What is a roof?

There is an old saying that what differentiates man from the beasts is "roof and fire". Fire demonstrates man's command of the elements; while roofs potect us from the elements. Roofs have evolved over the milenia, and they continue to evolve. Most roofs are supported by a system of trusses, that are connected to the walls of the home. Over the trusses is placed some sort of sheathing or membrane, to keep water and elements out and to provide some basic insulation. Finally, the outer material is placed over the sheathin, which is most commonly asphalt shingle or asphalt rolls, but can also be cedar shake, slate, tile, metal, foam, or a number of other materials. Sometimes, even grass is used as an outer roof layer.

Should you buy/do you need a roof?

The only reason you might NEED a new roof is if your roof is damaged and it is not cost effective to repair it. If this is the case, you should educate yourself quickly about your options (you can start with this site), contact some professional roofers to discuss the project, get some quotes, and have a new roof installed. If your roof is leaking or you suspect it is leaking, you run the risk of damaging your walls, the frame of your home, and other portions of your home or its contents. Once a roof needs to be repaired or replaced, the roof will never get better on its own. It will only get worse. Putting off this important home maintenance project is a risk that offers no chance of reward.
The other reason you might buy a roof is because you WANT one. You may want a different look for your roof or a more upscale material and look. Or, you may want a roof that insulates your home more efficiently or one that generates energy using solar panels or solar shingles. All of these are great reasons to purchase a new roof. You should study the alternatives and find out the costs. If energy is one of your motivations, you'll need to balance your costs of installing a new roof against your energy savings over the projected life of the roof.

What's new about roofs?

There are a number of advances that have been made in recent years:

• Fire retardance: many roofing materials have become more fire retardant in recent years. One notable material is cedar shake. Cedar shakes that have been treated to be more fire retardant can now be purchased.
• Fabulous fakes: asphalt shingles are now being made to look more like cedar shake, slate, and tile. Homeowners, can buy a roof that looks slate, shake, or tile for a fraction of the price of the real thing.
• Solar power to the people: Until recently, everybody knew about solar energy but it was rarely deployed by homeowners. Today, more and more homeowners are installing solar generators in their homes, generating power for use in their homes, and in some cases even selling power back to the energy companies. In addition to solar panels, there are now solar shingles that can be installed.

Selecting a roof

There are thirteen factors for you to consider when you are selecting a roof. We have defined these thirteen factors and we present the options relating to each. We also have presented four features of roofs that might be of interest to you. If any of these features appeals to you, you may want to integrate one of more into your new roof.

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