From the foundation to the eaves, every part of your home has been designed to work together so that you can enjoy all the modern amenities like hot water and lights. There’s one element of your Salt Lake City house that is often very unappreciated, though, and that is the roof.

Until there’s a problem with your roof, you likely don’t think about it much, only knowing that it’s there to prevent water damage to the interior of your home. You might think that it’s just shingles tacked onto a board, and that anyone can perform this repair if they’re brave enough to get up on the roof. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth: a roof is an architectural marvel that must be installed and repaired by experts who fully understand each component. Today, we’ll look at a brief overview of the different parts of the roof system, then discuss how to work with a Salt Lake City roofing expert to pick the perfect material for your own home. 

There are five major elements to a roof, and they all work together to create a hearty whole

The first component of a roof is the roof deck; this is the base upon which everything else will be organized, and so it must be kept in good repair. Roof decks are usually made of plywood or a material called Oriented Strand Board (OSB); these are the same options that you’d have for the subfloor under your carpet or hardwood. 

On top of the roof deck but before the shingles comes the underlayment, which provides another layer of waterproofing to protect the interior of your home. This can be made of a stiff felt or another synthetic material, and it will be nailed onto the roof deck with roof nails; these nails have larger heads and grooves on the shaft so they will hold tight for years to come.

Shingles are the next component, and they can be made of a variety of different materials depending on your design tastes and needs. Climate does play a large role in what kinds of roof that your contractor will recommend for you, because certain materials won’t do well in fierce Utah. Metal, stone coated metal, and asphalt shingles are all good options for the temperature variations, high winds, wildfires, and heavy snowfall that can be an issue within the Beehive State.

The last piece to be added is the flashing, which are metal strips to move water away from roof intersections, where it may otherwise pool and cause damage. You’ll see these strips around skylights, chimneys, and the valleys of a multi-peak roof. 

One component is built into the entire project, and that is ventilation. You might think of a roof as a closed system meant to deny exit or entry to anything, but that’s not true: your roof actually needs to be able to breathe, as this helps remove heat and condensation. These vents allow air to circulate throughout the attic space, which can also help cool your home in summer; they can be uncovered or covered with shingles. The ventilation system is made of intake and exhaust vents, specially designed to reduce moisture incursion while still allowing air to move about.

A great roofing contractor is your best resource when preparing for a roof installation

While the anatomy of a roof seems pretty straightforward on paper, each shingle needs to be placed correctly or the integrity of the entire roof might fail. A roof is a very pricey investment, which is why you need to leave it to the professionals - and hire the very best contractors in Salt Lake City. 

A good contractor can be hard to find, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. Scour the web for trustworthy reviews on third-party sites like Angie’s List and BBB; when you get in touch with a roofing company, ask them for references that you can contact for more information. You should always get price estimates from multiple companies before selecting which one will earn your business, as this will help you see what the average price is and if one of your candidates is a major outlier.

When you’ve found your perfect contractor, they will explain the process to you step by step, including what exactly must be done to get your roof back in shape. You can consult with them about the materials that are best suited to the Salt Lake City area and what color of shingles will look best with your home. Your home is unique, and there are many customization options to explore with your roofing contractor that will help you get exactly the aesthetic you desire.

Your roofing expert will also explain the timeline for the installation and for your roof’s lifespan as a whole. Each roofing type needs to be replaced eventually, but all of them will last for at least 15 years.

With your new knowledge of how a roof works, there’s no reason to delay: contact a great Utah roofing company and get to work making your home even safer and more beautiful than it was before.