Residential Roofing; the Rundown on Material Choices and Costs
Residential roofing is one part of home renovation or new home construction that has not changed much in recent years. Although roof material prices have increased, techniques and products have remained about the same over the last 20-years or so.
The most common and widely used type of material by roofing contractors is asphalt shingles; 3-tab or T-lock. 3-tab shingles are available in a variety of roof shingle colors and styles. Including higher-end architectural shingles which have raised texture and design.
A Word About 3-Tab and T-Lock Roof Shingle Installation
3-tab shingles are nailed or stapled to the roof; usually consisting of OSB board or exterior plywood nailed to the top side of the roof trusses, and then covered with 15 lb. or 30 lb. asphalt roof felt. The shingles are applied in runs beginning on the lower edge of the roof, working toward the top.
The top edge of each roof shingle is nailed into place. The next run overlaps the top part of the shingle below. Asphalt “sticky tabs†on the lower edge of the shingle adheres to the top of the previous run. The tabs heat up and bond both layers firmly in place. Special care must be given to ensure each run is arranged so that seam lines between the tabs are properly offset, providing maximum water shed.
Note: because the asphalt shingle sticky tabs represent the only sealant on the bottom edge of the shingles, they should not be installed when the temperature is below 40º F. This is so tabs heat enough to make a good seal. High winds (in excess of 60 mph) can cause the seal to let loose and cause damage or shingle loss; especially when tabs have not sealed properly.
T-lock shingles are used specifically in areas with prevailing high winds. This is because the design of this type of roofing shingle includes not only sticky tabs but flaps that interlock with the previous run. Again, special attention must be given to each run, to ensure each shingle lines up and interlocks properly with the previous run. Providing maximum adhesion and watershed.
Other Roofing Material Types
Galvanized metal roofing, copper roofing material, and those made from other types of metal such as tin, steel, and aluminum are also widespread; available in a variety of color choices. Metal roofing has gained in popularity mainly because of its extended life expectancy and snow shedding properties. While metal roofing price is significantly higher, life expectancy is 100-years or more when properly maintained.
A ceramic tile roof or concrete tile roof will also render a life expectancy of 100-years with proper care. However, both require a very strong roof truss system to support the weight, which can be up to ½-ton per square -a 10 X 10-foot area. Because of the aesthetic appeal of ceramic and concrete tile, they remain the favored residential roofing choice for the wealthy elite.
Cedar shingles or a wood shake roof is another attractive choice; one that yields 50-years or more life expectancy when properly maintained. Wood shingle prices are higher than asphalt roof shingles but less than metal or ceramic/concrete tile
Built up roofing (BUR) consists of multiple membrane layers adhered together by hot mopped-on asphalt. This type roofing is most suitable for very low pitch roof or flat roof applications.
Another roofing option is modified rubber roofing or EPDM rubber membrane products. These options range from cold application processes to hot applications; such as mop-on hot asphalt or torch application procedures.
About Roof Style Price
BUR and other rubber or asphalt products are petroleum based. Recent increases in oil prices have inflated costs for these type products, which previously often exceeded $1000 per square.
Homeowners can expect to pay $200 to $300 for each square of asphalt roofing shingles installed, plus $50 to $150 per square to tear off and haul away old roofing. Cedar wood shingles cost $150 to $200 more per square than asphalt shingles, in addition to costs to tear off and haul away old materials.
Residential metal roof installation, depending on type and difficulty, can range from $400 to $1000 per square. A roofing system consisting of multiple gables and resulting valleys will incur higher costs.
Ceramic or concrete roof tile prices normally run $1000 per square or more. If roof truss system requires upgrading to support the weight of a ceramic or concrete tile roof, price per square drastically increases, since major roof construction and modification is necessary.
Find the Right Professional for the Job
While many homeowners are up to the task of installing common asphalt shingles as a DIY home project, other types of roofing may best be installed by a professional roofer. A professional roofing contractor who is certified for a particular type of roofs such as a BUR hot-mop asphalt roof or EDPM membrane roof offers warranties for workmanship and roofing products.
