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A Homeowner's Guide to the Basics of Roofing

By Julie Davidson

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Published: 26May2011
Word count: 655
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Careful consideration must be put into selecting the appropriate style and design of a roof, which accounts for 30% of the external façade. With the plethora of roof shapes, materials, and styles, you may be losing your head around terms such as pitch, fascia, truss, gables, and skylights. All major cities of Australia have a large pool of professional roofing contractors who are ready to help you review your options and install your roof. Today, virtually any design feature you want can be engineered and built by a competent contractor. Knowing the basics of roof design, however, will help ensure that you get your desired look without sacrificing cost, safety, and functionality.

Basic Roofing Terms

Pitch - This refers to the slope and inclination angle of your roof. In Australia and Europe, this measurement is defined in degrees. A 5 degree pitch, for example, is rather flat compared to a 45 degree pitch. Having a pitch can keep out rainwater and snow.

Fascia - This is simply a piece of timber or metal affixed to the eaves. Gutters are secured to fascias.

Truss - This serves as the roof frame. It is a series of prefabricated frames, arranged in parallel and bound together to form a rigid three dimensional structural unit.

Other measurement terms that define a roof are span, going, and rise. Span is the horizontal distance between the walls. Going is the horizontal distance from the wall to the apex. Rise is the height or altitude of the roof.

Conventional versus Truss

Conventional roofing is rarely done, being far more labour-intensive and costly than its counterpart. It is typically applied when installing additions to an existing roof or when a truss cannot fit into a non-standard area of a roof. A loft, for example, cannot be accommodated by a roof truss construction.

The use of a truss is the most common and least expensive method of roof installation, particularly for houses with a simple pitched roof and flat ceiling. It is best suited for the current home designs in Australia that call for a much lower roof pitch.

Common Roof Types

The most common roof types are hip and gable. A hip roof has four sloping sides on a rectangular base. A gable roof has a double pitch and vertical ends. Flat roofs have minimum slopes for water run off. Skillions are flat roofs with a visually significant pitch and no ridges.

The different kinds of roof shapes will vary in cost. The Gable truss roof is likely the most economical option in Australia.

Roof Coverings

Tiles are the most popular, economical, and practical choice of roof covering in Australia, being both frost-resistant and non-combustible. It has ample protection against wind, frost, and even bushfires. Tiles are also quite durable and do not rust, fade, or corrode. They can last for as long as 50 years if properly installed.

Steel is another option if you are aiming for something unusual or different. Steel coverings are very flexible and can work well under harsh weather conditions.

Other Considerations

Apart from these basic concepts of roofing, you may also want to look into options that account for ventilation, waterproofing, and energy efficiency. Roof ventilation helps create cooler attics and can prevent damages to roof deck and shingles. Waterproofing can protect your roof and serve as an extra barrier against water leakage.

A common roof addition that provides homes with natural lighting and warmth are skylights. Areas where sunshine is well spread throughout the year would benefit well from this energy-efficient product.

Unfortunately, the trend of developers today is to highlight looks and marketing rather than strength, waterproofing, and other practical matters. Hopefully, this article would have given you a broader perspective, such that when order your very first skylight, it will be for both functional and aesthetic purposes.

StartLocal is an Australian business directory that has many skylight installers listed Australia wide. View recommendations and find a local skylight installer or supplier today.

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