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Home Inspection - Going On Top
By Robert Hanania
Everyone who buys or sells a house, apartment or condo is going to use a home inspector at one time or another and even though you pretty much know what they do, many of you might have more appreciation for them once you learn more details of there chosen profession. Home inspectors have been around for a long time and they will be here for a lot longer, preparing reports, giving advice and recommendations and to some, a peace of mind. Because this is a big subject and there is a lot to say, right know I will focus on roof inspection and also give a little class on roof construction.
First the basics � Pitched Roofs
The basic structure of a typical pitched roof is: the framework, a deck and a weather resistant covering. The purpose of the deck is to serve as a base for supporting the roof covering, which is what protects the roof. (Pretty simple so far, right?) A pitched roof has a series of parallel beams (joists) joined at the top at angles, like tepees with a supporting overlay (the deck), usually plywood or similar material that serves as a base for supporting the roof covering (shingles), which has the purpose of shedding the water away from the roof either into gutters or just falling off the roofline. The deck is not waterproof so the shingles must be intact and able to withstand all types of weather, (except tornadoes and meteoroids) be it snow, hail, or rain.
I can�t speak for all home inspectors because they have there own techniques and working procedures. Like most people I had a couple of them look over my house, so from my experience they generally do a outside visual of roofs that entails walking around the house, sometimes with the aid of binoculars for close-up viewing or use a ladder for ranch type houses, if practical. They generally don�t want to walk up there for liability issues (fear of there foot going through the roof), but I feel that is the best way to check for roof structural integrity and they need to do it anyway for flat roofs. Needless to say they would be responsible for any damages they do in the course inspection!
A typical roof inspection will include checking for:
Uneven shingles � poor installation of a second layer over an old one. This might be ok but will be prone to water damage. When making an attic inspection the deck should be checked for damage and signs of leakage.
Sagging roof � probably deck damage, but may be a structural problem like a damaged ridge beam (A beam placed on end at the top of the roof and fastened to the rafters) or a roof deck that may not have adequate bracing or spacing of wood-frame support members. This is better left for a structural engineer for evaluation.
Roof ventilation � in a way roofs have to breathe too, that�s why there are roof vents on the roof and in the soffit (a horizontal board nailed to a roof overhang). Warm air must have an escape in attic space or there will be moisture buildup and the wood will rot. This can also cause streaks on interior walls and peeling paint. An inspection should be made of vent placement and count to evaluate if there is adequate ventilation.
Shingles- If the roof is pitched it will most likely have overlapping shingles to shed water away and down the roof. The south and southwest sides of the roof gets most of the sun that makes brittle and age faster, thereby causing deterioration. If there is any cracking, pealing or breakage of these �tiles� they will need repair or replacement because it will not protect the roof.
Flat Roofs
Even if a roof has a slight pitch it is considered a flat roof. As with the pitched roof this is the first thing inspected. Sometimes an interior wall that has signs of water damage could be traced back to the roof. Since this type of roof can�t be seen from the ground inspection must be made at top of the house. On a two story or more building access to the roof has to be made from inside, a stairwell, ladder, or an access hole in the ceiling of a room, probably a bedroom closet or pantry. As with any type of roof ventilation is key so checking for air vents is a must. A ventilation opening can be a pipe coming from the roof top or an open space on the side of the roofline right below the roof. A flat roof differs from a pitched one in that it is water tight, not just shedding water like a pitched one. At one time standing water was considered a good thing because it would cool the roof a bit during the summer months. There should be no ponds of standing water because this could be a breeding ground for insects and more importantly plants, where the roots can break through the asphalt covering. Special attention should me made when inspecting flat roofs because even small cracks between the roofs drain and the roof covering could become serious.
There are many types of flat roofs like single-ply membrane, roll roofing, metal roofs, hot tar covered or built-up roofs an inspecting them is similar in every case. The inspector will look for any visible cracking, blisters, weak spots or any kind of corrosion that will compromise the structural integrity of the roof. The cause of a leak on an interior wall or ceiling may be hard to find because it may have started on the roof, then zig-zagged its way down, but several feet away from the area you saw it.
