Roofing 101 Part 7: What Does a Quality Asphalt Shingle Look Like?

Thus far in our Roofing 101 series, we’ve tackled six of the seven different layers of a well-constructed roofing system, sharing the importance of each respective layer. Here’s a quick recap of what we’ve covered: Part 1: The Importance of Leak Barriers Part 2: Roof Deck Protection Part 3: Starter Strip Shingles Part 4: Choosing the Right Rooftop Accessories for Improved Performance Part 5: The Importance of Healthy Attic Ventilation Part 6: The Importance of Ridge Cap Shingles In Part 7 of the series, we’ll be talking about the shingles themselves — with a focus on asphalt shingles. Before we get started, we’d like to note that at Legacy Exteriors our roofing system brand of choice is GAF. They are the top asphalt roofing company in America, offering excellent asphalt roofing systems, along with fantastic warranties. That said, if you choose to work with a roofing installer who does not work with GAF products, you’ll want to make sure you are having a comparable roofing product, with a comparable warranty, installed on your home. The

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Roofing 101, Part 6: The Importance of Ridge Cap Shingles

So far in our series, we’ve tackled five of the seven layers of a well-constructed roofing system, to give you a clear idea of what to look for when you talk with roofing contractors about roof replacement. The reason having an understanding of all seven layers is so important is because not all roofing contractors employ all seven of them — and this is something you need to be aware of. Thus far in the series, we’ve covered: Part 1: The Importance of Leak Barriers Part 2: Roof Deck Protection Part 3: Starter Strip Shingles Part 4: Choosing the Right Rooftop Accessories for Improved Performance Part 5: The Importance of Healthy Attic Ventilation Next up in the series is ridge cap shingles, the “finishing touch” that helps defend against leaks at the hips and ridges. Before we dive further into ridge cap shingles, we’d like to mention that at Legacy Exteriors our roofing system brand of choice is GAF, who is the number one asphalt roofing company in America. Their products look stunning, and are

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Roofing 101, Part 5: The Importance of Healthy Attic Ventilation

In our series, we’ve been reviewing the seven parts (or layers) of a well-constructed roofing system, so you can have a clear understanding of exactly what each layer is — and why it’s important.  Thus far, we’ve covered the following: Part 1: The Importance of Leak Barriers Part 2: Roof Deck Protection Part 3: Starter Strip Shingles Part 4: Choosing the Right Rooftop Accessories for Improved Performance Next up in the series is attic ventilation, which is something that doesn’t get talked about as much as shingles or gutters, although it’s just as important. At Legacy Exteriors, our roofing system brand of choice is GAF, and with good reason, as they are the number one asphalt roofing company in America — with products that are both dependable and beautiful. When you hire a roofing contractor, you’ll want to see if they are a GAF installer — and if they are a GAF Master Elite installer (like Legacy Exteriors), even better. And if they are not GAF installers? Make sure you are getting a product that

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Roofing 101, Part 1: The Importance of Leak Barriers

In a nutshell, a leak barrier is a product that works to prevent leaks caused by ice dams and wind-driven rain. An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms on the edge of a roof — preventing snow from draining from the roof when it melts. Wind-driven rain is rain that blows horizontally, which can find its way in-between shingles. As you might imagine, it’s best to avoid both of these issues, and this is where leak barriers come into play. WHERE SHOULD LEAK BARRIERS BE INSTALLED? Here is a list of the most at-risk points of a roof that can benefit from leak barriers: Rakes Eaves Around the chimney Valleys, which are the places where two angles of a roofline meet Anywhere fasteners are implemented The perimeter edges of roofing Any low slopes on the roof, because run-off can be more slow in these areas In some cases, it might be good to consider placing leak barriers on your entire roof — depending on things like climate and overall roof slope; since

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Telltale Signs that Your Roof is Not Energy Efficient

Your roofing is an extremely important part of your home, which is why it’s so critical to keep it in good working condition.  In our last article, we talked about the 7 steps to keep your roofing healthy. We’re continuing our discussion on roof health here, pointing out the top signs that your roof may be providing poor energy efficiency by losing heat. Let’s jump right in! Where’s the Snow? Snow on the roof during a Wisconsin winter is normal. And although too much snow could damage your roof (which is why it may need to be carefully removed with a snow roof rake, or by a professional), if the snow is melting as soon as it lands on the roof — this can mean that heat from inside the home is escaping through the roof, making the roof warm enough to melt the snow. This typically occurs because of poor insulation. You Notice Damaged or Missing Shingles Well-crafted asphalt roofing is meant to last between 15 to 30 years. That said, eventually shingles start

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