Drainage & Gutters. RAINDROP Gutter Guard System. All About Gutters. An inch of rainfall doesn't sound like much.
But when it falls on an average-size roof, it adds up to a 1,900-gallon torrent sluicing off the eaves. That's an awful lot of water that can cause an awful lot of damage if your gutters aren't up to the task of controlling it. Yet we barely give gutters a second thought until they're clogged and overflowing, or ripped from their moorings by ice and snow. So now that summer's here, it's time to take notice. Maybe a simple cleaning is all your gutters need, or maybe they need to be replaced altogether. If you're starting fresh, there is a veritable deluge of shapes, sizes, and materials to choose from. Pictured: Copper half-round gutters and round downspouts nicely complement traditional house designs. How to Size Gutters and Downspouts. How to Retrofit A Radiant Barrier: Paint it On. October 9th, 2010 in Blogs Video Length: 4:44 Produced by: Matt Risinger My company is doing a whole house remodel on a 10 year old Tuscan house, I call this my de-tuscan job as the house was built with an uber-tuscan style and the architects I'm working with have planned a very modern makeover.
I think one of my main strengths as a builder is finding ways to greatly increase the efficiency of all the homes I work on. In this case, the house was constructed very traditionally for 1999. It's a slab on grade 4200 sf single story with a 3 car garage, two by six stick framed, fiberglass batts in the walls, 10" of blown fiberglass in the attic, two 75 gallon standard gas water heaters, three 80% efficient gas furnaces.
CR: Roofing guide. Fixing the Roof — The Pragmatist. Cons. Reports: Best Gutter Guards. Do-it-yourself systems beat the pros Last reviewed: September 2010 Systems that promise to keep your gutters leaf-free can easily cost thousands of dollars.
But our 16 months of outdoor testing show that a low-priced screen may be all it takes to keep out leaves and other debris. We tested professionally installed and do-it-yourself products sold at Home Depot, Lowe's, and other major retailers to see how well they kept out maple leaves, pine needles, and other gutter-cloggers. We also simulated heavy showers and rain-dumping storms to make sure those systems help capture water so that it flows toward downspouts and away from your home's foundation, rather than pooling there and seeping into the basement.
Our testers saw some big differences among types. Pros disappoint in a downpour Most of the professionally installed systems use a surface-tension design, where water is supposed to cling to the surface and flow into the gutters while leaves pass over and fall to the ground. Shingle Colorview - CertainTeed. Your Roof: Repair or Replace? Cost to replace roof vs. cost to repair roof.
We recently addressed the question of the cost to replace roof, and the factors involved with formulating that total.
Today I wanted to look at a broad comparison of cost to replace roof versus the cost to repair a roof, as well as the different factors that go into each estimation. While we probably wont be able to nail down an exact price for your cost questions, we can certainly establish the relevant factors to consider in each, as well as things that may help determine whether your roof needs a few simple repairs, or, an all out replacement. Explaining the cost to replace roof comes down to the specifics of your roof such as square footage, pitch of the roof, accessibility, required roofing material, labor force, removal of the old roof (if deemed necessary), and roofing permit and city license. Roof Repair or Replacement. Weather can really beat up your roof.
Keeping your roof in tip top shape can mean the difference between a safe, dry house and a collapsed ceiling. Here is how to evaluate whether your roof to understand it's condition and how to know if your roof needs to be repaired or replaced to keep leaks out. Evaluate Wear and Tear: Roof shingles are generally cotton or glass fiber covered with an asphalt coating. This asphalt layer is what makes the roof water repellent. As the sun heats the roof, the asphalt dries out. Roof Shingle Replacement - One Layer or Two?: How to Decide Whether to Add a Layer to Existing Roofing or Start from Scratch. When replacing your roof, it's usually a good idea to remove the original layer of roof shingles, but only if you intend to live in the home for most of the life of the new roof.
