That’s right, I called it a system because there’s so much more to your roof than just shingles. I know most homeowners think they’ve gotten a new roof when they’ve removed the old shingles and installed new shingles because that’s what their roofing company told them they got.

However, there are several different components of your roof and different functions of these components, which is why it is called a system.

Let’s take a look at a complete roof system

Your complete roof system is made up of different components with different functions. The system is assembled in layers, with each layer protecting your home in different ways and from different weather elements. I will refer to these functions as sealing, defending, and breathing.

Now let’s examine what I mean by Seal, Defend and Breathe:

Seal:

• subfloor – There are several different types of underlayments such as #15 and #30 felt paper and synthetic roofing underlayments, all of these underlayments are designed to protect your roof from moisture and damage and provide another level of protection against the elements. items. These components are also very important because they help in the assembly of an asphalt shingle roof to obtain its Class A fire resistance rating.
• self-adhesive membranes such as Ice and Water Shield, WeatherLock, and StormGuard (depending on which shingle manufacturer you are using) provide a higher level of defense against ice and water. They are typically installed in areas that are vulnerable to ice and water, such as along the perimeter above soffits, eaves, and valleys.

Defend:

• starter tiles – These shingles are installed along the perimeter of your roof, sealing the first course of shingles, helping to secure the shingles and providing increased wind resistance.
• herpes – this is what everyone sees when they look at their roof and possibly the only component homeowners consider when getting a new roof. There are several different styles, classes, and classifications for shingles, so it’s wise to find out as much as you can about the shingle before choosing your color.
• Hip and Ridge Shingles – These are shingles that are capped over the roof peak and contours that help protect against rain and wind while enhancing the overall appearance of your roof by giving it a finished look.

Breathe:

• Ventilation – This is a very important part of your roof system because it is important for your home to breathe. A roof that is properly ventilated will help improve airflow and defend against heat and moisture damage. Ventilating your roof is also ventilating your attic, including air intake (soffit vents) and exhaust vents (ridge vent, turbine vents, power vents, to name a few) to help control airflow and help prevent mold, ice dams, and control attic temperatures.

There are also other necessary components of your complete roof system that need to be replaced and/or installed when the roof is done. These components are drip edge, pipe flashing, chimney and wall flashing, to name a few. These components are very important because they help you have a tight, safe and well-protected roof.

Now that I’ve described a complete roof system, let’s look at a “brand name” roof system.

A “brand” roof system follows the same design as a complete roof system, only a “brand” roof system will use specific manufacturing materials. GAF and Owens Corning (to name two) are national manufacturers and two of the leaders in the roofing industry. By using manufacturer specific products such as; Shingles, starter shingles, hip and ridge shingles, synthetic underlayment, ridge vent, and self-adhered membranes, you’ll have a complete “brand name” roof system.

You can ask, What makes the “Branded” complete roof system better? The manufacturer has designed and developed these products to work together to provide the highest level of protection for your home. While discounted similar materials collected from different manufacturers are not designed and engineered to work with each other, they will not provide the protection to your home that a complete “brand name” roof system will.