Things To Address When Installing A Green Roof

Green roofing options are becoming more popular than ever as more homeowners start to appreciate the environmental effect of some roofing materials. If you've decided that you want to install a green roof, you may be thinking about installing a roof with vegetation to help purify the air and contribute to environmental health. Here are some things you need to discuss with your roofing contractor as you start the planning stage.

What Kinds Of Plants Will You Use?

Talk with your roofing contractor about the types of plants that are most popular for these roofing options. You'll need plants that will thrive in a direct-exposure environment every day. Your roof will be directly exposed to sunlight most of the day, so you need to choose plants that can handle that much sun exposure.

Additionally, you want plants that can stand up to severe weather. Remember that anything you plant on your roof will have no shelter from storm threats. Plants on the ground are often shaded by trees, which can offer some protection from harsh weather. Rooftop plants won't have this protection, so they should be hardy.

How Will Your Roof Support The Weight?

When you choose to install a roof with living plants, you'll need to have a soil structure to support those plants. That's a lot of weight on your roof, even if you're working with loamy, light soil. Talk with your roofing contractor about what type of support structure you'll need underneath the planting boxes to ensure that your roof can hold up to the weight of the plants and the soil. Remember, when accounting for the weight, that soil will weigh significantly more when it is wet. Account for this in your support structure.

What Kind Of Water Protection Will You Use?

You will have to install some sort of irrigation system for your rooftop plants. This poses a special consideration for your roofing contractor because having soil on the roof, with regular watering and water retention, can put your roof at risk of moisture damage and other issues.

Talk with your roofing contractor about the best possible waterproofing option for your roofing structure so that you don't risk having any kind of water damage or structural deterioration due to the plants on the roof. A water and moisture barrier can be installed beneath the roofing materials to help combat this problem.

Work with roofing services with experience in green roofing so that you can be sure that you get the end result you're looking for.

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When you make something with your own hands, you usually feel really empowered and accomplished. There's just something about creating things that connects you with your inner self. Now, imagine if your everyday job involved making things with your hands. That would be really satisfying, right? That's what construction workers get to do. They get to create things every day, from roofing, to roads, to walls. Most construction workers choose their job because they do love working with their hands, and they continue to find their jobs rewarding for this reason. On this website, we are proud to feature these construction workers' work and some related insights.

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