When you order your log or timber frame home package directly from Honest Abe Log Homes or one of its Independent Dealers, included in the package is the roofing system you select.
These may be a heavy timber, a conventional rafter or a conventional truss system. Click here to see what’s included in the package.
What is not included is the material that covers that roofing system. Most typically, Honest Abe’s customers choose asphalt or metal.
Here’s some advice from Independent Dealer Brian Stamps, owner of Ridgeline Log Cabins and Ridgeline Roofing and Construction in Northeast Georgia.
Over Your Head
by Brian Stamps
Over your head is the hardest working place of your home. Under attack 24 hours every day seven days every week is the roof. Battered by sun, rain, snow, hail and wind, your roof is protecting everyone you love and everything you own.
Asphalt roofs have a life expectancy of about 15 -20 years. Metal roofs will last about double that time. But that assumes that you have regular roof inspections, apply coatings for metal roofs every decade or so and replace any worn ring seals and weather damaged shingles regularly.
Choosing the Color and Style of a New Roof Covering
Selecting the right roof is a daunting decision. The color and style of the roof can dramatically impact the appearance of any home or commercial building. It is a choice that, once made, is not easily changed.
The decision to use metal or asphalt may be determined by slope of the roof, whether it is a residential or commercial building, how it will blend with the neighborhood and the climate, but color is strictly personal.
When you are buying the right clothing for an important event, you know that you will browse the racks, pick out a few choices and then try each one on before you pick just the right one.
Roofs are absolutely no different. Despite the fact that you can only usually see a small portion of a roof from the ground or street levels, the color and the texture of the shingles make a dramatic impact on the overall appearance of the building.
Homes may undergo any number of updates, but the roof will outlast a new coat of paint or a change in siding and window treatments.
To help narrow decisions, here are some questions you can ask:
- Is the color of the exterior walls or exterior architectural elements going to change soon?
- Are there colors you’ve seen on other roofs that you would want to consider for your home or business?
- If you’re in a neighborhood, does it have a “theme” of colors that you want to compliment?
- Will the roof color help keep the home cooler or warmer, depending on the climate of your location?
Once you have an idea of the colors and styles you prefer, your roofing contractor can offer to show you samples of the actual roofing materials so that you can see for yourself that it is what you want.
Metal Roofing
Gone are the days when a Metal Roof is the material of a commercial plant or an outbuilding. Metal Roofing has undergone a revolution in the variety of colors and textures and installation possibilities that may make it exactly the right choice for your new roof! There is so much that metal can offer from curb appeal to long term savings that you should explore the option along with traditional asphalt tiles.
With a long-life expectancy, metal roofs actually may be a great investment for commercial and home clients alike. You should expect a traditional asphalt roof to last 15-20 years with careful maintenance, but a metal roof will last closer to 40-70 years.
For homeowners planning to stay put and for businesses wanting to keep a roof for a generation, metal roofs offer a life expectance that is just unparalleled. AND if you are planning to put your home or office on the market, the fact that it has a metal roof is a very attractive “plus” for potential buyers.
New installation techniques have removed the issue of a metal roof being loud during rain events. With new underlay materials a metal roof will sound no different than an asphalt roof and offers the added benefit of standing up to the rain, hail and wind better.
In addition to the fact that the roof can be installed over existing roofing materials, there is a wood underlay for metal roofs that is installed specifically to insulate from noise.
Copper and steel metal roofs can be a cost savings for insurance coverage. Since the roofs are more durable and are also flame retardant, insurance companies often provide a credit or cost savings for the structures that sport a metal roof.
Metal roofs are usually made from recycled materials which is, of course, better for the environment, but the longevity of the product also means that asphalt tiles are not filling up the landfill.
The maintenance needs for metal roofs are minor compared to asphalt tiles. At about the same time you would be doing a complete roof replacement for an asphalt roof, you will likely want to do a “recoat” for a metal one.
Every metal roof has a coating that protects the color from fading and adds protection for the metal. This is a factory process of creating the metal roof. At about a 10–15-year mark, a booster layer of coating should be applied.
Replacing a Worn or Damaged Roof
It’s probably been a while since you’ve given much thought at all to what’s over your head. The very weather elements that your roof confronts daily can cause the materials to degrade over time. Roof maintenance can add to the lifetime of a roof, but even with the best of routine care, a roof is eventually going to meet a storm that breaks through or just loosen enough of the granular material on asphalt or metal roof coatings to mean that a replacement is necessary.
We can see the reaction in your face the minute we say those words, “You need a roof.” This news ranks right up there with news that you need a new heating and air system – or maybe even surgery! It is just a fact that a new roof wasn’t in your top of the list ideas for how you wanted to spend your hard-earned money.
First it is important to understand why you need the roof. Often the damage to the roof or the reasons for needing a replacement can be tied to a storm event. It could have been hail, but it also could have been a system of strong winds that left damage to your roof.
When the roof can be tied to a storm, your homeowners or business insurance may cover the repair or replacement. Most homeowners have never actually made a claim with their insurance company for anything. Many reputable roofing companies will assist their customers in initiating the claim and then will be onsite with the adjuster when they come to do their inspection and damage estimates. Ask if this service is offered. You’ll also want to make sure that any damage to your ceiling, walls or attics are addressed at the same time.
The decisions that must be made for a replacement rood are the same as for a new roof as to style, materials and colors.
Free Inspections
Many roofing companies offer free inspections if you are not sure whether you need a new roof. It is wise to check the credentials of any company you are considering. Read their reviews on Google or Facebook. Take a look at their website to learn more about their services and experience. Make sure they are licensed, bonded and insured. Get a written warranty on materials and ask if they offer a warranty on labor.
Choosing the right roofing company is equally important to choosing the right materials. What’s over your head is important to the safety and enjoyment of your home.
