What is a roof used for?

The roof is the most important element of the house. However, when we think of a house, it is not the first thing that comes to mind. We think more of the garden, the bedrooms, the kitchen. Don’t we say, “to have a roof over your head”? The role of the roof is to protect the house and its inhabitants from bad weather , cold, wind and noise.

But it can have another useful function, such as serving as a support for a device enabling the production of energy.

The main function of the roof is to protect against bad weather. It ensures, thanks in particular to its various components, the protection of the house and its inhabitants against:

The wind, with more or less efficiency. It is the roof screens that play this role;

Heat (not always efficiently, because not all insulators have sufficient inertia) and cold, thanks to insulation.

Noise, which can be disturbing and make life hell for those who are affected by it. We think of the noise from roads, airports and also… rain which can become torture if the material chosen for the roof does not allow it to be properly absorbed.

The social and aesthetic function of the roof

The roof is often called   the 5th facade of a house. It is also the most visible part of a home. Each roof can have its own architectural specificity, depending on the region and its local traditions, and the climate. It thus has both an aesthetic and social function.

Environment and energy saving: the role of the roof

A roof can recover the sun’s energy. This can be done by capturing thermal energy, in order to heat hot water tanks. These simple but effective systems are found on roofs in the Mediterranean Basin. In Northern Europe, it is more difficult to recover thermal energy, and the price is also higher.

Photovoltaic panels transform the sun’s radiation into electricity. This electricity can be resold or used to power the home.

But be careful, before embarking on the installation of photovoltaic solar panels on the house, it is important to have the feasibility of the project checked by a building expert. Is the roof big enough and strong enough to support photovoltaic panels?

The roof, a good way to collect rainwater

Water, nowadays, costs between 3 euros and 7 euros per m3. The roof can be a great asset, to recover rainwater! Namely: 100 m² of roof, can cover 50% of the needs in cold sanitary water, to use it in daily life (watering the garden, flushing toilets). It is, in fact, useless to use drinking water for these purposes! The roof allows to divide its water bill by 2.

If you are planning to collect rainwater from your roof, a  building expert  can advise you and check that the system in place is working properly.

Converting the attic  of a traditional house allows you to gain additional space, which is not insignificant. It is still necessary to ensure that the floor structure is sized to support residential use.

The frame of a traditional house is made up of triangular elements, which are called trusses. These trusses ensure the solidity and rigidity of the frame. They are therefore essential to its stability. Some DIYers (or even craftsmen), through ignorance, remove part of these elements to free up space in the attic, which can have catastrophic consequences for the structure of the building. A building expert can help individuals understand the issues of such a development on the structure of the building (floors, frame) and especially on the potential threats to the safety of people.