These are some of the things home inspectors look for and report on when checking roofs. They not only go in 120�F attics but also crawl under houses, and look in chimney stacks, but do with a great of courtesy and professionalism!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Hanania
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Shingling a Roof
By Mark Donovan
Shingling or roofing a house is a major undertaking for a homeowner and extreme caution is required. This said, a Do-It-Yourselfer homeowner can shingle or roof their own home with a little knowledge and the right tools.
Required Tools
In order to roof a house properly and safely the following tools are needed: Ladders, Roof Jacks, Hammer, Carpenters Knife, Chalk Line, and preferably a compressor or nail gun.
Estimating Materials
Typically the roof is measured in squares, where a �square� represents 100 square feet. There are eighty shingles in one square. However, when you go to your local home improvement store shingles are usually sold in bundles. Usually three bundles equal one square, however this can vary slightly pending the shingle style.
Measure the area of your roof (length x width) and divide by 100 to get the number of squares required. Then multiply this number by three to get the number of bundles of shingles required for the job. Add an additional 10-15% for spare, leaning toward the 15% if your roof has hips and valleys.
Drip edge, ice and water shield, asphalt paper, flashing, roofing nails, and hip and ridge vents will also be required. The Drip edge comes in various lengths. Measure the outside perimeter of the roof to calculate the drip edge required. The ice and water shield, asphalt paper and flashing come in roles. Use your roof square area calculation for determining your asphalt paper requirements. Typically only one or two courses of ice and water shield is required along the bottom/eave of the roof and in the valleys. Calculate 2 times the length of the roof and valleys to estimate the amount of ice and water shield required.
Typically each shingle will require 4-6 roofing nails and flashing usually comes in 16� wide roles or 6x6 or 8x8 square inch steps. Step flashing is typically used around chimneys, dormers and side wall junctions. Hip and Ridge vent will vary with local building codes, however a rough estimate would be to measure the length of your roof�s hip and ridges and take 75% of this figure for calculating the amount of vent required.
You should now be able to fairly accurately calculate the cost of material for roofing your home.
Installing the Drip Edge
Nail the Drip edge around the entire outside perimeter of the roof.
Apply the Ice and Water Shield Membrane and the Asphalt Paper
Apply the ice and water shield material such that it is flush with the drip edge. If the climate in your area has harsh winters and/or significant annual rainfall, add a second course of ice and water shield for added protection. You should also add the ice and water shield membrane in the valleys.
Next apply the asphalt paper to the entire roof, starting from the bottom and working towards the ridge. Make sure each course of asphalt paper overlaps the lower row by several inches (effectively shingling with the asphalt paper).
Install metal flashing
Install metal flashing in all of the valleys. Step flashing around chimneys and dormers will be added as the shingles are installed.
Installing the Shingles
Start the shingling at the bottom of the roof (or at the eaves). Lay a starter course such that the bottom edge of the shingle lines up flush with the drip edge. The starter strip is a �tabless� shingle that you make from the regular shingles using your carpenter�s knife.
Lay your next course of full shingles over the first course, staggering the starter joints from the first course to prevent water penetration.
Note: Sometimes you may want to start with a full or a partial shingle at one end. In either case, you want to try to avoid small shingle pieces at the far end of the roof. To prevent this, divide the length of the roof by the length of a full shingle and assess how much of a shingle length you want to start with. Ideally you do not want to have pieces smaller than 12�.
Use a Chalk Line
To ensure your shingle courses run straight use a chalk line. Measure the finished reveal on your shingles. Usually this is about 5 inches. Then make marks every 5 inches on the gable ends of the roof. Snap a chalk line between the gable ends at each pair of marks all the way up the roof. This will ensure that you shingles run true and straight as you progress up the roof with the courses.
Vertical lines should also be snapped every 3 to 6 feet to ensure your tabs maintain alignment.
