Installing a Drip Edge

Installing a Drip Edge

Today we are going to take a little break from talking about insulation. Though I'm sure we will come back to it in the future, I think I've driven my point home with it for now. If you didn't catch it, insulation is MUY IMPORTANTE! If you don't have it, GET IT! If you don't have enough of it, GET IT! Ok, if you didn't get my point before, now you do!:)
Now, onto drip edge! We've talked about drip edge before, but today I want to talk about the installation of drip edge. Before I jump right on into it, I want to give a briefing on drip edge in case you forgot what it is. What you need to know about drip edge is that it will save you a lot of potential hazards and stress in the future. A roof should have a SLIGHT overhang for water runoff. If the overhang is too short, it can lead to rotted roof sheathing and fascia, stained siding, soil erosion, or flooded basements. Thus, here comes in the drip edge to prevent those problems!
To install the drip edge, you take the wide, flat part of the material and slip it under the first layer of roof shingles. The outer edge must be extended over the gutter. Then you're going to take roofing cement and secure the drip edge to the house. Apply a continuous bead of roofing cement along the top of the drip edge, then press firmly on the shingles to secure the drip edge. For safe measure, it's a good idea to secure the ends of the drip edge with short roofing nails. If you do this added measure, make sure the roofing nails are up under the shingles.
There are plenty of DIY videos and tutorials online on how to properly install a drip edge if are a visual learner or need to read more detailed instructions. If you're like many people, you're just going to leave this job to the professionals so you don't have to worry about climbing up a ladder and dealing with stuff on top of your roof. It's a risky situation! I hope you've learned a little more about drip edge and can see the importance of adding these extra touches to your roof in order to give yourself and your home added protection.

www.sawyerroofing.com

Turtle Back Vents!

Today we are going to continue to talk about ventilation. Can you tell I feel pretty strongly about a properly ventilated home? It just makes the job of a roofer so much easier! Likewise, it makes the job of the actual roof so much easier. Today I'm going to introduce you to the turtle back vent.
When compared to the ridge vent, the turtle back vent is not quite as superior. It's still a good ventilation option, but it's not as expensive as the ridge vent; thus, slightly inferior. Turtle back vents (also known as louvers) are installed as close to the ridge as possible in order to catch as much warm air as possible. As the warm air comes through the soffit vents, the warmest air will rise up to the ridge. Turtle back vents are not a continuous vent, thus they must be spaced out evenly on the roof in order to avoid pockets of hot air and moisture. Turtle back vents are fairly easy to install, are relatively inexpensive, and are easy to incorporate into older buildings or structures with pre-existing static air. There are a few downsides to these vents as well. They don't have as much curb appeal as other vents, they are not as efficient as ridge vents, and they are susceptible to leaks if not installed properly.
The amount of ventilation you need in your home depends upon which vents you have. For example, when using ridge vents, it's recommended to have 1 sq foot of ventilation for every 300 sq feet of attic space. With turtle back vents, the recommendation is 1 sq foot for every 150 sq ft! So as you can see, you need twice the amount of turtle back vents as you do ridge vents. They are also cheaper though as I said.
When it comes down to it, you just need to talk with your roofer and weigh the pros and cons of whichever ventilation systems you're looking at, and pick the one that is best for YOUR home! Ridge vents may be great for one home and turtle back vents may be better suited for another.

www.sawyerroofing.com

Gable vents!

We've been discussing ventilation recently, and the great importance of it. Soffit vents are a very common type of ventilation, as we've discussed. Most people, but not EVERYONE can have soffit vents at their house. Soffit vents can be cut in, but you would have to look to make sure insulation is not blocking the airflow from the soffit. If that seems like too much of a hassle, have no fear.... GABLE vents are here!
Gable vents are on the side of the house in the "gable" (hence the name). If you're unfamiliar with gable vents, here is a picture of it:

Gable vents can be a great alternative to soffits, or even a great addition if you just want that added ventilation. Most commonly, gable vents are not used in conjunction with soffits, but at times the can be. Gable vents can add a little bit of charm to your home, if you're looking for curb appeal. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, which is always nice to have a variety to choose from when dealing with things on the exterior of your home. Gable vents can be constructed of wood, metal, or vinyl, and have slats on them that prevent outdoor weather from entering in the attic. Remember me telling you that my daughter's house had bats in the attic before they moved in? Well having a gable vent would've prevented that because they have a screen on the inside to keep out insects, bats, and anything else from the outside.
So as you can see, there is no excuse for not having a good ventilation system in place for your home. The benefits of it FAR outweigh the risk of not having one.

www.sawyerroofing.com