield. It has a self-adhesive back that sticks well and stays pliable and waterproof over time. The ice and water protection will probably persist unless you replace the sheathing.

3. Underlayment

Underlayment is the rolled material that covers your roof deck. It is either synthetic or organic. Besides, it is thin and stapled to help seal around nails and staple holes.

The sheathing and joists are neither watertight nor water-resistant. But the underlayment is waterproof, and the shingles are water-resistant. Thus, underlayment is another line of defense to protect your house against water damage.

If you hire experienced roofers to replace your roof, they will remove the old underlayment and install the new one.

Install Your New Roof with the Pros

Your roof deck, ice and water shield, and underlayment are the core of your roofing system in your house. They complement one another to provide the solid foundation and superior water protection your roof requires.

The only level you can observe without risk is the roof deck underside. You can check it from your attic.

Did you spot any signs of damage? Notify your roofer immediately. Do not ignore signals such as discoloration, water stains, decay, or bugs that can chew or bore into the wood.

HUDCO Roofing & Exteriors can provide you with the help you need. Getting in touch with us can be done by calling us at 225-364-1007. We service areas in Bossier City, Shreveport, and Baton Rouge, LA.