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TYPES OF ROOFS Roofing According To Shape Flat Roofs Pitched Roofs Shell Roofs Flat Roofs Flat roofs

have a slope from 1 degree to 5 degrees. These roofs are constructed in the same way as floor is. The roof acts much in the same way as a level plate form to support the load. This roof differs from intermediate floor in view of top finish called as Terracing. This terracing protects roof from adverse effects of rain, snow, heat etc.

Advantages of Flat Roof It can be used for living purposes. It is comparatively safer than other types of roofs. Its construction and maintenance is simpler and more economical. It provides better light, ventilation and architectural appearance. The construction of upper floor can be taken up when desired in minimum time. It is economical than Pitched roof for normal residential and official buildings because false ceiling is required for thermal comfort.

Disadvantages of Flat Roof It can not be used for industrial sheds without using intermediate columns. These roofs are not suitable where rainfall or snowfall is heavy.

Pitched Roofs Pitched roofs have a slope of more than 10 degrees to the horizontal Surface. The most common shape of roof is symmetrical pitched roof. The slope of roof varies according to the span, climatic conditions, types of roof covering etc. In areas of heavy snowfall, steeper slopes of 1: 1.5 or 1: 1 are provided to reduce incidence of snow load of roof. Pitched roofs are generally constructed of wood or steel. Steel trusses (frames) and rolled steel sections are used in construction of pitched roofs. Advantages of Pitched Roof It is constructed in a very short time. It does not require weather covering and water proofing treatment. This roof has no problem of drainage, rainy water and snow. It is useful for making for long span industrial sheds without intermediate columns, walls etc. Pitched roof is economical than flat roof in case of industrial shed. Disadvantages of Pitched Roof It has more weather effects It is not so durable. It can not be used for upper floor. The roof has leakage problem. When the roof is constructed with iron sheets, rusting problem may arise. The roof for offices etc. is costly as false ceiling is required for thermal comfort. Shell Roofs Shell roofs are made to meet functional and architectural requirements. The roofs are provided in public buildings like libraries, theatres, recreation centers, factories or workshops etc. These roofs are used where large floor areas are required to be covered without obstruction from columns.

Advantages of Shell Roof More area is covered without any intermediate columns etc. There is no leakage problem in this type of roof. It gives architectural view to add beauty nearby area. The area covered under this roof is used for conferences and big gathering. Disadvantages of Shell Roof It can not be used to construct upper floor. It has problems of natural light and ventilation. It is costly for construction.

GABLE ROOF The Gable roof is one of the most popular choices when deciding a style of roof for your home. It has two roof surfaces of the same size, that are pitched at the same angle back to back, making a ridge at the top and forming a triangular roof. Its simple design makes it cheap and easy to build. It effectively sheds water, allows for good ventilation, and typically provides the most ceiling space. The Gable roof is not ideal for high wind areas like the hip roof and is the most likely of roof types to suffer damage, usually with the end wall collapsing due to it not being properly braced. If this is the case with your home it is recommended that the necessary bracing be added to your end wall. If you are unclear as to if your home is at risk from severe winds, have a local building official inspect your roof framing. He can then tell you whether or not the bracing is adequate for your area, and if not, what should be done.

Common variations of Gable roofs: Side gable roof - One of the most common roofing styles because of it's economy. Front gable roof - The gable end is placed at the front (entrance) of the house. Often used for Cape Cod and Colonial style houses. Cross gabled roof Simply two gable roof sections put together at a right angle. The two ridges formed by these gable roofs are typically perpendicular to each other. Lengths, pitches, and heights may or may not defer from each other. Often used for Tudor and Cape Cod style houses. Dutch gable A hybrid type of gable and hip roof where a full or partial gable is located at the end of a ridge offering more internal roof space and/or increased aesthetic appeal.

