Page 19 - The Homeowner's Handbook 2017

Exteriors / Roofing / Structure / Insulation / IAQ / Windows & Doors / Heating & Cooling / Lighting / Appliances / Plumbing / Finishes / Cabinets & Tops / Alternative Energy

METAL
Decades of Performance Metal Roofing
Set aside any visions of cheap tin roofs. Today’s metal roofing—most
of it made from recycled steel—is a lot tougher and aesthetically
appealing than the corrugated sections that shelter shacks and barns.
That said, metal roofing (right) still makes a distinct fashion
statement. Long rows of sleek metal, separated by slight ridges
(called standing seam) are a departure from tiles and shingles. Metal’s
market share in single-family housing has more than tripled (to 7
percent) since 2004.
That’s partly because metal roofing has a strong environmental
story, when you consider the amount of recycled steel it contains, its
durability (usually 50 years or longer), and the fact that the material
can be 100 percent recycled at end of life.
More recently, the metal roofing industry has introduced cool roof
finishes that reflect the sun’s infrared light to reduce heat absorption Virtues Caveats
into the structure by as much as 36 percent; some manufacturers ■ ■ High durability ■ ■ Higher initial cost
have also partnered with thin-film solar electric suppliers to create ■ ■ Infrared finishes reflect heat ■ ■ Susceptible to impact
integrated solar arrays within the panel channels, to generate ■ ■ High recycled content or walking damage
renewable energy. ■ ■ 100 percent recyclable ■ ■ Colors may fade
The industry has also expanded its styling, forming and coloring ■ ■ Fireproof ■ ■ Recyclable does not always
panels to simulate curved clay tiles or individual shingle shapes, for mean “recycled”
a broader range of housing styles.
Glossary of Terms
WOOD
Natural, to a Point Know the Lingo
Wood shingles and shakes (p. 23) are the only roofing material
that can claim to come from a renewable resource (trees), although
■ ■ Deck: The substrate over which roofing is applied—usually
it’s important to find out how and where that timber is harvested. plywood, wood boards or planks.
A wood roof can easily last 50 years if installed and maintained
■ ■ Drip Edge: An installed lip that keeps shingles up
properly. Wood shingles applied over a vented roof deck will remain off the deck at edges and extends shingles out over
cooler, dry out faster and generally last longer. eaves and gutters to prevent water from wicking up and under
Wood’s only serious drawback is its inherent flammability and the shingles.
susceptibility to moisture-related damage over the years. Because
■ ■ Exposure: The area on any roofing material that is left
of these qualities, fire- and rot-resistant chemical finishes are often exposed to the elements.
applied—and may need to be re-applied in later years.
■ ■ Flashing: Materials used to waterproof a roof around
any projections.
RECYCLED POLYMER
■ ■ Granules: Crushed rock that is coated with a ceramic coating
Reuse Rubber and Plastic and fired, used as top surface on shingles.
Lightweight, affordable, easy to install and theoretically recyclable,
recycled polymer roofing products are gaining attention in the mar- ■ ■ Ice Dam: Formed when snow melts on a roof and
ketplace. By preventing the extraction and transport of virgin raw re-freezes at the eave areas. Ice dams force water to
“back up” under shingles and cause leakage.
materials, recycled roofing products are considered very sustainable.
However, the product does require packaging and transportation ■ ■ Laminated Shingles: Asphalt-based shingles made
to the manufacturer’s facility for reuse. And some reclaimed rooftop from two separate pieces that are laminated together.
Also called dimensional shingles or architectural shingles.
■ ■ Soffit Ventilation: Intake ventilation installed under
the eaves or at the roof edge.
Huber ZIP System
The ZIP System is a structural roof and wall ■ ■ Steep-Slope Roofing: Refers to slopes steeper than a
system that consists of sheathing and tape. 4” rise for every 12” of length (expressed as 4:12).
It includes water resistance and an air barrier
■ ■ Tear-Off: Removal of existing roofing materials down
that streamlines the weatherization process.
To install, put up the panels and tape the to the roof deck.
seams. ZIP System is 40 percent quicker to ■ ■ Valleys: Areas where two adjoining sloped roof planes
apply than housewrap. It comes in 6,000; intersect on a roof, creating a “V”-shaped depression.
215,000; and 340,000 square feet.
www.huberwood.com/zipsystem/home-zip-system SOURCE: GAF MATERIALS CORP.

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