Jack Gray Introduction Several spray-on “asphalt shingle rejuvenator” products have hit the roofing market in the past several years, promising to extend the life of aging roofs at a fraction of the cost of replacement. These asphalt shingle roof rejuvenation products are often marketed as miracle solutions – restoring oils in dried-out shingles, reviving flexibility, stopping granule loss, …
Introduction I’ve been calculating roof areas for real buildings for over 20 years. Getting accurate roof measurements is important when you bill clients based on square footage, which we did for roof maintenance programs and roof condition assessments. Being able to measure a roof with Google Earth was a huge improvement. Before Google Earth came …
Introduction If you’re trying to compare asphalt shingles from different manufacturers, you’re probably seeing a confusing mess of brand names, shingle lines, warranty terms, and product tiers. It can be hard to figure out which line of shingles from one manufacturer is the equivalent of which line of shingles from another manufacturer. The information here …
Introduction This article gives step-by-step instructions to help you see a satellite image of your house (or any building with an address, really) using Google Earth. It’s pretty easy. Note: You cannot see a live satellite view of your house in real time for free on the internet. You just can’t. To do that, you …
What Is a Barrel Roof? A barrel roof is a curved roof that resembles the top half of a cylinder or a barrel laid horizontally. Instead of sloping flat planes like a gable roof, a barrel roof has a continuous, smooth arc from one side of the structure to the other. This curvature can span the …
I participate in the Amazon affiliate program and may earn commissions from purchases made through links on this page. Introduction This calculator works for both saltbox roofs and asymmetrical gable roofs. These two roof types share enough geometric similarities that the same tool can calculate dimensions, surface areas, and attic volumes accurately for either type. What Is a …
I participate in the Amazon affiliate program and may earn commissions from purchases made through links on this page. What Is a Gable Roof? A gable roof is a very common type of roof. Gable roofs have two sloping sides that rise to meet at a central ridge, creating a distinctive triangular shape on each end of the …
I participate in the Amazon affiliate program and may earn commissions from purchases made through links on this page. What Is a Hip Roof? A hip roof is a type of roof where all sides slope downward from a central ridge (or apex, for a pyramid hip roof) with no vertical gable ends. It typically has four sloping …
Introduction A hip roof has less attic volume than a gable roof, and in this article I explain why it’s less and how much less it is. Homeowners and builders should care about the difference in attic volume between hip and gable roofs because it directly affects usable attic space, insulation needs, ventilation requirements, and …
What Is a Pyramid Roof? A pyramid roof is a type of hip roof where all four sides slope upward and meet at a single point, forming a shape that resembles a pyramid. The hips on a typical hip roof rise to meet at the ridge, with the two hips on one end meeting each other at the ridge, …