Contact Us Today 518-324-3000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roofing shingles are overlapping building blocks that cover and protects your roof. Typically, these building blocks are either flat or rectangular in shapes. These are made up of flagstone, plastic, wood, slate and other composite materials. These are commonly used roofing material, but any humidity or dampness can deteriorate them. Preventing them from algae, dirt and mildew help them last longer. Given here are the tips which help you find worn out roofing shingles that need immediate repair.

Types of Materials From Which Roofing Shingles Are Made:

Cedar:

A roofing shingle made up of cedar require repair/replacement when you see them splitting and falling apart in dry climatic conditions. If you are living in a moist area, it tends to get coated with algae or moss. The average life span of this type of roof is 20 years.

Tile:

In this case roof can last up to 100 years, but the individual tiles are likely to get broken. These need to be replaced, but you should hire an expert roofer for this.

Concrete:

This material never needs replacing.

Which Material to Choose?

If you detect any break or leakage in the roofing shingles. It is time for you to repair or replace it. If weather conditions of the place where you are living are not suitable then contact a roof repair specialist and request him to conduct a close inspection about the damage occurred on the roof. But, you should be very careful about choosing the materials of the roofing shingles. Both asphalt and wood are not resistant to fire and you should never choose them if you reside in an area where there are a lot of trees around.

Wood and Asphalt are good options for a sound protection of your roofs but they are more expensive. If you live in an area where snow loads is an issue then you need to go for a lightweight and long lasting standing seam-metal roof. Prior to getting hold of slate or tile, you should remember that these two are heavy materials though they look gorgeous.

How to Find a Reliable Roofing Contractor?

Once you think that your roof needs repair or replacement, you should look for a roofing contractor whom you can rely on. Do not think of indulging in DIY (Do It Yourself) methods as this is a tough and dangerous job indeed which requires specialization. If you are looking for a roofing contractor, just remember a few pointers enlisted here.

Must Be Certified, Bonded and Insured:

To get the best roof repair job done, you need to hire a certified and authorized roofing contractor to ensure a high level of professionalism and expertise. Certified, bonded and insured service takes the onus of getting your job up to your satisfaction in a specified period of time.

Seek the Help of Internet and Get the Quotes:

As a next step, you should get quotes from the various roofing contractors. This will help you get the cheap and the best deal. You can also seek the help of the online forums to know the reputation of the contractor you plan to hire.

Roofing work takes appreciable amount of time and money and choosing a right company for such work is imperative. Research on different companies before finalizing a company can save you a lot of hassle in the future. Here are 10 tips for hiring a roofing contractor

Read Customer Reviews

It is imperative to search online or ask around about the quality of services provided by a company before you hire them. Go to their website or popular forums to ask whether there are any disgruntled customers or people who recommend services of the company

Warranties

Warranties are a sign that good roofing Company has faith in their work. Warranties are a sign that the roof installation will be of quality since the materials warranty are covered by the manufacturer. A good contractor will offer a warranty of at least one year.

Choose a Locally Owned Company

A locally owned company will provide you a prompt response than a company situated in some other state. Roofing repair warranty is expensive and for problems that require immediate response, local companies would provide a better option.

Estimates

Good roofing contractors will always provide you with a written estimate of the installation or repairs. The estimate should outline the need materials, nature of project, estimated durations and total cost o project. A written estimate helps you to understand payment terms.

Check for Insurance

Make sure that the roof repair company has the correct insurance for working in a risk prone area like roofs. A General Liability Policy that protects a company from claims like personal injury or property damage must be in possession of the company. Always ask about the insurance cover and its limitations when you are shortlisting companies.

License

Every company by virtue of construction laws requires a state license to start roofing project. A good contractor will always have a license to show. A work permit is also required in most cases before starting a particular project. Find out the experience a contractor has in getting permits and request a copy for the record

Know their line of Products

Today roofing companies provide a variety of options in design and material. The quality of the material used in roofing holds highest priority as you don’t want to repair your roof after every 6 months. Hence, ask as many questions as you could about different designs and material a company offers and which one would be appropriate for your roofing needs.

