Style and Design

Enhancing your Roof

There are a number of accessories and additions available for your roof that will enhance its appearance and increase its performance.

Hip and Ridge Shingles

As their name indicates, Hip and Ridge shingles are installed on the hips and ridges of a sloped shingled roof. There are three types of Hip and Ridge shingles:

• Traditional 3-Tab Shingles: Used on the vast majority of sloped shingled roofs because they are generally inexpensive, easy to install and they match almost any style of shingle.
• Specialty Hip and Ridge Shingles: Used to emulate the deep, raised lines of wood shakes, specialty Hip and Ridge shingles such as Ridglass^TM are generally used on roofs with laminated shingles. They are designed to dramatically highlight the roofline, resulting in a dimensional appearance that adds character and distinction to your home.
• Ridge Vent: Primarily used when achieving adequate ventilation of the attic space is difficult or otherwise impossible. Most ridge vents are available in a variety of colors to match or be covered by surrounding shingles.

Note that the warranty of a roof is based on the type of shingle applied on the field of the roof and not on the hips and ridges.

In some specific cases, it may be better to use organic shingles to cover the hips and ridges of a sloped roof. For example, reduced shingle flexibility would make it difficult to use fiberglass shingles under cold weather conditions or on steep sloping roofs. In these cases using a warmed, more flexible organic-based shingle would be recommended. Keep in mind that organic shingles should not be used if the roof assembly requires a Class A fire rating.

The Importance of Ventilation

One of the most common misconceptions in the roofing industry is related to adequate ventilation of the attic space beneath the asphalt shingles. In order to allow each individual roof component and the asphalt shingles to perform adequately, it is critical to allow for proper attic ventilation.

Depending on the roof style or structure, and depending on your area, the building code requirements for proper ventilation can be different. Consulting your roofing contractor as well as any local and national building codes is highly recommended.

Certain types of roof vents can also be more suitable than others, depending on the roof style or structure. For example, on low slopes or cathedral ceiling roofs, a ridge vent would perform better than other types of roof vents. The installation of a ridge vent will allow moist, warm air trapped within the attic space to exit along the entire length of the ridge. In some areas, "Maximum" vents or "Turbine" vents are used as they generally perform better than the more traditional low profile vents.

Getting a Handle on Algae

Occasionally, algae stains may become visible on light-colored asphalt shingle roofs. The algae discoloration will appear as brown to black in color. This staining, which is caused by natural pigments produced by the algae cells, is sometimes mistaken for dirt, moss or even granule loss. It should be noted that the appearance of algae does not damage the shingles in any way.

Algae will generally occur on shingles that are not exposed to sunlight or on roof sections that are surrounded by large trees. The presence of moisture on the surface of the shingles will tend to promote the algae growth.

There are many solutions suitable to eliminate or remove this type of staining; amongst the most common, a solution of 3 parts of water, one part of chlorine bleach and a quarter cup of trisodium phosphate would be very effective.

Once the roof has been cleaned of the algae stains, zinc strips can be installed along the ridges of the roof to prevent algae growth. It would be advisable to consult your roofing contractor for more information about algae stains.