MANSARD ROOF The Mansard roof gets it's name from architect Francois Mansart who popularized it in the 1600's in France. A mansard roof has two distinctly different slopes on each side. The lower portion of the roof has a very steep pitch often with dormers attached, while the upper portion has a low slope, just enough for water runoff to occur. Typically speaking the low slope portion of the roof cannot be seen from ground. Mansard roofs offer so much attic space it is often used as an extra story for the house with the additional space known as the garret. This type of roof is not recommended for areas that have a great deal of snowfall. Heavy snow build up could occur on the low slope portion of the roof placing undo strain on the bracing. Buildings with Mansard roofs (sometimes referred to as Second Empire) enjoyed a popularity in North America in the mid to late 1800's as a part of Victorian style architecture.

HIPPED ROOF A very common roof type the hip roof (or hipped roof) does not have flat sides like the gable roof instead all sides of the roof slope down to meet the walls of the house. Building a hip roof is more involved than a gable roof but building the walls for such a house is actually easier as they are all the same height. Hip roofs are very good for homes in high wind or hurricane areas as they offer better internal bracing and are less likely to be peeled from the house as a gable end. Given the roof is at a uniform height gutters can be easily attached around the entire house. Also, the roof protects more of the house from elements such as sun, wind and rain which over time can require increased maintenance for the structure. Hip roofs offer less internal roof space making access for maintenance more difficult and offering less potential storage space. Cross hipped (and more complex hip roofs) need to have their valleys kept free from debris so that moisture and dirt don't cause a failure of the valley flashing. Common variations of hip roofs: Simple hip roof The most common hip roof has a ridge over a portion the roof creating two polygon sides and two triangle sides of the roof. Pyramid hip roof Four equal triangular sides meet at a single point at the top of the roof. Cross hipped roof Similar to putting two hipped roof buildings together. Where the two roof sections meet forms a seam called a valley. Half hipped roof A standard hip roof that has had two sides shortened to create eaves. Dutch gable A hybrid type of gable and hip roof where a full or partial gable is located at the end of a ridge offering more internal roof space and/or increased aesthetic appeal.

SALTBOX ROOF Most similar to a gable roof, the saltbox style rose from a need to create more space for cramped colonial houses. Early Americans looking for an efficient way to add space to a home soon realized that adding a one story lean-to (or shed roof) to the back of a 1 1/2 or 2 story house saved materials and cost. The earliest examples of saltbox houses will sometimes show evidence of the addition by having a second "lean-to chimney/fireplace" or by changing the roof line (slope) on the addition to allow enough height for a useable ceiling. Eventually, the addition became so commonplace the lean-to was simply added into the original design of the house. Saltbox houses were a variation of the early Colonial or Cape Cod style and were particularly popular during the late 1600's and into the early 1800's. The name saltbox was taken from the building's similarity in shape to wooden lidded boxes commonly used to hold salt at the time. GAMBREL ROOF The Gambrel roof, like the mansard roof, has two distinctly different slopes on each of its two symmetrical sides. The bottom slope has a steep pitch, sometimes nearly vertical while the top slope is lower. But unlike the mansard roof, the gambrel roof only utilizes this method on two sides of the structure rather than four. The gambrel is often referred to as a barn roof, in that it is commonly seen on many hay barns for the ample space it provides for storage. Small structural additions called dormers may also be seen on gambrel roofs as to provide more head space or extra lighting. This allows for the extra space found in gambrel roofs to be used more effectively. You can find gambrel roofs on a lot of Dutch Colonial architecture from the 1700's and into the 1800's. The name derives from gamba, a Latin word meaning the leg or hoof of an animal. FLAT ROOFS Flat roofs usually have at least a slight slope to assist in the shedding of water thus they are also referred to as "low slope roofs . Flat roofs are typically a more economical roof to build given that it requires less material. While being cheaper to initially build a flat roof will require re-roofing more often with many materials lasting 10-20 years versus 25-50 years for many pitched roof materials.

