It is fairly easy not to be concerned about your roof's weight because it is not a visual concept. However, the maximum weight your roof can be is critical because overloading the roof can lead to damage and even collapse of the roof.
Two Types of Roof Weights
There are two basic categories of roof weights. At any time, the maximum load on your roof is a summation of these two categories.
Dead
Dead weight is the static weight on the roof that is there at all times. Dead weight comprises of the roofing materials plus other structures, such as rooftop air conditioning systems, which are always on the roof.
Live
Live load is dynamic; it keeps changing depending on the prevailing circumstances. Contributors to live load include snow, water, roof traffic, and even windblown debris.
Factors Determining Load Limits
Each roof has a maximum load it can safely bear. Below are some of the factors that determine this limit.
Roofing Materials
The materials used on the roof are the primary factors that determine the load limit; some materials are heavier than others. For example, slate is one of the heaviest roofing materials around while metal roofing is one of the lightest.
Roofing Layers
The number of layers on your roof also determines its weight. For example, some people opt not to remove existing shingles on their roofs during re-roofing, opting instead to install the new layer over the old one. Such roofs are heavier than similar roofs with single layers.
Roofing Age
Roofing materials are subject to wear and tear due to different factors such as weather, foot traffic, and the passage of time. Worn roofing materials tend to be structurally weaker, and therefore can't bear as much weight as they did when new.
Roof Pitch
Roof pitch is important because it determines the load that is bearing down on each square foot of the roof's surface. On a high-pitched roof, more weight push down on each square foot than on a horizontal roof. Thus high-pitched roofs have lower load limits than flat roofs.
Building Codes
Lastly, local building codes also determine how much each roof should bear in the jurisdiction. Therefore, even if you have customized your roof and think it can bear more weight, you have to conform to the limits stipulated by the applicable building codes.
You ought to know how much weight your load can bear, especially if the roof is aging, you are gearing up for an extreme winter, or you want to install things on the roof. If your roof is relatively weak, a roof repair contractor can help you strengthen the roof and fix weight-related damages.
Share5 February 2020
When you want to make your home shine, there are some very important basic components you should be mindful of. For starters, you should evaluate the exterior of your home to determine whether or not the siding or exterior cladding needs to be replaced. Next, you should check to see if the roofing needs to be replaced, since it really can make a powerful difference. Roofing can take up a great deal of the visual space from the outside, so think carefully about how yours looks. Pay attention to issues like aged, curling shingles or roofing that contains dips or divots. Check out this blog for great tips about roofing.
