We have some roofing trivia for you. Hera are some fun and oftentimes unknown facts about our beloved roof:

1. Clay Roof. Some clay roofs are said to have lasted for more than 1,000 years. That is a lot of years.
2. Green Metal Roofs. Metal roofs can also be eco-friendly. Their durability significantly reduces the need for replacement, therefore saving on materials. Metals are also recyclable, which makes them perfect for recycling enthusiasts, and are energy efficient as well.
3. Concrete Shakes. You can buy concrete roof tiles that look like wood shakes. They do not pose a fire hazard because they have no wood contents.
4. Heating Water. You can use metal roofs to heat your water for taking a bath in a tub or the swimming pool.
5. Metal Roof and Lightning. Some people believe metal roofs are more susceptible to lightning strike. That is not correct. The fact is lightning is equally drawn to other materials and not only metals, although the latter is an excellent conductor. Lightning actually tends to hit the highest point in an area.
6. Roof as Food Source. Roofs can do more than protect your home from the weather. You can convert your roof into a green roof and sprinkle it with different plants and vegetables. They cool your house and at the same time supply you with cheap and fresh source of vegetables.
7. Babylon Gardens. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon—one of the Seven Wonders of the World—is the first recorded rooftop garden.
8. Wood Shakes Insurance. Insurance companies normally charge more premiums in covering houses with wood shake roof because of potential fire hazard.
9. Clay Tiles. People began using clay tiles for their roofs in 2800 BC – around the same time the Pyramids of Egypt began construction. Back then people were using packed sod and straw to keep rain out.
10. Roof Warranty. A 30-year warranty given for an asphalt shingle does not necessarily mean that the roof will last for that long.
11. Thatch Roofs. Thatch roofs were developed around 735 BC. King John of England decreed in the 12^th century that thatch roofs are to be replaced by clay tiles to avoid fire. Unfortunately, it did not prevent the Great London Fire in 1666 because the houses were made of wood and pitch.
12. Asphalt Shingles. Asphalt roofing material was developed sometime in the 1800s. We still use it today in our asphalt shingle roofs.
13. New Roof Over Old. There are times when you can install new roof materials over your old roof without removing the existing roof material. But if you want to use tiles as a new roof over the old shingles, you need to reinforce your roof to support the heavier roofing material.

More households are using solar energy to power their homes through the use of Miami roofs solar panels. Before using these roof-mounted photovoltaic (PV) systems, homeowners need to understand a few things for them to make intelligent decisions in using this natural and renewable source of energy.

Energy Needs. Consult a professional solar contractor to calculate your planned energy usage, not your current or actual usage. You have to consider if your energy needs will go up (growing family) or down (kids going to college).

Property Tax. Your property will not be reassessed for tax purposes if you installed solar panels. Reassessment is made only if the square footage of your house increases such as the construction of additional rooms. Generally, solar panels installation is exempt from property taxes.

Solar Panel Lifespan. A solar panel lasts around 30 years with very minimal maintenance. You only need to hose it down with water and clean leaves and other dirt on the surface, especially during summer. Solar panels lose around half percent conversion efficiency every year.

Safe on Miami Roofs. Solar panels should not cause any harm to your roof when properly installed. In fact, they could enhance insulation of your house, particularly the rooms or attic located just below the solar panels.

Batteries. Unless you are building a self-contained house in remote areas, you need not to worry about getting power at night because your local power utility will continue to supply you with electricity after the sun sets. In fact, some rebates do not start unless your power system is linked to a grid.

Installation Cost. Various roofing styles necessitate different installation costs. Putting solar panels on asphalt shingles costs less than if you put them on shakes or Spanish tiles because the latter are far more brittle and require more care and preparation in installation.

Orientation. While southwest-facing roofs are best for solar panels, the orientation of your solar panels is not that important as others may think. Positioning the panels to face south, west, southeast, east or north-northwest is also acceptable.

Solar Warranties. Two kinds of warranties are usually offered by contractors – the one on panels and inverters lasting around 20 to 25 years (panels) and 5 to 10 years (inverters) and the other on their work quality, which means that they did not mess up your roof.

Insurance Coverage. Get insurance after you install solar panels on your roof. Though you may have to pay the extra premium each month at probably not more than $10, you will be protected from fires and other hazards.

To maximize protection of walls and other outer surfaces of structures, owners usually use elastomeric paint as their first coating option. There are distinct advantages in using elastomeric coatings. However, improper use and application of this versatile protective product may produce inferior protection against the elements.

Consider these advantages and disadvantages when using elastomeric paint:

Advantages

1. Waterproof

They are among the best coatings used for stucco, poured concrete and masonry surfaces because of their waterproofing properties. You are assured that your house is protected from the rain and water damage from properly-applied elastomeric coatings.

2. Thickness

Elastomeric paint is at least 10 times thicker than conventional paints. It attains greater dry film thickness (DFT) than ordinary paints at 10 to 20 mils per coat against 2 to 3 mils for paints. The extra thickness translates to added protection to wall surfaces.

3. Flexible

Elastomerics can stretch and fill small gaps in the wall. They are also very tolerant to small substrate movements. They can serve as flexible coatings between cracks. They can also adopt to expansion and contraction of walls during cold and warm weathers.

4. Durable

A single attractive feature of this product is its durability. Manufacturers, in fact, give up to 10-year warranty for elastomeric coatings compared to the usual 2-year warranty for ordinary paints.

5. Watertight

Its waterproof quality is another reason why owners use this product for their buildings. A direct and positive effect of this is the prevention of shortened and expensive reroofing.

Disadvantages

1. May Produce Lumps

Wrong application will result to lumpy and ugly texture. To remedy, apply multiple coatings instead of just one.

2. Vague Product Description

Some products do not specify the required coatings. A good description must specify the dry film thickness (DFT) and the number of coats required.

3. Requires Experience

Viscosity of elastomeric coatings is different from conventional paints. Inexperienced painters may inadvertently thin and weaken the coating. Water thinning is not recommended because it is difficult to gauge compared to a solvent. Ratio should be 60 to 100 square feet coverage per gallon to achieve ideal thickness.

4. Higher Cost

They are more expensive than ordinary paints.

5. Non-Penetrating

Elastomerics do not penetrate the substrate surface. Larger cracks must be repaired before application of the coating. Be sure to remove dust and dirt before application otherwise adhesion may be affected.

6. Need for Backroll

Backrolling is required after spray coating and before the next application of elastomerics. Most painters do not do this unless specified in the project.