Posts Tagged ‘Roofing’

Basic Roofing Recommendations

Most homeowners would certainly like to take care of their own roofs. It is better, however, to leave the roofing system in the hands of professional roofing contractors. Roofing repairs and maintenance is tedious and dangerous. There are some things about roofing that a homeowner must also know though. Here are the basic roofing recommendations that roofing companies would like to share with the homeowners.

Roof Repair and Replacement

Upon inspection and discovering damages on your roof, it is only natural that you take measures to fix it and prevent more damage. This would involve having your roof repaired or getting it replaced.

When you plan for a roof replacement, you have two basic options. You can either opt for a complete replacement of the roof system, or choose to cover up your existing roof with a new one. A complete roof replacement would mean tearing your old roof off and installing a new one. The second option just involves an installation of a new membrane and surfacing.

With the second option, however, you have to make an additional inspection with a professional roofing contractor if you’ve already been through a roof recovering in the past. The roofing contractor will check whether or not your deck can hold and support a second recover. If not, you will have to opt for a complete roof replacement.

If you are experiencing roof leaks, there might not be a need for a roof replacement. The leak may have been caused by loose flashings or a partial damage to a section of your roof. These minor damages do not call for a roof replacement. Repairing the roof may be enough. If the leak is caused by a roof failure, that is the time when you need to replace your roof. This is because a roof failure, caused by improper installation or wrong choice of materials used, cannot be fixed and is irreversible.

Useful Life of Your Roof

Your roof’s useful life largely depends on the type of roof you have and the treatment it receives from the local environment:

Asphalt shingles: lasts 15-20 years

Wood shingles/shakes: lasts 10-40 years

Clay/concrete tiles: lasts 20 years or more

Slate: lasts 30-100 years

Metal roofing: lasts 15-40+ years

Remember that when choosing the type of roof you want for your house, always check with the warranties of the products.

Ventilation and Waterproofing Your Roof

Roof ventilation is recommended for every home. It may not be that big a deal for many people, but it is better to have one according to professional roofing contractors.

Why is it needed? Roof ventilation helps create a cooler attic in the summer. Hot and overheated attics are damaging to the roof deck and shingles. With roof ventilation, roof damages like these can be avoided. During the winter, the roof ventilation can help create a drier attic and prevent ice dams. So basically, roof ventilation moves hot air out of the attic in the summer and removes moist air in the winter.

For extra protection, you can also have waterproofing underlayment installed underneath the shingles. It is recommended that waterproofing underlayment be installed in high wear areas like the valleys on the roof, around the dormers, rakes, eaves, and skylights. The waterproofing underlayment is an extra barrier against water leakage.

Seek For Professional Help

There are safety and efficiency procedures to take into consideration when repairing or replacing the roof. Without the proper knowledge and training, your roof might be subject to an improper installation. You might also be injured in the process. Professional roofing contractors are efficiently trained and are aware of the safety considerations in roof repairs and roof replacements. Homeowners should just stick to roof inspections and some maintenance systems. You can check for cracked shingles or clear the roof gutters. But it is recommended that you leave the repairs and replacement to the professionals.

Charlotte Roofing Tips | Proper Ventilation Can Save You Money

When your AC works overtime in the hot Charlotte summertime, the answer may be sitting on top of your house.  Proper roofing ventilation will keep your home comfortable, protect against damage to the structure and materials of your roof, and reduce your energy costs.

Charlotte homeowners, how often do you think about your attic and your roofing?  The average Charlotte resident can reap benefits throughout the year by having an effective attic ventilation system.

During the warmer months, ventilation helps keep your home cool and reduce the strain on ac units in the attic.  In the colder seasons, ventilation helps prevent moisture build up, keeping attics dry.

Proper ventilation will keep your home comfortable, protect against damage to the structure and materials of your roof, and reduce your energy costs.

Dealing With The Summer Sun

On those beautiful sunny days, radiant heat from the sun beats down on your roof.  Persistent radiation will causes the temperature of the roof to rise.  This heat is conducted through the sheathing into your attic.  Over time, as heat builds in the attic, it radiates through the attic floor and into living areas below.

How hot can it get in your attic on a sunny summer day?  Well, in Charlotte temperatures often reach 90 degrees during the summer.  Over the course of a long August day, your roof sheathing can easily reach 170 degrees.

If your roof has poor ventilation, temperatures inside the attic can swell to over 140 degrees.  When that happens, the temperature in the rooms below will become uncomfortable.  By contrast, a well ventilated roof may not exceed a maximum temperature of 115 degrees.

The Multiplier Effect

This may not seem to bad on a single day, but summer doesn’t last just for a day.  As these hot, sunny days persist, an improperly ventilated attic will not lose enough heat during the night to make up for the heat that accumulates during the day.

