One of the worst structural damages that an office building or home can incur evolves from water penetrating through from above and then wrecking havoc onto each and every surface in which it comes into contact. Not only will damage be assessed almost immediately to rafters and boards responsible for holding up a house but as the water drains down, other impacts begin to be made. A leaky roof not only has the potential to cause severe damage in a home but repaired areas are often seen in the ceiling and will inhibit the ability to sell a property down the road, if needed. Many individuals are familiar with the water damage that occurs inside a basement when walls are penetrated, but imagine near the same amount funneling into your home or office building from above – the results could be catastrophic.
Fortunately, there are precautions which can be applied during roof construction or added at a later date during repair or rebuilding to assist in preventing this precise scenario. Over the years, ice and water shield materials have developed into a state of the art substance which when properly installed can reduce the potential for any such damage occurring from a potential leak or any intrusion of water to nearly zero. None – immediately know your assets are protected by the best practice possible and that no fluids should find their way in regardless of what Mother Nature has in store during any season. With ice and water shield adhered to your roof, home and business owners and occupants can rest easy knowing they have taken the appropriate steps to protect their investments. Unfortunately, not every roofing company offers a similar benefit and some even elect to not use this added protective layer which carries so many amazing benefits. Any structure which falls under this category is essentially counting down the time until such a leak appears and can only hope the damage is not too harmful.
When dealing with roof design and construction there are many factors to consider but regardless of climate, the installation of an ice and water shield can assist in preventing any potential damage. While this is especially true for areas which receive heavy amounts of rain or snowfall, any addition which can help to ensure the overall structural integrity of a roof should not be overlooked.
Material
Most ice and water shield materials consist of an extremely tacky backing used for adherence to the roofing underlayer in addition to an asphalt component which has been mixed to create a rubberized consistency. These two properties not only allow the shield to be conveniently placed where desired but also serves to protect in the event of a nail puncture.
Above the traditional wooden sheathing, rolls of the ice and water shield can be applied before the shingles are hammered into place.
Installation
The ice and water shield installation procedure involves adhering the almost felt like material to a roof where potential leakage could occur. Fortunately, most of the material being used will create a tight seal not only across the structure but also where nails may penetrate into the building. Similar to how skylights create an area of concern for leakage, considering they are essentially giant holes in a roof – on a smaller scale the multiple nails needed for shingles may create issues.
When nails penetrate the roof of a building with an ice and water shield installed, then the potential for a hole decreases as the material suctions to the nail shaft with every insertion.
Location
Application of an ice and water shield can be administered over the entire roof surface area but many times is only needed on eaves and any valleys created by the specific style of roof. Typically, the ice and water shield can adequately serve in the lower three-feet of a roof’s surface while creating some other issues if installed throughout an entire area but the decision may be left to each individual homeowner or contractor responsible for a project in question.
Breach Prevention
Regardless of where you live, climate is going to have a factor on any structural design but areas prone to high winds, rain and serious amounts of snow are more likely to be affected and in need of an installation.
While heavy downpours combined with high winds are often the culprits to causing a leaky roof, ice dams (in cold climates) are another danger for which to be aware. The formation of a small dam just above a home’s gutter system can be created by water freezing over an awning, while the remainder of frozen precipitation melts but cannot escape. Instead of being allowed to flow freely into the gutter system, water backs up, puts stress on the roof and eventually makes its way into the structure without much cause for prevention from an owner.
Ice and water shield installation remains one of the best ways to prevent this from occurring and should be given consideration to avoid any damage in the future.
With over a decade of quality service and experience within the Denver area, Arvada Roofing and Construction has been providing roof construction, repair, and a variety of other services for nearly two decades. Every shingle roof installed by our team of experts includes the application of an ice and water shield placed on the eaves of a structure at minimum. Installed at no additional cost to buyers, if you find yourself in a situation where you are weighing the options between a new roof or potentially purchasing another home and are in need of a professional review and analysis of the current structure, we are here to help. Our certified and highly trained staff is here to handle any roofing job in addition to providing a variety of other services such as seamless guttering systems, or any potential damage analysis thought to be caused by severe weather for the purposes of insurance reporting. Contact us today online or call 303-432-2753 for your free estimate on any of the above mentioned projects!