A residential roofer is a person who works on the roofs of residential homes and not businesses. This means that they will come to your home to repair or replace your roof. They can do all sorts of repairs for your roof, including complete replacement.
There are many places that you can go to get your roof fixed. You can always call a residential roofer in Chester County to help you out. They have lots of people who can help you to get your roof repaired.
Chester County is a county that is also called Chesco which is in the southeastern part of Pennsylvania. It has about half a million people in the county, which is up about seven percent from 2010. It has been named one of the best places to live in the United States, with many cities in the county getting that vote.
What You Need to Know About Roofing in Chester County
There are many things that you need to know about roofing before you hire a roofing contractor. You know that the main job of the roof is to keep the weather out of your home. One way your roof does this is the slope of it. If you have a bigger slope, the water, snow, and other weather will run off faster.
All roofs have a slope, even if you think yours is flat. They must have at least a slight slope so that everything can drain from them: https://www.iko.com/na/pro/building-professional-tools/roofing-101/minimum-slope-for-asphalt-shingle-roof. They usually have a slope of ¼ inch drop for every four feet to get the best drainage.
Flat roofs are usually the least expensive option for you, and they also have the most room in case you want to put your air conditioner condenser there. These types of roofs also last longer because they can be tar and chat instead of shingles or other types of materials. You could use other materials, but tar and chat are the most common.
The most common types of topping for your home are the A-frame type. This is the shape that you see in most homes that you see just about anywhere. A-frame types have a large pitch so that things can drain from them easily. These are the typical shapes that you see in the Chester County area.
You can also have a low-profile four-sided hip roof that is good for coastal areas. This type will resist hurricane-intense winds and will avoid the lift-off of the roof. These are good for other areas of the country, as well, and look good on most homes.
Mansard roofs are another type of hip roof, seen more in Victorian-style homes. If you can imagine the homes of the Addams Family or the Munsters, then you know what these roofs look like. You should look here if you need a better description. They are from the Empire period of architecture and are in many homes in the East. You might even see them in Chester County.
The next type is the gambrel which is the type that you see in barns in the country. You might also see them in cape cod style homes. These types provide ample room in your home for storage.
Parts of the Roof
There are various parts of the roof that you should know when you are talking to a roofing contractor. The peak of your roof is called the ridge, and this goes along the top of it. This is the very top of the house and is the most dangerous part to work on.
The parts of it where two planes meet at a corner on the inside are called valleys. These are the parts that are most prone to leaking because of the way they are made. This part needs to be checked often for damage so that your home does not get hurt.
The corners on the outside that meet are the hips, and this can be another place leaks are found. These are the downward slopes that you see on your roof and another dangerous spot for workers. If you are thinking about doing the work yourself, be careful of these spots.
Underneath everything are the trusses or rafters which make up the frame. These are the parts that you will only see if you are having your entire roof replaced. They should be covered with plywood or other roofing material.
The rafters consist of 2x10s that are cut on the spot so that they can be custom-made for your home. Trusses are made off-site from 2x4s and are a web of boards that are brought to your home and added with the help of a crane. Your roof can have either of these, or both to make the style that you want to see.
Problems to Look For
All parts of your roof that connect will have flashing – a material that is usually aluminum but can be zinc, copper, or lead. If this is installed correctly, you should not have any issues with the lifetime of the roof. If it is not installed correctly, leaks can happen in these spots.
You should also look out for the growth of moss on the top of your home. You can solve this problem by having zinc flashing. The zinc bleeds onto the rest of the shingles and will prevent the growth of moss.
Another part that you need to look at is the shingles themselves. If they are curling at the ends this is a sign that the shingles are at the end of their life. This means that it is time to repair or replace them.
Conclusion
Your roof is the most important part of your home because it keeps the weather from getting inside. There are many parts of the roof that you should know about before you call the contractor to fix it. Although this is not extremely important, it can help you when you are describing the problem to the contractor.