Roofing learning center

Ice and water shield is a self-adhering waterproof underlayment that seals around fasteners to protect eaves, valleys, and other leak-prone roof details.

A gable is the triangular wall under a dual-pitch roof. Learn gable vs hip, rake edges, and why gable ends matter in high wind.

Felt is traditional asphalt-saturated paper; synthetics are lighter, typically stronger, and common on modern shingle roofs.

Pipe boots (jacks) seal plumbing vent pipes where they pierce the roof — a top leak source when rubber collars crack.

A cricket (saddle) is a peaked diverter on the high side of a chimney that keeps water from ponding and leaking.

A dormer projects from a sloping roof to add headroom and windows — and adds flashing complexity.

A hip roof slopes on all sides with no tall gable wall — pros, cons, and how it differs from a gable.

A ridge vent exhausts attic air at the peak and needs clear soffit intake to work properly.

The eave is the lower roof edge that overhangs the wall — where gutters, drip edge, and ice barrier meet.

The rake is the sloping edge of a roof along a gable end — not the same as the eave.

The ridge is the horizontal peak of a pitched roof — home to ridge caps and often a ridge vent.

A valley is where two roof slopes meet and channel water — a critical flashing and underlayment detail.

A roofing square is 100 square feet of roof surface — the unit contractors use to price materials and labor.

Soffit is the finished underside of the roof overhang — often where attic intake ventilation lives.

Starter strip shingles seal the first course at eaves and rakes so wind cannot peel the first row.

Counter flashing caps over step flashing, often cut into masonry mortar joints, so water cannot get behind the step pieces.

Fascia is the vertical board at the eave edge that supports gutters and finishes the overhang.

Decking or sheathing is the plywood/OSB (or boards) nailed to the rafters that underlayment and shingles fasten to.

Flashing is sheet metal (or special membranes) that diverts water at roof intersections, walls, chimneys, and penetrations.

Pitch is rise over run, like 6:12. It affects cost, material choices, underlayment rules, and safety.

Step flashing uses overlapping metal pieces woven with each shingle course along a wall — better than a single long L-flashing under siding.

How to spot door-to-door storm chasers and deductible-waiver offers, with FTC warning signs and state laws from CO, TX, MN, and WI.

How to document hail damage, file on time, work with the adjuster, and avoid deductible scams, with state rules from FL, TX, CO, MN, and WI.

2026 NOAA SPC hail and wind report context for Cheyenne, WY. For homeowners comparing inspections and claims — not a coverage promise.

2026 NOAA SPC hail and wind report context for Chicago, IL. For homeowners comparing inspections and claims — not a coverage promise.

2026 NOAA SPC hail and wind report context for Colorado Springs, CO. For homeowners comparing inspections and claims — not a coverage promise.

2026 NOAA SPC hail and wind report context for Dallas, TX. For homeowners comparing inspections and claims — not a coverage promise.

2026 NOAA SPC hail and wind report context for Denver, CO. For homeowners comparing inspections and claims — not a coverage promise.

2026 NOAA SPC hail and wind report context for Greeley, CO. For homeowners comparing inspections and claims — not a coverage promise.

2026 NOAA SPC hail and wind report context for Kansas City, KS. For homeowners comparing inspections and claims — not a coverage promise.

2026 NOAA SPC hail and wind report context for Milwaukee, WI. For homeowners comparing inspections and claims — not a coverage promise.

2026 NOAA SPC hail and wind report context for Minneapolis, MN. For homeowners comparing inspections and claims — not a coverage promise.

2026 NOAA SPC hail and wind report context for Wichita, KS. For homeowners comparing inspections and claims — not a coverage promise.

Actual cash value pays depreciated value first; replacement cost policies may release recoverable depreciation after you complete repairs. Read your declarations page.

Often illegal. Texas Insurance Code ch. 707, Colorado C.R.S. 6-22-105, Minnesota 325E.66, and Wisconsin 100.65 restrict deductible waivers — cite your state.

UL 2218 and FM 4473 impact ratings explained — steel ball tests, hail-country relevance, and where insurers document discounts (TX, CO, MN, KS and others).

CLUE is a claims-history database insurers use for underwriting. You can order your report, check errors, and understand it is not a credit score.

It depends on your insurer and state. Texas TDI says home insurers cannot surcharge weather claims; elsewhere, claims history (CLUE) may affect pricing. No invented percentages.

Step-by-step: document damage, notify your carrier, meet the adjuster, review the estimate, and understand supplements — without promising payment.

Matching and uniform appearance rules vary by policy and state. Discontinued shingles and weathered color differences are common dispute points.

Ask for the denial in writing, compare it to your policy, consider reinspection or appraisal if available, and use your state DOI complaint process. Not legal advice.

Contractors build roofs; licensed public adjusters advocate claim value for a fee. Colorado and Texas restrict contractors from acting as public adjusters.

Claim notice rules for CO, FL, GA, ID, KS, MN, MO, NV, NM, TN, UT, WY, AZ, IL, WI, OH, NC, and TX — Florida's 1-year statute plus policy-driven states.

The adjuster documents damage, measures, and writes a scope. You may have your contractor present. Coverage decisions still belong to the insurer.

Waiting can risk policy notice conditions and Florida's 1-year statutory bar. Later claims are harder to tie to a storm date. File promptly once you know of damage.

A supplement adds line items discovered after the original estimate — often decking, code items, or hidden damage found during tear-off.

Mortgagees are often named as loss payees. Expect endorsement rules, possible repair inspections, and escrowed funds until work is verified.

A percentage deductible is based on your dwelling coverage limit and often applies only to wind/hail. Run the math before you file a claim.