Experience

Experience is essential as you are paying an appreciable amount of money for roofing. A housing company that has years of experience in roofing business will provide you better services with minimal turnaround time than a company that has just started.

Financial stability

Financial stability helps to determine the stability and efficiency of a company which is important to make sure that your work will be completed on time.

Expertise and Knowledge

Good roofing companies will always be ready to give you references of their work, so you can visit a property or two to evaluate the quality of their work. They will also be able to suggest you many roofing options and guide you to install the most suitable.

Installing a new roof or replacing an existing one is a huge onetime expense. You will want to hire the best experts for you roofing. Look for the following signs to ensure that the roofing company you are considering to hire is good enough for the job: Here are helpful tips for finding the right roofing contractor to do the roofing for you

1. License and Permit

Every company by virtue of construction laws requires a state license to start roofing project. A good contractor will always have a license to show. A work permit is also required in most cases before starting a particular project. Find out the experience a contractor has in getting permits and request a copy for the record. Don’t rely on word of mouth but written contract. Make sure written contract has all the details like contractor’s name, contact details, approximate start and finish dates, list of materials to be used, contractor’s license number and declaration by the contractor.

2. Insurance and Subcontractors

You must also ensure that the roof installers are insured; otherwise any accident or injury to them will become your responsibility. Good roofing companies have the proper paperwork in place showing current general liability and workers compensation insurance before you hire them. Roofing companies may also hire sub contractors to do some part of the job. All subcontractors should also have an insurance policy to cover any damages or injuries.

3. Expertise and Knowledge

Good roofing companies will always be ready to give you references of their work, so you can visit a property or two to evaluate the quality of their work. They will also be able to suggest you many roofing options and guide you to install the most suitable. Good roofing contractors have the market knowledge to recommend roofing options for different weathers.

4. Warranties

Warranties are a sign that good roofing Company has faith in their work. Warranties are a sign that the roof installation will be of quality since the materials warranty are covered by the manufacturer. A good contractor will offer a warranty of at least one year.

5. Estimates

Good roofing contractors will always provide you with a written estimate of the installation or roof repairs. The estimate should outline the need materials, nature of project, estimated durations and total cost o project. A written estimate helps you to understand payment terms.

6. Contract and Warranty

A good roofing contractor always provides a contract when hired, containing the project terms and agreements. You should carefully read through the contract and ensure you clear out any misunderstandings beforehand. Good roofing contractor will not rush things and work with you to get the job done timely and nicely.

7. Response to Queries

Finally make sure your roof contractor is able to offer solutions for your queries. Comprehensive and specialized estimates provide impression that the work will be carried in a professional and responsible manner. Carefully examine the contract and estimate whether it contains each cost or not, in order to avoid extra and hidden charges.

Obviously, the last thing any home owner wants is to spend time wondering if the worrying if or not your roofing company is capable of doing a good job. This is particularly the case, when you are dealing with emergency roof repair. In this regard, caution must be exercised to ensure that you find only a good roofing contractor. Unfortunately, the process of finding an emergency roofing contractor can be extremely tough. This is mainly because searching through all the background information, looking up references and other details related to their business operations will slow down your search, yet you need to find a roofer right away. So, how do you go about it?

Finding a good emergency roofing contractor

You may want to keep the following factors into consideration:
1. Licensing
This is undoubtedly the most important factor to put into account when hiring any roofing company. Ensuring that your potential roofer has the correct license information will go a long way in making sure that the roofer will be able to perform the work in accordance to the state as well as local building codes. This also means that your roofing company will not put you into any trouble as far as the local building codes and laws are concerned.

2. Insurance
This is an extremely crucial document which ensures that you and your potential roofer isn’t responsible for the costs incurred if any of the workers are hurt or materials are stolen or damaged during the roofing project. Ask for the necessary insurance documents before signing any work orders with them.

