From natural materials like slate tile and wood shake to manufactured products like metal and architectural shingles, options for roofing materials abound. But there’s more to a roof than the shingle that meets the eye What, exactly, are we talking about? Here we’ll focus on the supporting crew — the underlayment, nails, and caps — for durable, modern shingles for residential roofs.
It may be hard to believe, but for every roofing material in the spotlight, there are dozens of behind-the-scenes characters standing in the wings. And these supporting materials; the underlayment, screws, button caps, and silicone get the job done and keep your roof free from leaks and looking great.
Despite all the roofing materials in today’s crowded marketplace, asphalt shingles remain the most common residential roofing material used in the United States. Why? Because they’re good-looking, inexpensive, and easy to install. Shingles come in a variety of colors to complement your home, neighborhood, and personal preferences. Not only that, but they’re easy to come by and one of the most affordable roofing options available today. Modern asphalt shingles look great on a variety of housing styles and if properly maintained, are guaranteed to last up to 25 years. A reputable installer will even go so far as to guarantee their work for five years, with a 20-year prorated warranty.
While selecting the right shingle, like IKO Roofing Shingles, is important, what lies beneath the skin of your roof is just as important to its overall performance and durability.
Felt Underlayment
It’s not enough to attach your new shingle directly to your roof deck. Professional roofing contractors use black, asphalt-saturated felt paper to protect your roof deck and ensure the longevity of your shingles. This underlayment may be made from either a cellulose organic or fiberglass substrate.
The felt underlayment is economical, slip-resistant, and aids in even and consistent shingle installation. Most importantly, felt underlayment is extremely water resistant, improves sound dampening, and further protects your home from dangerous, damaging, and expensive leaks.
Ice and Water Shield Underlayment
Depending on your climate and typical weather conditions, your roofing contractor may suggest installing an ice and water shield underlayment in addition to or instead of a felt underlayment. This underlayment, first developed in the 1980s, is a great way to prevent leaks in all climates and is used on new roof and complete roof replacements. It cannot be applied over existing shingle.
Frequently, this heavy-duty barrier is used only in the most leak-prone areas of the roof and augments the protection offered by felt underlayments. Skylights, dormers, vent pipes, chimneys and other seams are the ideal candidates for the installation of ice and water shield underlayment. In some instances, however, an ice and water shield underlayment may be recommended for your entire roof, in lieu of felt underlayment.
In appearance, ice and water shield underlayment is quite similar to traditional felt paper; however, its performance is very different. While felt underlayment stops a vast majority of leaks by simply preventing water coming into contact with the wood roof deck, complex roof lines, seams, and nail penetration are all potential problem areas for a traditional felt underlayment. In some instances, roofing nails may even act as a faucet for incoming moisture, guiding leaks directly to the surface of your roof deck, trapping moisture and encouraging decay.
This is not the case, however, for Ice and water shield underlayment. This durable underlayment is made with a rubberized asphalt mixture that seals around the nail and other high-risk areas. effectively solving any potential problems. Put another way: simply imagine a rubber gasket around a nail — the rubber creates a solid seal around the base of the nail, preventing leaks from occurring. Ice and water shield can stop leaks caused by nails and ice dams and can also stop leaks that may result from gale-force winds and driving rains. Homeowners in the cold North as well as areas under frequent severe thunderstorm, tornado, or hurricane warnings all benefit from the installation of ice and water shield underlayment.
Fasteners
A roof is only as sturdy as the materials used to keep it in place. Button caps nail down underlayment and offer an added layer of leak protection while 1 ¼” nails securely hold shingles in place. High grade exterior silicone seals around flashing and exposed nails to create a long-lasting watertight seal.
Armor Roofing has the top-quality shingles, underlayment, fasteners, and roofing installation services your home needs. Contact us for a free estimate.
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