You are correct that second layers typically don't last as long as single layers. Here's why: Asphalt roof shingles remain waterproof until they dry out. Having an old layer of roof shingles under your new layer accelerates that process as the original layer holds a lot of heat. As a result, you'll typically lose one-quarter to one-third of the roof life. On the flip side, removing the original roof shingle layer drives up the replacement cost, so the decision is an economic one. As for whether or not shingles last as long as a manufacturers' warranty promises, the answer is probably yes, but only if the installation and maintenance are absolutely perfect. Roof warranties only cover materials, so the skill and training of your contractor can have an adverse affect that won't be revealed until it's way too late.
Q&A: OK to put a new roof on an old one? Q: We recently had a roof put on our house.
When the contractors got started, one of them fell through the roof and into our kitchen. The contractor said our roof was too far gone to save, so he suggested the best way to fix the problem was to build another roof right over the top of the existing one. Nail Holes in Roofing can Lead to Leaks : Archive. Roofing rules; Old shingle on new? Installation methods. Q: I'm having new shingles installed on my home in upper New York State.
Looking at the estimate, I could not find a price for the roof paper. The roofer said that paper is not required for the new shingles. I thought it was required by code. A: For an answer about codes, contact your local building officials. Because of geophysical and climatic differences, state or local codes can vary. Prior to the 2000 International Residential Code (IRC), most codes were taken from the various trade groups, such as the National Electrical code, the National Mechanical code and the Uniform Plumbing code, I consulted the 2000 IRC's Section R905 "Requirements for Roof Coverings. " There, under asphalt shingles, I found requirements for the number and size of nails to be used, when to use an ice shield, where to place flashings, how to install shingles in regions with high winds and on and on.
Glossary; roofing components; HGTV. There's a lot to cover when it comes to learning about what types of materials go into roofing a house.
Some of it involves some pretty tricky terminology. Here are a few definitions that cover the basics. The major function of a roof is really to protect the home from the elements — snow, rain, wind, etc. And this is why you need a roof that really performs, and how it performs depends upon how well it keeps out the elements. The type of roof you have will determine how easily water — or the other elements — are diverted. Roof Replacement: FAQ. Roof replacement is a major investment for any homeowner.
When considering such a significant home improvement project, there is a lot to think about. Thoroughly researching roofing options should be the first priority, including the type of roofing as well as the roofing product’s warranty, style and durability, as follows: What are the pros and cons of different roofing materials? Three-tab asphalt shingles are relatively easy to install, inexpensive and look good on ordinary homes. However, they can be a poor environmental choice because they go to a landfill after 20 years, they perform only moderately well, and they don’t add any special design appeal to a home. What are the life spans of different roofing materials? Inspecting Today's Predominant Residential Installed Roofing Material: Asphalt Composition Shingles. Radiant barrier installation guide. Attic insulation basics. Air Vent: Ridge Vents. A ridge vent runs the entire length of the roof peak, blending into the roofline for a more attractive home.
Years of research prove that a ridge vent with external baffles and an internal weather filter, combined with undereave venting, is the most efficient system you can install. Ridge Vent Benefits: Works year-round Provides evenly distributed ventilation along the entire underside of the roof 18 square inches of net free area per linear foot (depending on type and model) Slim design, visual appeal Provides a higher volume of airflow per square foot of attic area than any other fixed-vent system Design maximizes airflow across the entire underside of roof sheathing Changes in wind direction have no significant effect on vent performance. Air Vent: Evaluate needs. Roof Venting along Ridge Line. Love it or Hate it? - Home Repair Forum. Best Attic for Hot/Humid Climates. October 31st, 2011 in Blogs Video Length: 11:14 Produced by: Matt Risinger I've built homes in Washington DC, then Portland,OR and for the past 6 years here in Austin, TX.
It was shocking to me how differently we build homes in these three different parts of the country. But if you think about it, we should be building homes differently as those climates are dramatically different. Most houses in Hot/Humid climates (like Austin, TX) don't have basements so that means that most ductwork in Southern houses run through attic spaces. Special thanks to my Austin Energy Green Building rep John Umphress, and to Eric MacInereney Project Architect with Heimsath Architects in Austin, TX. Study: Attic fan vs Ridge vents.