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The Anatomy of a Roof: What Homeowners Should Know and Why

Posted on Friday, December 13th, 2024 at 12:56 pm    

As a homeowner, understanding the basic structure of your roofing system is necessary. It not only ensures the roof repair experts you eventually hire provide quality services, but it also better protects your home’s structural integrity. Knowing how your roofing system works allows you to maintain it more efficiently and catch signs of minor damage before becoming severe.

This guide will walk you through the standard components of a roof to preserve its lifespan, your investment, and, most importantly, your safety.

Key Components of a Roof to Understand as a Homeowner

While roofing systems may vary slightly on the type of house, such as multi-story or historic homes, below are the main structural elements used for residential properties.

Roof Decking

A roof deck is the foundational layer that supports your entire roofing system. It’s the first step roofing companies build onto your home. Also known as roof sheathing, your roof deck isn’t visible. However, you’ve probably seen it during new roof construction

Roof decking looks like a wooden frame and is located underneath your roofing system’s components. It’s commonly constructed with plywood or oriented strand board (OSB). Roof decks are designed to hold the weight of your roofing system while enhancing its durability against the outdoor elements.

Membrane Underlayment

Because your roof deck isn’t exposed, a membrane underlay is installed on top of it. It acts as a protective barrier to seal your roofing system and reinforce its stability against moisture. The roofing structural components it seals include your attic’s insulation, roof deck, gutters, and vents. Membrane underlays are applied in between the roof deck and your roofing materials. 

Roofing Materials

Once the roof deck and membrane underlay are installed, your roofing materials are applied on top of them. It’s the visible layer you see, and the installation methods slightly differ based on the materials used. 

For example, if you have a metal roof, these materials can be installed exposed to the top of the roof deck, or concealed under its sheeting. Most homeowners use shingles for their roofs, which come singular or multi-layered and are installed by laying over each other in angular patterns on top of the membrane underlay.

Flashing

After your roofing materials are applied, flashing is installed next. Flashing are metal strips that seal the edges and water-prone vulnerable areas of your roof to prevent leaks.

There are five types of flashing equipment with different roof locations and functionalities:

  • Drip Edge Flashing: Installed along the eaves, where the roof hangs over the side of your home, to prevent water intrusion under your roofing materials 
  • Ridge Flashing: Installed on the highest point of your roof to cover attic vents from water intrusion
  • Step Flashing: Installed around the chimney to protect stormwater from flowing in
  • Valley Flashing: Installed where the two roof slopes meet (valley) to direct water away from your roofing materials where water often collects at the bottom of them
  • Vent Pipe Flashing: Installed at the base of vent pipes to block water from seeping through

Depending on your home’s structure, multiple flashing equipment may be installed and required for all properties.

Gutters and Downspouts

In addition to flashing, gutters and downspouts are built onto your roofing system to promote more water drainage. While they both direct water away from your home’s foundation, they have different functionalities to understand. 

Gutters are installed horizontally along your roof’s edges, while downspouts are vertical. The difference between them and flashing is that gutters/downspouts are bigger and collect water to channel it away from your home. Flashing is smaller, blocks water instead of collecting it, and is installed in different areas of your roof.

Ventilation

You know what vents are. But do you know how they impact your roof? Vents prevent moisture buildup in your roofing materials and attic insulation, which connect to your roof. They provide continuous airflow and regulate the temperature inside your home.

Depending on your house’s structure, multiple vent types may be installed:

  • Ridge Vents: Installed on most homes at the highest point of the roof (ridge or peak) to allow hot air to release from your attic
  • Hip Vents: Installed on homes with limited to no ridge areas along the entire roof’s hip
  • Roof Louvers: Installed typically on small and modern homes with limited to no ridge lines or hip roofs, with multiple vents usually required
  • Roof-Mounted Vents: Installed on solar roofing systems over your roof deck’s openings
  • Gable-Mounted Vents: Installed from inside the attic to prevent roof penetration
  • Mechanical Exhaust Vents: Installed higher above the roof surface via wind-powered turbine vents

How Each Part of Your Roofing System Works Together

While each residential roofing system component has separate purposes, they’re all interdependent for proper functionality and safety. 

Your roof deck supports the entire weight of your roofing system as the foundation. The membrane underlay connects your roof decking and materials by sealing them together. Your roofing materials are the first line of defense against the weather as the visible outer layer. 

Your gutters, downspouts, and flashing work together to prevent water-related damage in different areas of your roof. Lastly, the vents affect the inside and outside of your home, including your attic insulation and roofing materials, to prevent moisture buildup—and their related issues, such as mold, pest accumulation, and wood rot.

If one part of your roof becomes compromised or damaged, it impacts the rest of your roofing system. If left unaddressed, it may warrant costly services from roof repair experts. That’s why understanding your roofing structure is critical as a homeowner to spot potential issues early and save on unnecessary out-of-pocket expenses.

Your Roof Requires Your Attention: Schedule a Personalized Inspection Today

As a homeowner, you know your roof is a significant investment. It also protects the safety of you and your loved ones inside. 

At Kidd Roofing, we provide personalized roof assessments to ensure your home’s structure isn’t compromised while preserving its lifespan. Our team of roof repair experts will not only fix any damages, but we’ll also recommend preventive maintenance if your roofing system has vulnerabilities that put your home at risk. 

Don’t guess if your roof is in proper condition. 

Contact us to schedule a roof inspection today!