The Benefits of Tile Roofing in Virginia

Traditional roofing still has some appeal to the modern homeowners. Tile roofing, which is a European or Mediterranean style, for example, is becoming increasingly popular in North America. What modern roofing products do today is they copy traditional clay tiles in the timeless curved design. Flat tiles for instance, imitate the appearance of expensive slate roofing. Basically, tiles are made out of either kiln-baked glazed ceramic or cast in concrete and they are being offered in many color options. Overall, tile roofs offer a highly durable roofing solution with beautiful, estate-quality old world appeal.

Talking about the durability of tile roof shingles – high quality ceramic tile can stand in just about any climate condition or geographical location. This is because ceramic is thermally efficient and a good insulator thus, a tile made out of this material can definitely last for centuries if it is baked at a sufficiently high temperature. On the other hand, cast concrete, in any form, gets stronger as it gets older. Usually, they are offered with a lifetime warranty. Moreover, they are not prone to insect, rot, or sun damage, and because its heavy, it can resist wind damage unless extreme conditions exist. So, a roofing made of either of these two materials can be fire proof, durable and long lasting.

Tile roof shingles are made available in many colors and designs to choose from. Usually, concrete and clay tiles have more variations in appearance and profiles ranging from the traditional European -Mediterranean look to modern slate. If you decide on using tiles for your roofing, you’ll certainly get a high curb appearance to the overall look of your roof. Actually, ceramic tiles and concrete versions are much heavier than asphalt. They can weigh from 6 to 9 lbs. per square foot depending on the product.

So, to achieve a beautiful old world look of roofing with the convenience of a durable, one-time roofing installation, opt for ceramic tile or concrete roof shingles.

What Happens When a Virginia Roof Doesn’t Have Proper Ventilation?

One of the most important aspects of the way your Virginia roof is designed and built is proper ventilation. You simply cannot over-estimate its importance. What happens when a roof doesn’t have proper ventilation? Improper ventilation allows formation of condensation, moisture accumulation, and damage to the roof deck and, eventually, to the stability of the roof. Improper roof ventilation can also affect the health of your family.

The industry standard for roof ventilation to provide 1 square foot of intake ventilation and 1 square foot of exhaust or outflow ventilation for every 300 square feet of attic space, provided the area is insulated with a vapor barrier. If the area is insulated without a vapor barrier, the requirement doubles.

Proper ventilation of the roof and attic of a home achieves several important functions:

• It makes the attic space cooler
• It makes the home more energy efficient
• It prevents condensation and accumulation of moisture on the inside of the roof deck, and prevents rotting of the roof deck
• It reduces the risk of fire

Several types of vents can be used to properly ventilate the roof of your home. Roof ridge vents are placed along the ridge line of the roof. Ridge vents are used for exhaust or outflow of moisture, heat, and stale air. Soffit vents and Eaves are placed at the lower extremes of the roof and provide the intake ventilation. If you live in an older home, your roof might not be constructed for roof ridge or soffit vents. Older homes were not built with the tight seals of today’s houses. There were cracks and openings around windows and doors, chimneys and other openings. These cracks and openings allowed fresh air to flow into the house. On the principle that hot air rises, the accumulated heat and moisture would rise to the attic and out the roof vents.

Without adequate ventilation, moisture rises with the hot air and forms condensation on the inside of the roof deck. This moisture is released into the air inside the house from bathing, cooking, plants, laundry and other causes. When the condensation forms on the roof deck, it begins to rot the wood. This introduces mold spores into the air, as well as damaging the wood. The result, if the problem is not noticed and repaired, can be destruction of all or part of the roof deck and creation of unhealthy air inside the house.

In our increasingly airtight homes, the importance of proper ventilation in roof construction cannot be over-emphasized. It is important to take the time and do the research to understand the ventilation needs for your home in your region and how best to meet those needs.