A premium roof is one that not only uses premium, high value shingles, but also is one that is installed according to the best roofing practices and takes into account your home's overall aesthetics. A well applied premium shingle roof will give you long-term protection and enhance both the pleasure you get from your home and its resale value.

It would be helpful, right at the outset, to familiarize yourself with the common terminology used in the roofing business. Below are the names used to designate the various roof components.

The Deck
The deck is your roof's foundation. To have a solid foundation, a solid deck is a must. Plywood decks at least 1/2" thick are best. Any part of the deck that is rotted or warped must be replaced.

Eave Protection
Considerable damage can be caused to the eaves by ice that builds up during winter freeze/thaw cycles. It is recommended that a specialized modified bitumen sheet (ice and water shield) be used at the eaves. Other types of membrane, are acceptable as eaves protection; glass base sheets.

Eave Edge Treatment
For efficient water-shedding at the roof's edge and to keep water from staining the fascia, metal drip edges (painted, galvanized, or aluminum) should be installed along the rakes and eaves. Note: the metal drip edge is installed under the eaves protection membrane at the eaves. Along the rake, the metal drip edge should be installed over the underlayment or eaves protection.

Underlayment
To shed water that is driven under the shingles by high winds, and extra layer of protection is prudent. One ply of standard asphalt sheating or #15 felt should be installed over the entire roof. On roofs with lower slopes, ice and water shield underlayment enables you to roof with premium 3 tab shingles (full warranty coverage requires the use 25 or 30-year shingles. There are three different levels of eave protection and underlayment that are acceptable for a proper low slope application. For the maximum eaves protection system, cover the entire deck with any form of ice and water self- adhesive membrane. For the better eaves protection system, install one layer of the ice and water membrane; extend the membrane from the edge of the metal eave starter strip up to (a minimum distance) 24" beyond the interior wall. Cover the remaining roof with two layers of #15 asphalt plain felt. Start by over lapping the ice and water membrane with 19" or felt, leaving 17" exposed. Continue on with this method of installation, until the entire roof is covered.

Valley Treatment
This is a spot where snow and ice can build up, especially in roofs with lower pitches. Use a colour coordinated rolled roofing or galvanized sheet metal painted to match the shingle colour. The use of an ice and water membrane should be installed at the metal valley flashing. The use of a colour coordinated rolled roofing is not very practical any more, because of the length of warranties on today's shingles. The trend today, especially where slopes are steeper and where architectural shingles are specified, is to opt for closed valleys. (Mostly in Quebec and other regions outside of Ontario, probably less than 10% of roofs in Ontario use the close valley concept.) In the closed valley application, the shingles on adjacent slopes are butted or woven together. A layer of ice and water membrane should be installed along the valley, under the felt, for maximum protection.

Flashing Systems
Many roof leaks occur at the various locations of the flashing systems. Whether they are where different roof planes intersect, around vents or at the chimney. All flashing systems should be installed so that descending water is carried over the joint and not into it. Proper choice of the flashing system will permit that the flashing is installed neatly and with colour coordination. Once again, ice and water membrane, is a superb base underlayment for the flashing material.

Shingles
The proper selection and installation of deck, eave protection, underlayment and flashing form the basis of a well-constructed roof that ensure the shingles selected perform to their maximum capabilities. But it is the shingles themselves, which determine the ultimate longevity of the roof. Premium shingles, with heavy-duty felt or fibreglass mats and thicker asphalt and granule coatings, provide longer life and, as a result, come with higher warranties. In fact, premium shingles carry warranties periods of anywhere from 25 to 60 years, 50% to 200% longer than the warranties on standard shingles. The cost of the other roof components remains the same regardless of the shingles selected, so the added cost of premium shingles is small in relation to the overall cost of the roof. The benefits of upgrading, however, are substantial, making the investment in premiums a wise one indeed.

Ventilation
A properly ventilated attic will keep the deck and insulation dry, dissipate heat build-up in the attic space and extend the life of your shingles. The proper levels of ventilation will assist with your heating and cooling bills during the winter and summer seasons. The general rule of thumb is that the minimum ventilation required is one Square Foot (144 square inches) of Net Free Air (NFA) for every 300 square feet of insulated attic space. The split of intake and exhaust is generally accepted at a 50% intake and a 50% exhaust ratio. The 1:300 ratio does not apply for all roofs. A low slope roof or one with cathedral ceilings requires twice the ventilation or a ratio of 1:150. Unheated porches or carports do not require ventilation. Ventilation should be split into two types, intake through the perforated soffits and exhaust vents, preferably near the top ridge of your roof. There has to be at least two inches of space between the insulation in your attic and the underside of the roof deck. If you have or want to upgrade the insulation levels in your attic without leaving space for the proper airflow, your ventilated soffit might not be able to do the job it was intended to do.

Vents should be visually unobtrusive and strategically placed for both function and appearance. For example, deck vents should be painted the same colour as the other metal or plastic components on the roof to match the shingles, be spaced evenly apart as close to the ridge as possible, and placed on the back side of the house. An increasingly popular option is the ridge type vent, distributed in most parts of Canada. This vent runs along the ridge and can be covered by cap shingles to match the rest of your house. This type of vent has the advantages of being unobtrusive and providing the best outflow (exhaust) mechanism since it runs along the very top of your roof. The other types of exhaust vents are static, gable, power vents and wind driven turbine vents.