What Is a Roof System?
A roof system is the entire roof that protects your home. There are layers of materials below the shingles that keep your roof functioning correctly, and all of those layers work together to form your roof system. During our roof inspections, we focus on your roof as a whole, not just visible damage on the surface. This is the only way to ensure that your home is properly covered when Mother Nature throws a temper tantrum.
Components of a Roof System
- Sheathing (Decking Boards): Wood sheets that sit on top of your rafters, forming the foundation for your roof. Sheathing may warp or weaken with age, especially if other parts of your roof are damaged. If your attic is not well insulated, the moisture and heat built up underneath the sheathing may also cause problems from the inside out.
- Flashing: Metal sheets used around your chimney, vents, valleys, skylights, and more to keep water from seeping below the surface. Flashing can come loose, buckle, or tear around roof penetrations, letting water in where it shouldn’t be.
- Shingles: The outermost layer of your roof system and your first source of protection against rain, hail, falling debris, and more. Shingles can crack, rot, curl, erode, or fall off entirely, depending on the materials they are made from and how old they are.
- Vents: Special metal constructions that allow moisture to escape from below the roof, protecting against mold and rotting for other parts of the roof system. Vents may rust or become deformed after hailstorms.
- Soffit: The material connecting your roof’s overhang to the side of your home. Soffits can decay and stain over time and may need replacing.
- Fascia: Vertical pieces of wood that line your roof to create a finished edge. This part of the roof also acts as a connecting point for guttering. Fascia damage usually consists of wood rot or warping, or it may be as simple as chipped paint that you can remove and redo.
- Gutters and Downspouts: Tunnels around the edge of your roof that guide moisture to designated areas of your yard. If you do not clean your gutters regularly, they can clog and sag down because of the weight. They can also cause roof rot by wicking water back onto the roofing instead of directing it away.
The Importance of Repairing and Inspecting the Entire Roof System
Many roofing companies focus on shingle damage and shingle repair when they complete their roof inspections. Here’s the problem…
Your shingles don’t protect your home. Your WHOLE ROOF does.
At Cox Roofing, we inspect your roof in its entirety when we conduct an inspection. We don’t just look for loose shingles and discoloration at the surface. We dig deep to discover small problems before they turn into major damage.