Colorado's Front Range sees frequent hail. Impact-rated shingles, documentation, and contractor/insurance rules all matter.

Look for bruises, fractures, granule loss spots, and dents in soft metal — not every dark spot is hail.

How Fla. Stat. 553.844 changed the 25% rule, what insurers can and can't do about roof age under 627.7011, and claim deadlines under 627.70132.

IRC R905.1.2 requires an ice barrier only where your jurisdiction designates ice-dam history in Table R301.2. Learn where it applies and how far it must run.

Arizona licenses residential roofers as ROC R-42. Local amendments and desert heat drive underlayment and foam/tile practices.

IRC R806.2 sets a 1/150 net free ventilation default, with a 1/300 exception when listed conditions are met.

Usually yes for a full re-roof. Permits trigger inspections for underlayment, nailing, and flashing — and protect resale disclosures.

High Velocity Hurricane Zones (notably Miami-Dade/Broward) require tested roof assemblies and strict fastening — plus statewide claim and age rules.

High-wind areas often require six nails per shingle and stricter placement — follow the manufacturer and local code, especially in Florida HVHZ.

Many jurisdictions allow no more than two layers and often require tear-off to the deck for a third — confirm locally.

Drip edge is metal flashing at eaves and rakes that sheds water away from fascia and into gutters. Many codes require it.

Yes — roof color, material reflectivity, attic ventilation, and insulation all affect heat gain and loss. Cool roofs and ENERGY STAR criteria explained.

ENERGY STAR sets solar reflectance thresholds for qualifying roof products. Always verify the current criteria and product list.

Finish color and solar reflectance matter more than the word 'metal.' Pair any covering with attic insulation and ventilation.

Ceiling/attic insulation slows conductive heat flow; the roof covering manages weather and solar load. You usually need both.

A cool roof reflects and emits more solar heat. DOE and ENERGY STAR publish criteria — check current product listings.

Radiant barriers reflect radiant heat in attics, mainly useful in hot sunny climates when installed correctly with an air space.

Why Phoenix tile roofs need new underlayment before new tile, how often foam (SPF) roofs need recoating, and what tile costs.

A tile roof refelt (lift-and-relay) replaces worn underlayment under concrete or clay tile while reusing sound tiles — critical in Arizona and Florida heat.

Clay is classic and long-lived; concrete is typically more affordable and widely used in Sun Belt suburbs. Both are heavy.

Isolated cracked tiles can often be replaced; widespread underlayment failure needs a refelt. Broken tiles should not be sealed and forgotten.

Older felt under Valley tile is often discussed around 20–25 years; modern high-temp membranes aim longer. Inspect, don't guess.

Tile systems are much heavier than asphalt. Engineering review matters before a material upgrade.

TPO, modified bitumen, EPDM, and foam for flat and low-slope roofs: installed costs from Angi and lifespans from InterNACHI.

Low-slope membrane options, lifespans, costs, and maintenance for small commercial and multifamily buildings.

Coatings can extend some membrane and metal roofs; they do not fix structural rot or failed shingles.

SPF roofs need periodic elastomeric recoats. Skipping maintenance shortens life more than the foam itself failing overnight.

Modified bitumen is an asphalt-based low-slope membrane system, often torch, cold-process, or self-adhered.

TPO is a reflective single-ply membrane common on low-slope residential and commercial roofs.

What a new roof costs in 2026, per square foot and per house, with regional data from the 2025 Cost vs Value report and Angi. Free instant estimate.

A practical framework for repairing or replacing a roof based on age, extent of damage, code rules such as Florida's 25% rule, and cost.

Cash, home-equity loans and HELOCs, FHA Title I property improvement loans, contractor financing, and PACE, with consumer warnings from the CFPB.

License, insurance, written estimates, contract terms, and payment: an FTC-based checklist for hiring a roofer, with state license lookups.

What a roofing contractor checks during an in-person inspection, how long it takes, and what you should get afterward. No obligation.

Tear-off removes old layers to the deck; overlay adds a new layer on top. Tear-off is usually the better long-term choice.

What GL and workers' comp protect you from, how to request a COI, and how to check a roofer's license in all states we serve — including CO/TX/GA/OH/MO/WY where there is no statewide roofing license.

Many asphalt re-roofs on average homes take one to three days of on-site work, weather permitting. Tile and complex roofs take longer.

Warning signs that a roof is near the end of its life: age, granule loss, curling, leaks, sagging, and storm damage. Get a free, no-obligation inspection.

Ice dams form when melting snow refreezes at cold eaves. Insulation, air sealing, ventilation, and eave ice barrier all help.

Algae stains are mostly cosmetic; moss can lift shingles and hold moisture. Clean carefully — avoid pressure-washing asphalt to death.

Replace cracked, dry-rotted, or leaking pipe boots promptly — and always during a full re-roof.

Compare standing-seam metal and architectural asphalt shingles on installed cost, lifespan, and hail performance, using Angi, Cost vs Value, and InterNACHI data.

Expected roof lifespans from InterNACHI for asphalt, metal, tile, TPO and more, including the much shorter Florida figures.

What UL 2218 and FM 4473 Class 4 ratings mean, what IBHS testing found, and the cost difference, for hail country from Denver to Wichita to Dallas.

Manufacturer standard vs enhanced system warranties (GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed), contractor workmanship coverage, transferability, registration, and what voids a warranty.

Architectural (laminate) shingles are thicker and longer-lived than traditional 3-tab. Most modern re-roofs use laminates.

Separate product, system, and workmanship warranties. Registration and maintenance matter. See our extended warranty deep dive.