What is the difference between fiberglass and organic shingles?
Organic Asphalt shingles use the older shingle technology. It consists of an asphalt felt paper as the mat or "core " of the shingle and it is saturated with a certain amount of asphalt. Generally speaking, these shingles are a lot heavier and thicker in appearance than fiberglass shingles. They tend to be found on homes in colder climates such as the Northeast and Canada. They have a better performance rating for cold weather conditions and carry a ASTM Class C Fire Rating.
Fiberglass Shingles use a newer technology mainly introduced in the early 1980's. Utilizing a woven fiberglass mat as the core of the shingle, this type of shingle tends to use less asphalt and is lighter by weight and appears thinner in appearance. But because of the strength of the woven fiberglass mat, less asphalt is needed to give the shingle its strength. These shingles are more commonly applied in areas of the south where extreme heat exposure would cause traditional asphalt shingles to fail. These shingles carry an ASTM Class A Fire rating.
What is Radon Mitigation?
Radon mitigation is any process used to reduce radon concentrations in the breathing zones of occupied buildings. Testing ASTM E-2121 is a US standard for reducing radon in homes as far as practicable below 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) (148 Bq/m3) in indoor air.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS?
Do I need to remove snow from my roof?
Have you ever wondered when is too much snow for any given roof? Here is a general rule of thumb to help if you are concerned.
Basic Calculation (for quick analysis only) This calculatino is based on a 24% moisture density which may be conservative. As a rule of thumb, saturated snow weighs approximately 20 pounds per cubic foot. The moisture content of snow can range from approximately 1% to 33%, which relates to snow potentially weighing from 1 pound per cubic food to over 21 pounds per cubic foot.
Calculation: S X 1.25 = P Where
S = Inches of snow on the roof (depth)
1.25 = Weight of 1 sq foot of snow for each 1 inch of depth
P= Pounds per square foot
Example: If the snow on my roof is 2- inches deep, what would that equate to?
20-inch roof snow depth X 1.25lbs/sq ft = 25 lbs per sq ft of roof snow load.
In this example, the roof would be alright.
information from: www.amherstma.gov/documentCenter/Home/View/4258
What do I do if I have frost build up on my roof?
There are plenty of hack methods for removing ice dams, so I tried 'em all out. The methods I discuss involve an axe, ice pick, pantyhose, salt tablets, heat cables, a pressure washer, and even a blowtorch… just for fun. I don't recommend any of these though.
Ice dams form when snow is melted on the roof, then freezes again at the eaves. The main reason the snow melts is because heat is getting to the roof decking from the house. Stop the heat transfer, and you'll probably stop the ice dams. The main way to stop the heat transfer is to have air sealing performed in the attic. The next step is to have insufficient insulation addressed. Finally, if venting is improper, consider fixing it... but venting only plays a small role. Ice dams are mostly about air leaks and insufficient insulation.