World Construction Symposium

2 Important Things To Know Before Having Your Roof Redone

5 February 2015 by Wallace Simmons

No matter how well installed or maintained, sooner or later all roofs will have to be replaced. When the time comes to hire a roofing contractor to complete this job, the more you know the better. If you are beginning to look into having your roof redone, read on. This article will present two important roof-related facts you should know.

Asphalt Shingle Composition

Asphalt shingles are by far the most common roofing material--and for good reason. Asphalt shingles are relatively inexpensive, easy to install, and long-lasting. That said, not all asphalt shingles are created equal. And unless you want to risk ending up with a discolored roof, it pays to know why.

Almost all asphalt shingles manufactured today contain a high degree of calcium carbonate. Unfortunately, this mineral substance is the food of choice for a type of roof algae known as Gloecapsa Magma. While this algae isn't a threat to the structural integrity of your roof, it does cause unsightly discolorations.  

Luckily, choosing to install shingles that contain copper granules is an easy way to help keep your house from becoming an eyesore in the neighborhood. The presence of copper acts to inhibit the growth of this particular type of algae. In lieu of copper-containing shingles--or in case you have already installed an inferior type of shingle--you can also have special copper strips installed along the top of the roof.  

Aluminum Flashing Corrosion

Like shingles, flashing is another aspect of roofing whose subtleties remain a mystery to many homeowners. Almost always made out of metal, flashing is installed so as to keep water from penetrating your roof around such objects as chimneys and vents. Well installed flashing must be able to resist not only penetration due to gravity, but also penetration caused by surface tension and wind pressure.

One of the more common materials used for flashing today is aluminum. In fact, because aluminum flashing is relatively inexpensive and easy to work with, many roofing contractors will simply install it by default. Yet depending on the types of structures present on your roof--and the materials they're made from--aluminum flashing might not be the best bet.

Though fairly inert, aluminum is susceptible to corrosion when it comes in contact with substances containing a high proportion of alkaline salts. Three such substances are concrete, mortar, and cement--all common ingredients in chimneys and other types of brickwork.

In other words, if your roof contains any brickwork, aluminum flashing is most likely not the best option for you. Instead, talk to your roofing contractor, one like Josh Lynch's Contracting, about using a less reactive substance such as copper, lead, or galvanized steel. The extra cost involved will likely pay off through years and years of additional use.  

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