National Contractors provides roofing for new and existing buildings. We are experienced with a variety of roofing systems, and offer you an honest assessment of your roof life expectancy with recommendations for maintenance, repairs, or re-roofing.
It will be much easier to talk to roofers if you become familiar with some roofing terms:
Asphalt shingles are manufactured out of three components: the asphalt, the reinforcement, and the surfacing. The asphalt is usually reinforced with fiberglass mats, and is surfaced with coarse mineral granules.
National Contractors installs not just new shingles, but a roofing system that has been designed to work as one protective unit.
The roofing system consists of the following elements:
Most popular shingle samples courtesy of the GAF Roofing System:
Slate is a natural rock or stone material split into relatively thin layers, with the length of the slate running in the direction of the natural grain. The rough slates are trimmed and the nail holes punched to produce the finished roofing slate. Slate roofs may last a century, giving a minimum cost per year. Slate application should be handled by a knowledgeable contractor employing experienced workmen. Visit Evergreen Slate Co. for more information.
Wood shakes are split from a wood bolt and may be sawn or shaped. Wood shingles are usually taper-sawn with uniform butt thickness. Shingles and shakes may be applied over spaced or solid sheathing. Cedar shingles and shakes have been very popular steep-slope roofing material for many years. Their life expectancy will vary depending on many factors: the quality of the material, the quality of the application, climate, maintenance. The average life span is approx. 30-40 years. Visit Cedar Shakes and Shingle Bureau for more information.
Natural-looking simulation slates and shakes, manufactured in a number of different styles. These roofing materials have usually long term warranties, are tested and proven for fire, hail, wind, and rain. Synthetic slates and shingles are lightweight products and have lower installation costs than traditional roofing materials. Visit EcoStar to find out more.
Standing seam roofs are increasingly being used for commercial and residential buildings. Metal roofs are maintenance free, outlast many other roofing materials, and are energy efficient because of the reflectivity of colored panels. The metal is folded to a specific profile in a factory or on site with a rolling machine. Metal roof panels are fabricated from a variety of metals like copper, aluminum, or galvanized steel. The panels are available in many profiles, widths, and seam types
Available finishes include Kynar 500 35-year coating, with a wide array of standard colors.National Contractors installs Englert and Drexel Metals roof systems.