Ironically, the better your home is insulated, the worse the heat build up will be if your ventilation is poor.  If you have HVAC equipment or air conditioning ducts in your attic, this heat will reduce the efficiency of your systems and increase your cooling cost.  Utility bills can climb even higher if you use fans or window units to fight back the increased heat in your living space.

These are the consequences the average Charlotte homeowner will notice.  But most people don’t tend to think about what they don’t see.  Less obvious, but potentially more costly, is damage that can happen to your roof itself.

Over time, excess attic heat can cause shingles to distort and deteriorate.  When this happens, your roofing materials may fail prematurely.  This can lead to a leaky roof and will force you to replace your roof before the end of its normal life.

How Ventilation Helps

No amount of ventilation can prevent the transfer of heat from your roof to your attic.  But a well designed system can minimize the impact.  A well designed system will create a uniform flow of cooler air moving along the underside of the sheathing.

Whether caused by natural convection or created mechanically, that steady flow will carry heat out of the attic before it can radiate through the attic floor.  And it is also important that the air intake vents in the soffits and the roof exhaust vents are balanced so airflow is uniform.  This will prevent “hot spots” from developing under the roof sheathing.

Is Your Home Properly Ventilated?

You can place a thermometer in your attic and take regular readings to get a sense of whether or not your home has an adequate ventilation system.  But the best way to know is to enlist the services of a qualified Charlotte roofer.  A local roofing professional knows how to evaluate your Charlotte area home and can recommend the most cost efficient solution if you have a ventilation problem.

Toronto Roofing Estimate ? Beware Of Roof Riff Raff

We all know that starting the process of getting a roof estimate is no easy task. The roofing industry is an extremely competitive business especially regarding residential roofing. Finding a Toronto company you can trust to give a fair and reliable estimate can be like finding a needle in a hay stack.

Why is there so much riff raff to filter through in Toronto when seeking an estimate, and what exactly is riff raff?

Well, riff raff can be defined as roofing companies that really do not have your needs in their best interest. They scour the city of Toronto, including the GTA, offering very low prices for very shoddy workmanship. Many of these roofing companies survive month by month and even fewer have the proper liability insurance – insurance that protects you in case of an accident.

Did you know that you are liable for any damages to your property (such as a fire) or injuries to one of the roofers if the company you hire is lacking the proper insurance? It happens all the time in Toronto. My first advice to you when getting an estimate is to see prove of the company’s liability insurance.

Speaking of price – generally the lowest price is the worst price. Why? Because the cost of running a legitimate business, especially in Toronto, is very expensive. The labour involved is also very high, and a respectful roofing contractor only hires quality, well trained employees.

Another sure sign of riff raff is the inability to produce recent, happy testimonials from real people. The riff raff almost never have good references because they rarely follow up on the their work to make sure their customers are 100% satisfied.

Always ask for 5 recent references and make absolutely sure you contact these references and listen carefully to every word they say to you. Read between the lines when they are talking – you will be amazed about how much “extra” information you can pick up by listening to the sound of the person’s voice while they speak.

Many Toronto roofing companies are now starting to charge a fee for an estimate. Personally, I believe this is a fantastic idea and it should be implemented immediately. A fee would most likely scare off the riff raff because these types of roofers do not value their time: they are most likely just glad to have an estimate – any estimate. A quality roofing contractor usually has many estimates lined up and this takes a lot of time and expense to handle. By paying a small fee you are making it much easier for a roofing company to give you the service that is essential.

Paying for quality is always better than positioning yourself in jeopardy. The roof on your house provides your entire home with water protection, including proper roof insulation and roof ventilation. All these elements need to be closely looked at for a roof to adequately perform.

A Toronto roofing estimate can be a nightmare or it can be a pleasant experience that will save you hundreds or thousands of dollars down the road by getting the job done right the first time.

The Types and Importance of Roofing Ventilation

Roofing ventilation is an essential part of any good roofing system.  The most important function of such vents is to provide ventilation to the attic of your home, thus reducing the heat held in your attic.  By reducing the heat in your attic less energy is necessary to cool your home, cutting down on your electricity cost.

Most building codes usually require that a home have some form of attic ventilation.  It is recommended by most building codes that a residential dwelling have 1 square foot of ventilation for every 150 to 300 square feet of living space.

There are many different styles and colors of ventilation available to consumers.  Consumers can easily find a ventilation system right for their application that is color matched to their roofing materials.

Ridge Vents & Soffit Vents

Ridge vents are long narrow vents placed on the very top or ridge of the roof.  The vents are inserted flush in the surface of the roof and as stated above are usually color matched to the roofing material used.

