Posts Tagged "Roof Installation"

One of the worst things that can happen to the interior of your home is when water comes leaking in from the outside. This tends to happen when heavy rains come and hit your roof with more water than normal. When there are already roof deficiencies in place, the large amount of water will find an extra place to go, and that’s usually through the roof, through your ceiling and onto your floor. These are the leaks that send you scrambling for a container to catch the dripping water. If this sounds like a regular occurrence for you when it rains, it doesn’t have to be. This is just one good reason you should call a roof repair company.

First, a bit about your roof. Your roof serves a number of functions, the most important being to protect your home’s interior from the variety of different elements that nature can create. A roof is built to stand up to wind, rain, snow, ice, and different types of debris that could possibly fall down on top of it. In this respect, it acts as a helmet for your home. Another way it protects your home is through its insulative qualities. A roof can take the brunt of the sun’s heat and keep it from baking the inside of your home. In addition, it’s tasked with keeping warm air inside your home during the colder winter months. However, damage to your roof can cause your roof to become less effective in its protective duties.

What else can cause your roof to become compromised? Blown off shingles is one major issue. When a storm comes through that is extremely windy, weakly-attached shingles can blow off and expose the more sensitive parts of your roof. Hail damage is another major complaint for homeowners. The hardened ice balls can do serious damage to the surface of a roof, which then leads to other problems down the road. And, of course, roofing materials that wear down over time can leave your roof open to penetration by leaks.

If you’ve sustained damage in any one of these ways and your roof is now experiencing a leak or another issue, it’s probably a good idea to call an experienced roof repair company. By taking care of any issues now, you’ll save money and prevent further damage to your roof and the interior of your home.

In every state this summer, storm season will cause damage to homes. Wind, hail, lightning, and flooding that comes with severe thunderstorms is responsible for much of the damage. Much of the structural damage will be minimal, but a few homeowners will experience large amounts of damage. If you want to avoid being one of the homeowners that has serious damage to their home plan ahead and you’ll have a better chance of escaping the summer storm season with serious damage.

Thunderstorms can all cause damage, but severe storms are the biggest concern. Severe thunderstorms are to blame for most of the property damage they are dangerous storms.

Quality roofing materials are important in standing up against storms. Roofing companies can tell you what materials are you best bet in surviving the storms. Maintenance of your roof is as important as the materials you start with. Regular, yearly maintenance must be done on your roof.

Wind is the most frequent cause of summer storm damage. Severe wind is at least 60 miles per hour, though some windstorms can get as fast as 100 miles per hour! Winds ranging from 60 mph and up lead to damage of your home and be incredibly dangerous.

Severe wind has the greatest effect on roofs and siding. The damage to both of these areas can be reduced if extra effort is put in during the construction phase. When deciding between roofing companies remember this decision will affect you and your roof for many storm seasons to come! Your decking should be strongly anchored to your walls and foundation, this comes with a well designed roof. This anchoring will stop your entire roof from being physically removed in a big storm! Attaching your shingles to your roof is also important. The best quality shingle poorly attached will still come up in a severe wind.

Maintaining the trees on your property is very important. Dead and weak limbs could fall and cause damage to your roof in the next windstorm so they should be removed. Removing these bad branches will bring down the chance your roof sustains damage in a summer storm.

Roofing companies can help you to find the materials that will best handle these storms. Quality materials and a reliable roofer will best prepare your home to handle a storm. Practicing regular maintenance of both your roof AND surrounding trees will also save you from the stress of storm damage.

Many homeowners are hesitant to replace their roof even when the signs of problems are obvious. After all, roofs are expensive and without being a roofing specialist, it can be hard to know if it is time to replace your roof or if you are being taken for a ride by your local roofing contractor.

Asking yourself the following questions can help you get an idea of whether or not a roof replacement is in your immediate future.

How old is the roof?

If you bought your residence or the structure in question from someone else, this is something that you should have asked during the purchasing process. A new roof can raise the value of real estate while one that is over a decade old can detract from it.

A few good “rules of thumb”:

• The average life of a new roof is between 12 and 20 years
• Even if the roof was guaranteed for 20 or 30 years, if it is over 15, it may need to be replaced
• In areas with extreme weather, such as the heavy winter storms in the northeast, the lifespan of a roof is significantly shortened

Do your neighbors have new roofs? Although it is not a good idea to covet your neighbor’s possessions, roofing is one exception to your mother’s rules. If your neighbors are getting new roofs, this may be a sign that you should also replace your roof for two reasons: first, most neighborhoods are built around the same time, so if their roofs are wearing out yours may be close to this point as well; second, in a competitive housing market like the current one, you need every advantage you can get in case you decide to sell your home.

An old roof looks bad when positioned next to a street full of new ones, and it will decrease the value of your house.

Has there been severe weather?

As mentioned above, extreme temperatures and weather can shorten the lifespan of any roof. Another problem that occurs during severe weather can worsen any small problems that existed before the storm or heat. Loose or weakened tiles that are subjected to strong winds or heavy rain can lead to bigger problems, which may mean that your roof will need to be replaced.

Although these questions can provide an idea of whether or not it is time to replace your roof, the only way to know for sure is to consult a roofing professional.

Still not sure if your roof needs to be repaired or replaced? Get in touch with us.