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 Solar roof shingles have come a long way in development over the past ten years. It used to be, that if a consumer wanted to use solar power, he was required to mount unattractive solar panels on the roof to collect the sunlight. Today, there are solar roof shingles that look like regular shingles so that they blend into the rest of the roof and do not disrupt the design of the house or office building.
Considerations
There are some considerations when thinking about adding solar roof shingles to a building, whether house or office. One consideration is whether the roof of the building gets a lot of sunlight during the day and especially if it is on the south facing side of the roof. This is the best facing roof to collect the most possible rays with the solar paneled roof. It is still possible to use the solar roof shingles on eastern or western facing roofs, but it is not as ideal and will collect less energy than on southern facing rooftops.
The ideal time to implement solar roof shingles is when the building is being built so that the entire look of the building can completely flow together. Today however, there are blue or purple solar roof shingles that blend into the traditional shingles that are used on rooftops. There are also some black solar roofing shingles that can blend into certain types of roofs with darker shingles.
Using solar roof shingles allows the consumer to either stay ‘on grid’ or go ‘off grid’ with their power company. Basically, the power from the solar roofing shingles is used first in the house or business. When that energy is consumed each day, then the house or business moves over to the traditional energy source from the power company. If, by chance, the solar roofing shingles make more than the energy used by the building, then the overage energy can be ’sold’ back to the power company to help other people. Continue Reading »
The use of rubber as a roofing material has caught on in a big way with owners of flat roofed homes and those with gently sloping roofs over the last 30 years or so. What is less well known is that even those homeowners with sloping roofs can enjoy the benefits of a rubber roof thanks to the invention of rubber roof shingles.
Advantages of Rubber Roof Shingles
Rubber roof shingles can be made from recycled tires, and are fully recyclable, making them an attractive choice for the environmentally conscious homeowner. The tires are ground into a fine powder and then remolded into the shape of a shingle. They can then be dyed a variety of different colors to simulate the appearance of wood, slate and other traditional roofing materials. The simulation is far more convincing than the equivalent plastic imitations of these materials, and the rubber is more durable and versatile as well. Rubber roof shingles are resistant to extremes of heat and cold, ultraviolet radiation, insects and mold. They were awarded an A fire rating by the American Society for Testing and Materials, or ASTM. They are not completely fireproof, however, as rubber is a flammable material, though coatings are available that add additional fireproofing to the original manufacturer’s specification. Rubber roof shingles are also easy to install. They come in a standard 3-tab design that can be slotted together with ease, and can be walked on during installation without breaking. Continue Reading »
 Roof repair is quite a dangerous aspect of home modification and renovation. A fall can prove fatal even if it is from a height of 8 or 10 feet. Defective flashings or improper installations are the biggest reason of all roof leaks. The flashings could be at the chimney or the valley where two roofs are joined together. If the leaking roof is not repaired on time, it can weaken the entire structure of the house and dampness will rot the frame.
Some Important Tips
It is important to keep checking the roof of your house from time to time for any kind of leakage. Most of the people opt to do it during spring as it is followed the season of heavy snow build up, ice dams and many other factors related to harsh weather conditions that lay havoc on the gutters, shingles and the basic structure of roof and house. Repairs can be best detected in the spring but it is equally important to do the entire house inspection after every storm or natural calamity that may have resulted in any kind of damage to the structure of the house.
Prior to roof repair, it is important to clean the roof to remove dirt and debris. While cleaning the roof, it is not advisable to use a pressure washer as it can cause damage to the existing shingles. If you think that the roof has been damaged, resist the urge to get a ladder and take a look yourself; get a professional to do that. Staying at ground level, you can use binoculars to get a closer look at missing or torn shingles.
Repairing roof yourself can save you quite a lot of money, but that may not be always true. If you do not have experience in roof repair, it is best to hire a roofing professional to get the job done. It is more dangerous to do flat roof repair as the water does not flow through and any crack in shingles allows water to get underneath and affect the entire structure of the house making it more vulnerable. Continue Reading »
In the interest of protection and security value of each home, the physical structure of the house requires significant elements to effectively establish its relevance. Among which are integrity, strength, and quality of the physical characteristics of the house structure enabling it to provide effective reliability, protection, and comfort for the people living in it. To achieve this desired characteristic, the composition and characteristics of the house need to be reliable in all its parts particularly in its roofing.
Center Point of Protection and Security
The roofing of structure manifests as the fundamental necessity for protection and security. This part of the structure makes the shelter effective in its purpose wherein it shields the people residing under it from the unbearable and detrimental forces of nature such as rain, snow, sun, and others. With it placed above each structure, the building’s roofing becomes an effective shelter medium for the security and comfort of the people living under it.