Soffit vents are installed in the eve or overhang of the roof and are far more common then ridge vents.  Both types of ventilation serve two very important purposes for the life of your roof.  The first purpose of the ventilation is to reduce heat and moisture, which reduces mildew and rot, thus extending the life of the roof decking.

Whether you are installing a new roof or would like to add ventilation to your existing roof it is important to consult a professional roofer.  Installation of roofing ventilation can be tricky and if done improperly can cause leaks in your roofing system.

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Things To Consider When Choosing Roof Ventilation

Looking after your roof
A well cared for roof lasts much longer than a roof that is left to it’s own devices. By spotting problems early on you can save yourself a lot of heartache and extra cost from big problems. Your roof is responsible for taking the damage from everything that the elements can throw at it including wind, rain, sun and snow but it is also attacked by leaves, insects and other natural predators. Ineffective roofing can mean that any of these factors find their way into your attic and eventually your home and it is important you do what you can to prevent this from happening.

Small problems lead to big problems

The roof itself is one aspect of the home that is regularly overlooked by homeowners until there is an obvious leak or damage. The best way to prevent these leaks and damages is through a regular, professional maintenance check carried out by an experience roofer on your behalf. These checks are not as expensive as you might think and problems that area spotted early can be fixed before they become worse. One such problem that you should regularly have checked is that you have proper roof ventilation and that it is working effectively.

What is proper roof ventilation?

Proper roof ventilation doesn’t consist of either an intake or an exhaust, proper roof ventilation should comprise of both of these important elements in order to create effect air circulation in and out of your home. Not only will this protect your roof and your house but it will also help control the amount of time you use your air conditioning, thus bringing down the price of your energy bills. There are a number of ways that proper roof ventilation can be achieved and each have their advantages and disadvantages. The best choice for your roof will depend on the size and shape of the roof, and the layout of surrounding trees, wires and other objects.

Creating proper roof ventilation

In order to create proper roof ventilation that adequately rotates air in and out of the house it is important to get the level of intake and expulsion just right. This should be done by a qualified professional who can work out the figures required and advise you of the best course of action. Without expert advice you may find that you have an incorrect flow of air, which can not only mean a very hot house in summer but it can also mean a moisture build up in your loft and eventually warped, split, cracked or generally damaged roofs.

Causes of moisture buildup in the attic

It isn’t always the fault of the weather either. Washing machines, dryers and other household appliances as well as the occupants of the house all create their own moisture and without proper roof ventilation this moisture will build up on the inside of your roof. With a proper roof ventilation system a negative air pressure is created that sucks the warm air out of the loft replacing it with cool fresh air from outside preventing various types of damage associated with poor ventilation systems.

Ensuring you have Proper Roof Ventilation

Looking after your roof

A well cared for roof lasts much longer than a roof that is left to it’s own devices. By spotting problems early on you can save yourself a lot of heartache and extra cost from big problems. Your roof is responsible for taking the damage from everything that the elements can throw at it including wind, rain, sun and snow but it is also attacked by leaves, insects and other natural predators. Ineffective roofing can mean that any of these factors find their way into your attic and eventually your home and it is important you do what you can to prevent this from happening.

Small problems lead to big problems

The roof itself is one aspect of the home that is regularly overlooked by homeowners until there is an obvious leak or damage. The best way to prevent these leaks and damages is through a regular, professional maintenance check carried out by an experience roofer on your behalf. These checks are not as expensive as you might think and problems that area spotted early can be fixed before they become worse. One such problem that you should regularly have checked is that you have proper roof ventilation and that it is working effectively.

What is proper roof ventilation?

Proper roof ventilation doesn’t consist of either an intake or an exhaust, proper roof ventilation should comprise of both of these important elements in order to create effect air circulation in and out of your home. Not only will this protect your roof and your house but it will also help control the amount of time you use your air conditioning, thus bringing down the price of your energy bills. There are a number of ways that proper roof ventilation can be achieved and each have their advantages and disadvantages. The best choice for your roof will depend on the size and shape of the roof, and the layout of surrounding trees, wires and other objects.

Creating proper roof ventilation

In order to create proper roof ventilation that adequately rotates air in and out of the house it is important to get the level of intake and expulsion just right. This should be done by a qualified professional who can work out the figures required and advise you of the best course of action. Without expert advice you may find that you have an incorrect flow of air, which can not only mean a very hot house in summer but it can also mean a moisture build up in your loft and eventually warped, split, cracked or generally damaged roofs.

Causes of moisture buildup in the attic

It isn’t always the fault of the weather either. Washing machines, dryers and other household appliances as well as the occupants of the house all create their own moisture and without proper roof ventilation this moisture will build up on the inside of your roof. With a proper roof ventilation system a negative air pressure is created that sucks the warm air out of the loft replacing it with cool fresh air from outside preventing various types of damage associated with poor ventilation systems.