The roof of your home provides an excellent amount of protection and shelter from the outside elements. Without a roof, you would be forced to reckon with snow, rain, hail, wind, dust, dirt and don’t forget about wildlife. Thanks to your roof, you can enjoy even a stormy day and not worry about how to stay warm or keep your belongings from being damaged. It’s only natural to want to have some type of shelter and this necessity had an early start.
What were the First Roofs Made Of?
Throughout time, there have been roofs constructed of whatever was available at that period and place. Early humans covered their structures with sod, dirt and plants. These early shelters provided good insulation, however they were not water proof and did not successfully keep animals out of the simple home. The father invention is necessity and so humans soon began to figure out better ways to construct a roof and not only protect themselves from unpleasant weather, but also keep out curious animals.
How Long Does a Thatch Roof Last?
In later times, people began to use thatch to stack onto their roofing structures. Thatch provided excellent insulation and helped keep homes warm during cold weather seasons. Thatch was also found in abundance, so it was a great resource that was readily available. However, in the Twelfth century in London, King John issued a law that citizens were to replace their thatch roofing with clay tiles. This was due to the fact that thatch roofing was extremely flammable and many fires had destroyed homes.
Roofing Tiles
The first glazed tile roof dates back to 5000 years ago in China. The popular method spread to Greece and Babylon. The Romans brought variations of the Greek clay tiles to England as early as 100 BC. Industrial clay production began during the 19th century. This would later end up producing concrete roofing tiles. People were successful at covering their homes with materials that were providing excellent protection for the outside elements and also keeping wild life out of their homes.
Roof Repair, Replacement & More in Truckee, Mystic, Tahoe City, Kings Beach & The North Lake Tahoe Basin of California
Today people still use the best and most abundance resources for roofing. Most changes in roofing materials have happened in the last two hundred years. Asphalt shingles, cement and clay tiles, and metal are all popular roofing materials that successfully protect homes and the people and living inside. Although we have come a long way from constructing thatch roofs or even using wooly mammoth skins to cover our home structures, we still sometimes run into problems with our roofs. To keep your roof in the best condition possible, contact Nickerson Roofing today.