Use of Roof Jacks
After 3 or 4 courses of shingles have been installed using ladders, roof jacks may be necessary to access the upper courses. Roof jacks are steel brackets that hold planks in position for you to stand on. The roof jacks should be securely nailed through the decking and into rafters to ensure that they will support your weight.
Shingling Valleys, Chimneys, Skylights and Dormers, and Step Flashing
Shingling the valleys and installing flashing requires extra care. The shingles, typically coming from two intersecting courses when entering a valley, need to overlap each other such that no water penetration occurs.
Skylights, chimneys and dormers must be step flashed (step flashing is interleaved with each course of shingles) to ensure water is kept from penetrating the roof.
Adding the Ridge Vent and Caps
To complete the roofing project, ridge vents need to be installed. These are nailed to the top of the ridge and then capped.
The ridge cap prevents water from entering the home via the ridge vent, while still allowing the house to breath. The ridge cap is constructed out of individual shingle tabs that have their unfinished corners cut off at 45 degree angles. Each modified shingle tab, is nailed such that it overlaps the previous piece as you work your way down the length of the ridge vent.
For more help on Shingling Your Home's Roof, see HomeAdditionPlus.com�s Asphalt Shingle Roofing Bid Sheet at http://www.homeadditionplus.com/Bid-Sheet-Ebook-info/Asphalt-Shingle-Roofing-Bid-Sheet.htm. The Asphalt Shingle Roofing Bid Sheet will help to ensure that your roof won't end up with a blue tarp over it and a dumpster sitting in your yard for weeks as you wait for the roofing contractor to come back and finish roofing your home.
Over the past 20+ years Mr. Donovan has been involved with building homes and additions to homes. His projects have included: building a vacation home, building additions and garages on to existing homes, and finishing unfinished homes. For more Home Improvement information visit: http://www.homeadditionplus.com and http://www.homeaddition.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Donovan
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What You Should Know Before Signing A Roofing Contract
By Steven Briesemeister
A house is incomplete without a roof. A roof provides protection and shelter much like the walls. Roofing of a house adds to its beauty as well as value. Are you planning to construct a new house or an office? Great! But, have you thought what kind of roofing will be best suited for it? If not, then start thinking right now, as even roofing reflects your status. Are you finding it troublesome to decide what type of roofing will be best suited and how to go about it? Do not worry; professional roofing contractors are there at your service.
A roofing contract implies a contract between the professional roofing contractor and the individual who assigns a task of constructing or/and designing the roof of his home or a building. Before, signing a contract you need to decide few things, such as what roofing material do you wish to use for the roofing, as different material vary in cost as well as characteristics that matches with your budget.
First, find out which roofing material matches with your desires and pocket. Roofing varies in multitude of materials used in its construction and their designs. Different roofing materials are utilized nowadays depending on the kind of roofing you desire to get. You can choose the kind of roofing material that you wish to employ from the below given list, each of them has different characteristics:
� Asphalt Shingles � This roofing material is the most common roofing material used these days. They are categorized into two - the organic and the non-organic. They are available in a wide variety of colors and with a lifespan 25 to 50 years.
� Wood Shingles � They are made from Western Red Cedar as it is highly resistant to decay and corrosion. Wood shingles are categorized into three kinds, one, two and three. The number one, is more recommended for roofing because they are more durable, the second and third are better for sidings.
� Wood Shakes - They are used to provide a natural look, they are either sawed or hand split. Wood shakes are classified by their weight and their sizes.
� Clay or Concrete - The most durable roofing material is made either from clay or concrete. But, due to their weight, clay or concrete roofing materials may need extra weight in the rafters adding more to the roofing costs.
Once, you have decided the roofing material you wish to use. Look for roofing contractor who offers you with a roofing contract proposal that suits best to your needs and budget. Make sure to select a specialist in order to get quality work. Find out if the roofer you are signing the roofing contract has experience with the type of roofing you are installing. Make sure to analyze all the aspects of the contract before signing with the contractor.
As Northern Virginia, VA Roofing Contractor, Roofer911.com takes great pride in maintaining customer satisfaction for all types of new roof installation and roof repair work for residential and commercial roofing accounts.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Briesemeister