Factors to take into account

When planning on placing a proper overhang on your Athens GA roof, there are several key features of the house that you have to keep in mind: 

1. You have to keep in mind that climate and the amount of precipitation that your area receives during a particular season.
2. If your area is usually cloudy, you have to also take into account the amount of sunlight that your area will receive daily.
3. Shading is also particularly important when planning your overhang. Too much shading can result in darker tones inside your house which might go against certain architectural styles and themes. 

Function of Asphalt Shingles Overlapping

Even though asphalt shingle overhangs are pleasing to the eyes, they also serve several different important functions that will extend the lifespan of your roof and the foundations of your home in the Athens-Clarke County area. 

1. Provides shades for windows and eaves – Overhangs are especially useful in making sure that your windows and eaves are dry. Keeping eaves dry is especially important in keeping molds and mildew away from the foundations of your home.
2. Keeps your basement and crawlspaces dry – Heavy rainfall can lead to your foundations slowly being chipped away by corrosion since rainwater will slowly seep towards the cracks and crevices at the forefront of your home. Overhangs made it easier to redirect the flow of water by also placing a gap in between your foundations and where rainwater will flow. 
3. Regulates temperature – Besides temperature insulation material that’s placed on roofing, overhangs are a great way of retaining and regulating the heat inside your house. People have to also be aware that improperly installing overhangs can lead to more heat penetrating the interior of your house which can cause discomfort towards the inhabitants if left uncheck. 

Essentially, overhangs provide a good amount of protection to not just your windows and doors but also keep your foundations and crawlspaces dry. 

Typical problems with asphalt shingle installation

There are usually two problems that have been encountered when placing overhangs: 

1. The overhang is too wide – This can result in having an unbalanced roof which can also force the homeowner to invest in support for the overextended overhangs. This can also make the exterior and the interior of the house look dark and gloomy.
2. The overhang is simply too short – In this case, if the overhang is simply too short that it cannot provide a good amount of shading or even an appropriate gap between the house’s eaves and where rainwater will fall.  Moreover, this leads to more heat penetrating the interior of the house since there’s not enough protection.

The problem of having short overhangs is fairly common among more modern architecture where it doubles down on more classical features (like overhangs) and puts more emphasis on a sleeker and curved look. 

Asphalt Shingle Overhang Options

Overhangs are usually implemented on single-story houses but they can also work well for multi-storied houses. But we are all aware that there are different types of houses that also have flat roofs or even metal roofs. So what are some alternatives? You can also use the following:

• Brow roofs
• Gable-end overhangs
• Crickets
• Cantilever roof overhangs
• Shed covers

For most styles, the longest overhangs can be seen from houses that are in areas that receive a good amount of precipitation every week. 

Overhangs and Asphalt Shingles 

Asphalt shingles are one of the most prevalent shingles since they have a high resistance to heat and does not warm or bulge as easily as other shingles. Since this is also a non-organic material, it’s not prone to rotting and it doesn’t crack easily. But how does it hold up with overhangs?  Since asphalt is known for being heavier than other shingles, it is recommended that the overhang should not be extended too far from the roof so as not to overburden the shingles. 

Conclusion

Overhangs might look aesthetic at first, but they do provide a variety of different advantages to your house and they should not be ignored. 

All-in-all, overhangs are quite important to the overall lifespan of a house’s roof and foundation. Without it, the eaves and walls of a house could easily be subject to rotting and molds could easily form. 

When it comes to asphalt shingles, they provide a good amount of temperature insulation while being durable. Compared to other shingles, asphalt does not rot or decompose since it is not made out of organic material like wood, nor does it rust like metal. It works hand-in-hand with overhangs since it can provide a good way of redirecting water. However, homeowners have to be mindful not to extend their overhangs too far. 

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