Flat roofs are susceptible to failure if pooled water is left for long periods of time. Most recent flat roofs are covered by a continuous membrane to help prevent such water pooling. Still, flat roofs are not an ideal choice for areas that get a lot of rain and/or snow. COMMON FLAT ROOF MATERIALS Tar & Gravel, Bitumen and Roll Roofing Built up roofs are used when the pitch is no more than 3 inches rise to 12 inches run. This roof is installed by alternating layers of heavy roofing felt and hot asphalt or tar. The final product is coated with a mineral such as gravel. Built-up roofs are rated by how many layers are applied, usually between 3 and 5 layers are considered standard.

Pros: Lower cost. Good weather resistance. Cons: Can be messy to install. Not intended for high rain or snow areas. Modified bitumen roofing (click for glossary definition) Similar to the tar and gravel roof, this roof adds layers of polyester or fiberglass with bitumen. These additional layers add strength and resistance to a flat roof. Pros: Lower cost Good weather resistance Cons: Can be messy to install Not intended for high rain or snow areas Roll roofing

This low cost roofing product is made from materials similar to asphalt shingles, but has a relatively short life expectancy-less than 10 years-because it is a single-ply roof. Roll roofing is commonly known as 90-pound felt, since one roll covering 100 square feet weighs around 90 pounds. Pros: Low cost Reasonable weather resistance Cons: Short life Not intended for high rain or snow areas Roofing Materials - EPDM & PVC Roof materials - EPDM & PVC EPDM rubber roofing The ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) creates a single layer rubberized roof that is long lasting and UV resistant. EPDM roofing systems do not require a mineral coating, which makes them much lighter than tar and gravel roofs. It should be noted that a rigid insulation is recommended for this type of roof. Pros: Energy Efficient Can be used with a wide variety of roof shapes Cleaner application than many low slope options Performs well in high wind and hail Good long-term performance for a low slope roof Cons: Not intended for high rain or snow areas

PVC membrane roofing systems PVC membrane is a roof membrane composed of only one layer of material, polyvinyl chloride. PVC roofs are specially designed to withstand ponding water- PVC membrane is welded together with hot air (no open flame) to eliminate all seams so moisture can not pass through. PVC roofing systems also reflect nearly 90% of the heat of the sun, thus lowering energy costs substantially, especially in high-heat areas such as the southwestern United States.

Pros: Fire safe material Energy Efficient Good weather resistance Good long-term performance for a low slope roof Cons: Not intended for high rain or snow areas Metal roofing Metal roofs are great for any type of roof and are ideal in forested, moss prone, or heavy precipitation areas. Typically made up of steel, alumninum or copper, metal roofs offer some of the best protection for your home. They withstand high winds, shed snow and rain very effectively and are fire resisitant. Some people fear that hail may put dents in a metal roof, but many roof metal materials guarantee no denting. Another concern is that lightning may be attracted to a metal roof, and is more likely to strike the house but this is unfounded. Metal roofs are very lightweight, weighing about one quarter as much as tile roofs and nearly half as much as asphalt shingles. Metal roofing is generally more expensive than asphalt roofing, but cheaper than tile or slate roofing. It has a long life and can even lower heating and cooling costs because it reflects heat from the sun. If properly installed a metal roof will usually last as long as the house with manufacturer warranties often lasting 50 years. Although metal roofs can be walked on, care should be taken when walking on a roof with deep shake and tile profiles, to prevent damage to the contour of the ridges.

Metal roofs vary in color, style, and texture more than any other roofing material. They can be made to look like wood shakes, standard shingles, or even tile but without the extra weight. Many styles come in sheets which are quickly and easily installed while metal shingles will require additional time and expense because of individual placement and nailing. Recycled metal roofing can also be purchased, as an environmentally safe option for your home. Pros: Long life Long warranty Good weather resistance Available in a variety of shapes and colors Environmentally Friendly Cons: Material expense

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