Monday, January 26, 2009

Wilmington Roofing Project - Selecting The Right Material

By Jim Carpenter

A home needs not just good walls but a solid roof as well to ensure that it is protected well from what the elements can throw at it. Unfortunately as a home ages there are going to be times when the roof may need to be repaired or replaced. So in this article we offer some advice on what to do to ensure that you select the right kinds of material for your Wilmington roofing project or anywhere that you may happen to live.

The first thing that needs to be done before you choose the material for your roof repairs is to get the roof inspected properly. Arrange for several roofing contractors in your area to visit your home and allow them to carry out a full inspection before handing you a detail report with costings of the work that is required.

After this has been done now you can decide which material it is you want to use on your Wilmington roofing project whether the roof is to be repaired or replaced. If the roof is just needing repairs to make it sound once more then the same materials as what is currently on the roof should be used. But if the roof needs to be replaced completely then you can either choose to stay with the same as what is on it currently or opt to go for something different instead. But you need to be aware that the various materials used for roofing are not only different in characteristics but also in cost as well.

Below we take a look at the types of materials used in many roofing projects across the USA and not just Wilmington and what their characteristics are.

1. Asphalt of all the roofing materials used today is the most commonly used and it comes in two varieties being non-organic or organic. This type of roofing has some advantages over the other two discussed in this article being that you can get it in a wide range of colors and also it is far more durable as well. The lifespan of a well laid asphalt roof is between 25 and 50 years.

2. Wood shingles is another material favored for roofing and is made from Western Red Cedar simply because it is very resistant to decay or corrosion. Normally there are three kinds of wood shingle used on properties today, and generally it is that classed as 1 which is used for the main part of the roof whilst those classed as 2 and 3 will be used for the roof sidings.

3. A material that is favored by many for roofing projects although it costs more but gives a roof a more natural look is wood shakes. The reason for this particular roofing costing so much more is that each piece needs to be sawed or hand split by the contractor so the time it takes to carry out the work correctly is much longer as well.

After you have chosen which material it is you are going to be using for y our Wilmington roofing project now you need to spend time finding a contractor to complete the work for you. It is crucial that the roofing contractor you choose for the project is one who specializes in the materials that you have chosen so you know the work carried out is going to be of the highest standard which will ensure that the roof lasts for years to come. - 15485

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