Roofing Services Information
Roofing services install, repair, inspect and restore the roofs on commercial, residential, and industrial buildings. As the outer covering on the building’s uppermost part, a roof protects the structure from the effects of rain, snow, heat, cold, sunlight and wind. When roofing services design a roof, environmental factors are an important consideration. The roof’s support structure typically consists of long, strong beams or girders made of rigid materials such as timber, cast iron, or steel. The outer layer of the roof is then covered with shingles, shakes, tiles, or sheets made from wood, plastic, rubber, concrete, clay, or asphalt. Some roofing services specialize in the installation of flat roofing, architectural roofing, or ornamental roofing. Other roofers and roofing companies work exclusively with new residential roofing or new commercial roofing.
Roofing services may use many different types of roofing materials. Asphalt shingles are inexpensive and come in many colors, but have a relatively short life span and are subject to mildew and moss. Wood shingles or wooden shakes are longer-lasting, but are more expensive and require regular maintenance. Metal roofing is durable and lightweight, but may require periodic painting. Metal roofing materials include steel, aluminum, copper, and tin. Concrete tiles and clay tiles are decorative, fireproof, and available in many different colors. Slate roofing is heavy, fragile, and high-maintenance; however, roofing services that specialize in slate can design fireproof roofs with a long life span. Fiber-reinforced concrete roofing is light, durable, and low-maintenance. Flat roofs often consist of hot-mopped asphalt with decorative stone.
Some roofing services specialize in green roofs, living roofs, eco-roofs, or roofs made from recycled rubber and plastic materials. Eco-roofs and living roofs are designed to filter rainwater through a roofing system of vegetation, soil, and a waterproof membrane. Green roofs may feature a similar design, or use a system of solar thermal collectors, solar panels, or photovoltaic modules. Cool roofs are a type of green roof that provides high solar reflectance and high thermal emittance. They are used to counter urban heat islands, which can result in significantly higher temperatures in cities. Roofing services that work with shingles and tiles made of recycled rubber or plastic are also available. Typically, these roofing materials weigh significantly less than roofing slates, but are still long-lasting.