3. Does the roofing contractor offer warranties?
Let’s face it, if the roofing company is good, you can be sure that the roofing material they use will also be good. Finding an emergency roof repair service which provides matching warranties on goods as well as labor is basically the best way to find a reputable roofer on the fly. It is important for you to pay special attention to the importance of finding a roofing company that uses top notch roofing materials.

4. Turnaround time
They are not called emergency roof repair services for nothing. If your roofing company cannot guarantee you same day delivery of services, they might be everything else but an emergency roof repair service providers. Look for a company capable of repairing your roof on the same day you contact them. It is important for you to find a company that understands that come rain or shine, your roof’s repair needs are a matter of urgency.

When your roof is damaged, stay calm and by all means do not panic. The damage has already occurred and you have to stay calm seo as to find a reputable roofer. Additionally, avoid repairing the roof on your own unless you are a professional roofer as this might result in more risks and damage to your roof. Of utmost importance though is to make sure that your search for an emergency roof repair service is handled wisely. By following the tips provided here, you should be able to find a reputable and capable roofer easily and fast.

There are some important things to consider when you choose the do-it-yourself approach to repair your roof.
This is whether you are going to make minor roof repairs, replace the roof or you are going to hire a private contractor to do the repairs.

However, if you choose to do it yourself then there are specific tools that you will need to accomplish the roof repair.
Here are essential tools needed for do it yourself roof repair.

Ladder
The ladder is very important to have when you decide to do it yourself roof repair, this tool will help you to move to different spots to the roof to identify the roof. A long ladder will be very helpful because you will be able to move up with other tools needed for the whole roof repair process.

Roofing Caulk
Roofing caulk is very important when you want to repair any leakage on the roof as quick as possible.
The caulk plays a major role in sealing edges on the roof due to the roof movement and displacement may be because of rain and strong winds. You will need the black Caulk to seal all the edges between the roofs.

Putty Knife
To replace or repair the roof will be a hard work if you will all the tools you need but you luck the putting knife.
The putty knife works well in scrubbing the old caulk that had wear off so that you are able to replace with a new caulk.
If you do not have the putty knife, you can solve the situation by using kitchen knife to act as your repair tool.

Hammer and Nails
If you are going to repair your aluminum roof, then you will need to have a hammer at your disposal.
Repairing aluminum roof is very easy when you compare to other type of roofing material.
You will need the hammer and nails to add at places you feel there is a lick or when the roof have been blown away by strong wind.

Pry Bar
Pry bar is an important tool if you will have to remove some or the whole roofing, the pry bar is strong enough to remove the roofing or specific roof that may have broken or worn off.

Roof Deck protective Covering
If you are going to repair your roof, you will need to have the roof deck protective covering.
This covering is a system of layers that works together with the shingles and Caulk to protect your home from leakage and allow moisture to escape.

The Roofing Repair You can do it yourself
The above tools are very important to have when you choose to do it yourself roof repair, this tool can help you repair common leaking places around the roof, skylights, exhaust pipes.
In addition, the tools can repair ridge vents and chimneys.

How to spot roof leaks
Before you take your tools to the roof, look at the attics to see if there is any form of leakage, wetness and mold growing.
The best time to make this observation is when it is raining or after the rains to be able to see the faulty roof.

There is no specific formula that can help you know the right time to replace your roof. All you can use to know whether your roof needs replacement or repair are the various signs of damage or aging. However, the sole decision on whether it is time to replace or repair a roof is on the owner of the house and highly depends on its age and overall condition. However, repairing or replacing a roof when the first signs of roof damage are seen can help you minimize any damage to your home. The following factors should tell you the time to replace a roof:

Cracking and Curling
Tears in shingles, curling and cracking are a clear signal that your roof replacement is necessary. This signs are seen when you do visual inspection to the roof of your house. Visual inspection can be done by climbing to the roof or use a binocular to look up the roof for any signs of curling and cracking. If you discover that many shingles are cracked and curled, then you are allowed to replace your roof. But if the curling and cracking are very few then you can decide to either repair or replace them depending on the size of your pocket.