For this relevance, the modern society has devoted much interest, efforts, and resources to develop and fortify the system of roofing in the modern construction concern. This is to provide better quality and reliability in the aspect of structural construction in various form of shelter. This in turn produce the new wave of roofing system in the present time innovated for security and protection relevance. Continue Reading »
TPO Roofing was invented by the chemical company DOW in the early 1990’s. TPO Roofing means “Thermalplastic Olefin” roofing. TPO membranes are a combination of rubber and hot air welded seams made from ethylene propylene rubber. They are highly resistant to ozone, are algae-resistant, environmentally friendly and safe to install. The material is commonly advertised as a monolithic (seamless) roof. TPO is highly tear resistant, resists impacts, and resists punctures with good flexibility to allow for building movement. TPO’s are available in white, light gray, and black with thicknesses of either 45 mils (.045″) or 60 mils (.060″). Membrane width depends on the manufacturer but they usually come in widths of 6 to 6 ½ feet and are one hundred feet long.
TPO Roofing is a fully-adhered roofing. That means adhesive attaches the roofing membrane to the substrate material, forming a strong chemical bond. TPO is highly heat reflective, fire resistant, and energy efficient. It also resists UV rays and dirt. TPO is also popular in the automotive industry where it is known for impact resistance. Because of the potential for hail damage this same property is important in the roofing industry.
Another advantage of TPO, for the roofing contractor and manufacturers at least, is that there is a shift from some lower priced materials like EPDM to more expensive TPO materials. Commercial roofing sales reached $3.3 billion overall in 2007 with single-ply products comprising the largest segment. TPO has been expanding its portion of that large share.
As the green movement grows, TPO is becoming more and more popular, particularly because it is recyclable. It can be recycled as a roofing material but also burned as a fuel. TPO burns extremely clean with no toxic emissions when no flame retardants are present. It therefore has a high potential as a high energy fuel for waste-to-energy programs.
TPO roofs are considered “cool roofs.” A cool roof can be defined in a variety of ways by people or by different municipal codes. Basically, a cool roof reflects and emits the sun’s heat back upward without allowing it to pass into the building or home. The more sun it reflects and emits, the cooler the roof. The Cool Roof Rating Council, CRRC, maintains an on line database of cool roof products. Some TPO roofs score high on the scale, some do not, so be advised.
TPO roofing is the way to go for many .
It’s a little known fact that Michigan is one of the most progressive areas when it comes to roofing. Part of the reason may be the temperature and weather extremes in Michigan. When it comes to Michigan roofing, if it works in Michigan it works. That may be why Michigan was the site for the first rubber roof installation way back in 1980. That roof is still going strong nearly 30 years later, and rubber roofs are taking off all over the United States.
One of the best sources of information for roofs in Michigan is the MRCA or Michigan Roofing Contractors Association. This groups includes numerous chapters which are the ARCWM, Associated Roofing Contractors of Western Michigan; the Flint PRO, Professional Roofing Organization; JLWRCA, Jackson, Livingston, Washtenaw Roofing Contractors Association; LRCA, Lansing Roofing Contractors Association; RIPF, Roofing Industry Promotion Fund; SVRCA, Saginaw Valley Roofing Contractor Association; and the SMRCA, Southeastern Michigan Roofing Contractors Association. The MRCA lists roofing contractors and consultants, has information on roofing, and holds yearly meetings to keep its members updated on the latest in roofing techniques and technologies.
Michigan is one of the most aggressive areas when it comes to the use of metal roofing materials. This includes not only the older tin barn roof style, but the newer styles that mimic the look of other roofing materials. Michigan’s cold, snow filled winters and hot summers test not only the shrinking and expanding ability of metal roofs, but their ability to shed water and snow. Only a fool would try to walk on a metal roof during a Michigan winter.
One local Michigan roofing company is Hansons, a family owned company that prides itself on customer service and treating customers like family. Hansons not only honors the manufacturer warranties on all its product, they add their own additional warranties. These include a 10 year guarantee all the way up to a 30 year fully transferable guarantee.
Michigan State University is a leading research center for green roofing. Green roofing is growing plants on a roof to replace the lost plants when the structure was built. Green roofing includes deep soil, a variety of plants, and even trees on the roof. Research continues to determine the benefit of green roofing to the environment, the benefit of green roofing to a roof and a structure, and any negative impacts a green roof may have on a structure.
From rubber and metal roofs to trees on roof tops, Michigan roofing is a wild subject to consider.
Let’s start with one simple rule for people who want to install metal roofing. If you cannot easily walk on the roof because it’s too steep, call a professional. Now that the rule is out of the way, if you have a building that needs a metal roof but can’t afford what the professionals have bid, here’s how to tackle it.
The proper tools are needed. These include a measuring tape, a chalk line with plenty of chalk, a good drill, a good extension ladder and a good step ladder,
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