Homeowners all across America seeking a reliable local roofing siding contractor can locate one quickly, easily, and without cost or obligation at TrustedPros.com.
Simply sign up for FREE and post your roofing project details online, where it is immediately visible to roofing professionals in their community 24/7. Local member contractors also receive e-mail notification of new project postings within their scope of services, and provide competitive bids in days, even hours after project posting.
View information on each candidate online at your convenience; including company profile, licensing/insurance/certification information, references, customer comments, and photos of recently completed projects. And then make an informed hiring decision, or hire no one at all. Remember, there is no obligation whatsoever.
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Top Three Plumbing FAQs for Typical Situations In Your Home
Since plumbing is something you use every day for multiple purposes, it makes sense that this element of your home will need plenty of repairs. Whether you tackle them with the enthusiasm of a DIY expert or hire your local plumber to do the job, there are many common questions and decisions that homeowners need to make about their plumbing. Have a quick look at these top three plumbing FAQs to get a better idea of what you are up against when problems arise.
Are Plastic Pipes Better or Worse Than Copper?
When you are redesigning your plumbing system, renovating your home, or putting on addition the decision over whether to install copper or PVC pipes are bound to come up. Beware that you may flinch at the cost of copper plumbing. With a higher price tag, many people wonder whether copper really is worth more than its plastic counterpart. But most plumbers will tell you that copper is far superior to plastic in almost any case.
If you have water with a high pH that situation could be different, but most often copper provides a more durable design. It can be fitted, soldered, and tested right away, saving time and money. Plastic needs to be glued at the fittings and will often leak if not done exactly right. Plastic to copper fittings are suspect and pesky animals such as mice like to chew on plastic, a recipe for disaster if there ever was one.
Investing in copper is a smart choice for the vast majority of situations, although plastic has its place for repairs and in short, straight runs.
Do You Need a Plumber For a Faucet Repair?
Many times a faulty faucet can be fixed with very little cost and time attached. If the faucet is sticky or the flow has been dramatically reduced, look for a faucet repair kit in your brand (and servicing your model) at the local building supply store. Fixing it up should take you only a short time and the cost of the kit is relatively low.
If however, your faucet is perpetually leaking or spraying it could make sense to bring in a plumber. Installing a new faucet is fairly straightforward, but changing out the plumbing can get tricky if that is necessary during the repair.
How Do You Size Out a Plumbing System?
This will vary from state to state and is best left to the professionals if at all possible. There will be specifications about the number of fixtures allowed in each house and the size of pipes required for each line. Plumbing design is a complicated art that requires many different calculations and must follow all of the applicable building codes. Although there are general rules to be found in DIY books, the overall plumbing for a renovation, addition or new build should be completed by a trained professional in order to provide a safe and efficient system for the household.
The plumbing in your home should be designed and installed well, but problems are still bound to occur. Whether you are handling a plumbing repair such as a faulty faucet or tackling a sizing issue with a newly renovated room, plumbing work comes with a lot of questions. Trust the expertise of a pro to tell you whether copper or plastic pipes are better. And lean on the knowledge and skill of plumbers to get the job done when a quick DIY fix just won’t do.
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Plumbing Installation and Repair, Plus New Energy Efficient Innovations
Plumbing is something that nearly every contemporary structure has. Modern plumbing systems bring fresh water to the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry areas of the home or business. And drain away used water to sewer or septic systems.
Improved home efficiency
Once a plumbing system is installed in a home or business, the only service or plumbing repair usually required on an ongoing basis is clearing plugged drains. Or else fixing a minor faucet leak, such as a worn-out washer on a plumbing fixture.
Some Plumbing Repairs are DIY Feasible; Others Require a Licensed Plumber
Designing and installing a plumbing system during new construction or for a home improvement plumbing project is best done by a licensed plumber. Applicable local building codes, usually based on the uniform plumbing code, require that all plumbing pipes and systems be installed by a licensed plumber, and comply with code specifications.