Age of the Roof
Most roofs normally have a lifespan of approximately 10 to 20 years. If your roof is more than 20 years of age and has got a lot of worn shingles, then do not hesitate to replace it with professional services. Although it is hard to detect how long a roof can last in advance, it is important to have your roof checked after about 10 years if you are using Asphalt shingles. This will really help you detect serious problems in advance. It’s also important to know that wood shakes last more than asphalt but with proper maintenance and care. However, many homeowners do not see the essence of maintaining wood roofs regularly until they start experiencing problems on them.

Granules
Asphalt shingles has a layer of granules. These are small particles of granites that are crushed and that help to protect your roof’s shingles from the ultraviolet radiation of the sun. Your roof become vulnerable to damage when this granules are detached from the shingles. However, when granules detach from a new roof, it can mean no serious danger as when they do seo in older ones.

Moisture
Moisture spots inside the roof of your house are a clear call for roof replacement. First, check the ceiling for this spots and then proceed to the roof rafters for any gaps that can allow leaking. If you cannot be able to do this personally, you can as well hire a professional who will assist you in checking important areas of your roof such as vents and chimneys and also check for damaged shingles.

Let me hope these simple tips have given you; a home owner an insight on whether to replace your roof or repair it. All in all, you should be cautious on finding the right professionals to do roof replacement for you.

Leaky roofs are very annoying, as it will make water to constantly soak into your house and get visible at places. There are many reasons for a roofing leak. It may be due to gaps or cracks created on roof shingles, a broken or damaged part lying on a plain roof or even gaps or eruptions created around the vent pipe or flashing boot and the chimney. You do not have to replace the entire roof as roofing leak repair tips can help you manage it on your own.

Materials for roof leak repair

The following is a list of tools and materials that you may need when performing roof leak repair:

– Hammer

– Trowel

– Nails

– some dry clothes

– Brush with hard metal bristles

– cement paint

– Roof covering adhesive

– Knife

– How to start with roofing leak repair

Identify the Leak

Step 1: Before you begin your roof repair that happens to be an essential part of home renovation, it is commended to find exactly where it is dripping. For this, you will have climb up the room and thoroughly check it to find any sign of damages or cracks. These are the locations where your roof tears off. Once you are able to find them, mark these spots immediately.

Step 2: Make sure you check your leaking roof from the indoor area before looking it over from the outer surface. Go to the rooftop and move around wearing flat shoes in order to get a closer view of all weak points out there. If ever you get any, point out those points. Also, cautiously inspect roof vents, flashing and chimneys for any possible cracks or weary roof pieces.

Step 3: Go to the top floor and use led flashlight to come across any watermarks on your roofing. You can easily identify the source of water leakage especially if you follow the water path to the roof. If you have reached to the source, hit a nail with a hammer on it so that you can find it with greater ease while repairing the roofing.

Repairing your leaky roofing

Step 1: check different attributes of your roofing such as chimney, vent, or flashings. Take out whichever has been bearing any sign of gaps, cracks, or breakage on them. Pull out any pitch or cement coating applied on it earlier. Rub and clean up all dust, dirt and mush with a hard-bristled brush, and use some pieces of dry cloth to absorb any water deposited there. Now install a new attribute in place of an old one. Use a trowel to fill up cracks or gaps on roofing with cement paint. To avoid any more leakage of water, allow drainage of water by filling extra amount of cement in roof gaps and cracks.

Step 2: Peel off the edges of your leaky roofing shingles and clean them properly. Take roof cement and apply at the leakage point to fill up the gaps effectively. If you come across any damaged nails, replace them with new ones. Fix these nails tightly with a cover of roof cement.