Which roof for your house?
Sealing, tilting, coating, ... To protect you from the weather, your roof must be robust. If it is also an aesthetic element of your home, it must also ensure the comfort of your home. So many criteria to take into account, therefore, for the ideal roof. You're a little lost ? We help you to see more clearly!
It is rare to ask this question and yet, when you have a construction project, you must undeniably answer it: my roof, how do I choose it? In the majority of cases, your choice will depend on the town planning rules imposed by your municipality. At best, if the legislation in force is not too draconian, it is the architectural and climatic criteria that will prevail.
Concretely, the roof covering materials will be supported by a framework, which will play the role of stabilizing element. This will determine the level of inclination of the roof, and therefore the entire surface to be covered. Thus, the more the roof will be sloping, the more it will be large. The best, in general, is to opt for a traditional frame, made to measure and directly mounted on the construction: through the integration of skylights and other skylights, it will bring style and personalization to the outside of your home.
A roof to face all the possible aggressions
Before deciding what material will be made your roof, it is above all in its form that we must think. Then comes the time to choose the cover. If a local regulation may impose particular dimensions or color, a technical constraint also comes into play: not all the claddings are made for all roofs.
They must be selected according to the slope, but also the orientation of your house, as well as the geographical area in which it is located. Because a roof must face a multiplicity of aggressions:
face the rain, the wind or the weight of the snow, etc. The resistance of the roof is also measured by the fact that it can support the weight of several people when they are on it.
Tiles, zinc, slate, ... The materials are not lacking!
Privileging this or that tile is not done lightly. Because, in principle, if they are of quality and well placed, you will not have to change them before twenty years. In our country, the most frequently used materials are terracotta tiles and slates: this is called natural materials.
Very strong, the tiles, usually made of terracotta, are also incombustible, and have the characteristic of skating over time. Slate, it is ultra resistant to wear and flammable. Nevertheless, these two materials do not have the monopoly because other solutions can be envisaged.
There is zinc, which is increasingly used, and whose tiles have the property of being able to adapt to all slopes. This metal requires no maintenance, and its life can easily exceed 100 years. Durable and insulating wood roofs are also popular because of the growing ecological habitats. The same goes for roofs made of photovoltaic tiles, which are also on the rise. Saving energy and transforming light into electricity, they take the place of traditional solar panels.
Of course, depending on the slope of the roof, some materials are more adequate than others. For example, the professional to whom you will be calling can explain that flat roof tiles are not installed on a roof with a slope of less than 35 °.
(Re) Make your roof yourself? It's risky !
Soliciting an expert is, moreover, more than recommended when you perform roofing work, whether during construction or renovation. If it takes into account its slope to target the adapted cover, it will also help you to choose it according to the local climate, because it will be the first one in front of bad weather. Your roofer will also tell you that it is useful to keep a regular eye on it, to avoid infiltration due to moisture.
Moreover, it is better to choose a seasoned professional, because to start this kind of work yourself, it is not advisable from a safety point of view. Fully aware of the latest regulations, it is the preferred solution for your roof is durable and the strongest possible.