However, some aspects of home plumbing repair can easily and effectively be undertaken as a DIY project. Replacing faucets, faucet repairs, and adjusting kitchen sink plumbing, for instance, are all viable DIY plumbing tasks that require a low level of skill and expertise.
Modern kitchen faucets and bathroom faucets easily disconnect by hand, often without the need for tools. Most units include shut-off valves right on hot and cold supply lines, allowing quick and easy removal and installation.
In addition, most kitchen and under sink bathroom plumbing includes compression ring slip joints with large tightening nuts right on the drainpipe system. These can be assembled and tightened by hand – without the use of a wrench. Most plumbing supply or plumbing store clerks are knowledgeable about simple repairs and common parts needed to remedy a problem and can “walk†homeowners through most routine repairs.
Repairing or replacing a toilet tank fill kit is also a simple plumbing job, one easily completed by homeowners. However, more complicated toilet plumbing issues such as adding a new toilet in the home or leaky toilet repair usually require the skills of a licensed plumber.
Homeowners with a higher level of skill and determination might be able to fix a leaky toilet with seepage around the wax floor seal; novice homeowners, however, will want to have a plumbing contractor resolve the problem for them.
Energy Efficient Innovations in Plumbing
With the current emphasis on energy conservation and desirability of energy-efficient homes, many homeowners are switching to tankless hot water heater systems.
One advantage of a tankless water heater is that it takes up less space than traditional tank heaters. It also heats water only when required. This eliminates the need to keep the tank always heated and continuously on standby.
energy effeicient
Some tankless systems feature separate units for each fixture, instead of one centralized unit. This eliminates abrupt water temperature fluctuations when another fixture is used simultaneously.
Tankless water heaters offer other advantages over traditional types of water heaters. Including:
- A constant supply of hot water; you never have that “cold water surprise†in the middle of a bath or shower when a traditional water heater runs out of hot water.
- Since water is heated only on demand, the need for a constantly heated tank is eliminated. This translates into overall energy savings of 20% to 50%. Less water is used, less fuel consumed, and no energy wasted by keeping a tank in standby mode; making it a more environmentally-friendly choice.
- Much less space is required for a tankless unit.
- Tank water heaters eventually wear out and need replacement, due to mineral build-up or leaks that develop in the tank. Tankless water heaters seldom require replacement, and usually, come with a lifetime warranty. They are more maintenance-free and almost never leak or seep.
- Water sitting in a regular water heater tank in stand-by mode can allow certain types of bacteria to grow inside the tank. Tankless systems have no place for bacteria to grow. They, therefore, provide cleaner, healthier water.
Another Type Innovative Plumbing Option
Dual flush toilets are another energy-efficient plumbing option that can actually save water usage by up to 67%. A dual flush toilet features two flush modes. One with a higher water flush volume for solids; another smaller flush volume for liquid wastes.
The only drawback with a dual flush toilet is that it is much more difficult to hook up than a standard toilet. The installation process is too complicated for most DIY homeowners and should be undertaken only by a professional plumbing contractor to ensure proper installation and operation.
Locate a Reliable Plumbing Contractor
To locate a reliable local plumbing service or plumbing company, homeowners all across America are turning to HandyAmerican.com where the task is quick, easy, and free!
Homeowners seeking a licensed plumbing contractor can sign up without cost or obligation. And post their plumbing project online, where it is immediately visible to reliable contractors in their community.
Member contractors also receive e-mail notifications of new project postings in their locality, within their scope of services. And provide project owners competitive bids within days, even hours from project posting.
View company profile pages, references, customer comments and feedback, licensing/insurance/certification credentials, and photos of recently completed projects online at TrustedPros.com. And then make an informed hiring decision, or hire no one at all. Remember, there is no obligation whatsoever.
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