Your roof isn’t simply just a layer of shingles or tiles — at minimum, it also consists of roof decking and underlayment. Those other two layers are just as important, but they’re often treated as mere afterthoughts in roofing installations. However, selecting the right kind of underlayment can increase the lifespan of The Woodlands roof replacement for your home.
Conventional Underlayments Quickly Deteriorate
The clay roofing tile of 2018 is nothing like the clay roofing tile of the last century. Many new roofing products are rated to last for 25 to 100 years with proper installation instead of just a few decades. Conventional 15- and 30-pound roofing felt will hold up for 20 to 30 years provided that the shingle layer on top doesn’t leak, but after that period of time, the roofing felt will grow increasingly tattered and ineffective. However, new breathable underlayments use durable materials like polypropylene that will last as long as your shingles or tiles.
Reduce Humidity in Your Attic
The last thing you want is to trap humidity in your attic where it can wreak havoc on your roof trusses and decking. Unfortunately, conventional roofing systems excel at doing just that. Many homeowners mistakenly believe that switching to a moisture or ice-resistant underlayment is an upgrade, but such a switch usually only contributes to this issue further. Ice damming is hardly a widespread issue here in the Woodlands, which is the only scenario in which an ice-resistant roofing system makes much sense. A breathable The Woodlands residential roofing system will help move more humidity — up to 200 times as much compared to a conventional roofing system — out of your attic.
Older Homes are More at Risk
Homes more than 40 years old are especially at risk for humidity-related problems in the attic. This risk is present due to the fact that they are unlikely to have vapor barriers inside the building envelope. Any time it gets humid outside, that humidity works its way into the home before slowly ventilating up into the attic. An impermeable roofing system essentially acts as a vapor barrier, but instead of keeping it out of the home, a conventional roofing system keeps it inside, where it can promote mold growth and rot.
Nobody would buy a luxury car if underneath the glossy paint it were held together with glue and duct tape, but that’s what many homeowners get with an improperly installed The Woodlands roof replacement. If you’re looking for The Woodlands roofing contractor to install a roof that will last a lifetime or to answer any questions about a breathable The Woodlands roof replacement, call us at Paramount Roofing at (713) 748-4000 today.