Different Roof Underlayment Types

The first layer of waterproofing material that’s placed beneath your roofing system is called roof underlayment; it is laid below the roofing materials and serves as the last line of defense against severe weather. Roof underlayment, which is generally branded as felt paper, is composed of a fiberglass or paper roll that is protected by waterproofing materials, such as asphalt.  

The three main types of roof underlayment are rubberized asphalt, asphalt-saturated felt, and not bitumen synthetic. Black, asphalt-saturated felt paper is the most common type of underlayment used for homes with steep–slope applications. 

This kind of felt paper is produced from organic or fiberglass substrate but the name organic is much commonly used. The fact that it has a cellulose base gives it the name “organic”. To let you decide on what type of roof underlayment is suitable for your house, here are the types of roof underlayment. 

Felt Underlayment 

This type of underlayment is not waterproof but is resistant to water; it is commonly available in 15 and 30-pound thicknesses. The amount of water that can pass through the 15-pound thickness is around five but the number can rise if the condition has higher humidity while the 30-pound thickness can repel damage better during the installation and protects the roof longer. 

On numerous occasions, felt underlayment has been used as lightweight protection against any potential storm damage. The roof will not be able to defend itself against the elements if a tile or shingle blows off during a storm or breaks. 

Even though it’s not a long-term solution, it protects long enough to give the homeowner enough time to get the roof repaired. Fortunately, many roofing companies provide professional high quality and professional services such as roofing Chula Vista   

Asphalt – Saturated Felt   

After processing crude oil, asphalt is the left-over material. Because the price of oil is increasing, companies develop refining methods that will extract the maximum amount of high quality from the crude.    

The method produces less asphalt and because of that an allocation system is made that gives a limited amount of asphalt to manufacturers per year, because of this, most manufacturers started phasing out asphalt-saturated underlayment. 

Rubberized Asphalt 

Different types of rubber-like materials are produced by manufacturers for underlayment in which they call “rubberized asphalt”, protected by a peel-off, and has adhesive on one side. Rubberized asphalt is produced to meet different requirements. The underlayment may have polyethylene or polyester to make it weather resistant.   

Some features are changed so that they can be used in higher temperatures. Some underlayment is configured to repel heat up to 250 degrees, allowing this type of underlayment to be implanted under metal roofs in severe weather. 

Non-Bitumen Synthetics 

This type of underlayment is made from either polypropylene or polyethylene, the advantage of using synthetics is that it is lightweight but high in strength, resistant to fungal growth, and is wrinkle-free because it doesn’t absorb moisture. 

Synthetics can also be designed as moisture–permeable but are typically considered as moisture barriers. It is also resistant to UV damage and allows exposure to weather from six months to a year without damage. 

If you want to try one of these, you may contact the best Smyrna roofers today.