How to Protect Your Home from Rainwater Damage

Rain falling on a roof, over a house’s eaves.

Expert advice on how to waterproof your house, including maintaining your roof, sealing windows, cleaning gutters, redirecting rain runoff, and more. Keep your family sheltered and protect your home’s structure! In This Article: Waterproof Your House Exterior Ensure Proper Drainage Few things are as stressful to homeowners as water damage. It can be a sinister, […]

Installing a New Roof? Make It Last Longer!

nailing asphalt roof shingles

In This Article: Understanding Roof Warranties Best Roof Installation Practices Rooftop Conditions Installing a new asphalt roof is a major improvement that you don’t want to have to repeat in 5 years. The best way to ensure that your new roof will last is to utilize quality materials and proven installation methods. Understanding Roof Warranties […]

Common Roofing Terms | An Illustrated Glossary

Hip and valley roof framing with a gabled dormer, including rafters, tails, and ridge board.

Roof framing involves a lexicon all its own. As you can see in the illustration below, roofs have hip rafters, ridge boards, jack rafters, and more. When working on a roof, it pays to be familiar with these terms. Here is a closer look at common roofing terms: Butt The exposed end of a shingle. […]

Built-Up (Tar-and-Gravel) Roofing Systems

Built-up (Tar-and-Gravel) Roofing Diagram

Parts and composition of tar-and-gravel, built-up, and flat roofing systems, with a helpful tar-and-gravel roof construction diagram. Flat or almost-flat roofs can collect a tremendous amount of water, especially if their outlets or downspouts become plugged with leaves and debris. For this reason, they must be designed to seal against standing water that may pool […]