What Are House Roofs Made Of?

what material is your roof made ofRoofs on houses are made from different materials. They can be asphalt shingles, wood, shake, tile, slate or metal. These different materials offer different benefits and styles. For most homeowners, choosing a new roof is done based on the type of material that the current roof is made up of.

If your roof is made of asphalt shingle, for instance, you would likely replace it with another roof of the same material. It can make the process easier and more affordable. What is the difference between all of these materials?

Asphalt shingles are made from a combination of materials. They are the most popular type of roof used on houses because they are affordable and they last for over a decade. In addition to this, they are relatively easy to repair and maintain.

Today, there are also composite shingles available. They are made much the same way asphalt products are but they contain other materials like recycled items.

Wood or shake roofs are made with cedar. These are more expensive than asphalt but they also tend to last for more than 30 years. They are not recommended for areas where fires are common because of the fact that they can ignite even if they are treated.

Tile is a material that is common in places like the southwestern US. Tile roofs are much more expensive than either wood or asphalt. They can break or crack and are expensive to fix but they are fireproof.

Finally, slate roofs are made with slate rock. They are about the longest lasting product available for a home roof. Some of them can last over 100 years. This makes them expensive to repair or replace, but for the money spent on them they do last a long time and they are also fireproof.

Metal is another material found on roofs. Today’s metal roofing products can come in a variety of colors and are made in a way that can make them appear to be a lot like slate or shingled roofs. There are some metal roofs for outdoor buildings and garages which look like one would think metal would look on a roof but for home use, many of today’s metal roofs look attractive and stylish. They are highly durable and are economical.

Roofs for homes are available in a wide array of materials. Choosing a new one or a replacement is largely a matter of taste, practicality, and budget.

Roofing And Ladder Safety Advice For Homeowners

Roofing and Ladder Safety (2)Unfortunately, many people have accidents on ladders each year. In fact, that number is about half a million in the US alone. Ladder safety is important, and you’re looking at using one to get on your roof. You also have to be safe up there, as there are accidents that also happen when people are walking around on their roofs. What are some important safety tips that you need to know?

There is the three point contact rule for sure. If you’re not familiar with this rule, then you definitely want to know what it’s about. You want to keep hold of the ladder, and you want to maintain balance. In order to do that, you need both hands on the ladder. So far, that’s a two point rule, but you also need at least one foot on the ladder at all times.

You’re likely thinking that of course you need at least one foot on the ladder. The three point contact rule, however, is to remind you that both hands should be on the ladder at all times. Yet what about those tools? You’re not supposed to be carrying tools.

How do you get those tools up the ladder? Well, you’re supposed to use a tool belt so that you don’t have to carry the tools. Also, when moving a ladder into position, you need to be sure that you avoid electrical lines. That may seem like common sense, but you would be surprised what can happen when you aren’t familiar with ladder safety rules.

There are all kinds of safety tips that are easy to ignore or forget, especially if you get in a hurry. You definitely never want to get in a hurry, and you want to be sure that you are watching what you are doing at all times. Keep that ladder secured, and make sure it’s the right size to begin with. You don’t want to use the wrong ladder when scaling your roof.

You also want to be sure that you’re always facing the ladder, too. If you follow all the safety rules when climbing a ladder, then you’re going to be in good shape. You don’t want to make any mistakes because they can put you in danger. You want to make sure that ladder safety is a priority so that you get up there on the roof without any incidents and are able to do the work you need to do.

Courtesy of Roof Restoration Brisbane.

Understanding What a Split Air Conditioner Is

What is a Split System Air ConditionersWalking into a cool room is so comforting, isn’t it? You come back from the scorching heat and you immediately run into the room that has the air conditioner. By now, you must have seen that there are three different types of air conditioners – the window AC, the central AC, and the split AC. Today, we are going to talk about split air conditioners.

What is a split air conditioner?

Unlike the window air conditioner, split ACs have two parts – the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. The indoor unit is the one that emits cool air and keeps the room cold enough for you to feel comfortable when you come from the outside. It has the air filters, a long blower, and the cooling coil inside. The other hand, the main functioning of the split AC is performed by the outdoor unit.

This unit is installed on the outside of the room, preferably in an open space so that the hot air can pass freely. The outdoor unit has all the important parts of the AC such as the condenser coil, the compressor, and the expansion coil.

Why buy a split air conditioner?

There are many benefits if using a split air conditioner over the traditional window AC or central AC. One of the most important reasons why a split air conditioner is so popular is that it does not make any noise. Most of the window ACs make a gushing noise when they are switched on. Split air conditioners work in silence. Since the condenser fan and the compressor in a split AC is located on the outdoor unit, it does not make any kind of noise on the inside.

Another reason why split air conditioners are becoming the need of the hour is that you can connect multiple split ACs to one single outdoor unit. So, if you have a spacious room that requires two split ACs but you only have room for one outdoor unit, you can connect the two systems to the outdoor unit and enjoy the same kind of cooling on the inside. This is also helpful if you want to install two split ACs in two different rooms.

Probably the biggest reason why people are going for split AC’s is that it is cost effective. The initial cost may be more than window ACs but over the years, you will notice that the energy charges are not as high as when you used windows ACs. These ACs are energy efficient. The amount of money you will save on the electric bills is far more than what you spend while buying the AC.

Split air conditioners have the ability to cool the room down quicker than any other air conditioners. Depending on the size of the room, if you compare split, window, and central AC, you will find that split air conditioners work much faster than the other two. Plus, there is the option to put the AC in turbo mode which means it will work to its fullest capacity to cool the room.