Category: Roofing

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What Are the Top 5 Signs of a Reputable Roofing Contractor?

Any time you hire an Aurora roofing contractor, you’ll want to be able to rely on them. From coming up with the best plan of action to repair your roof to deciding on how much to spend on a brand new roofing system, there are countless issues that most homeowners are not able to make an informed decision on without the help and support of a dependable roofer. So before you even start thinking about making those choices, you have to make sure the roofer you hire can actually be depended on.

A Roofer with a License

A license is a very important requirement for any Aurora roofing contractor. There are places in the country where contractors and roofers are not even allowed to do their work without being licensed. In most cases, when you find a licensed roofer, the fact that they can provide you with their license number without any reservations is a clear sign of trust, and it also enables you to look them up, see if their license is valid for the type of work they do in your area, and also do a quick background check on the business itself. The license shows that the roofer in question actually had some education and training before going out to perform roofing jobs, and that they can be held accountable for any mistakes they make.

The Importance of Experience

There is no substitute for long term experience in any field of work. Roofing is no different, and when you look at the experience of a roofer who has been in the industry for more than 5-10 years, compared to someone who’s just starting out, you’ll notice clear differences. An experienced roofer will be able to tell you about issues and risks that you won’t normally notice right away, since they have had to tackle them before in the past.

Aurora roofing contractor

Good Reviews

There’s no better way to see how a Aurora roofing contractor operates than by taking a look at the opinions of past clients. Sites like Yelp and Angie’s List will provide you with accurate listings and real life opinions and reviews that clients who have worked with the roofers in question have written. You can check them out and see precisely what you can expect from one roofer or another.

Written Estimates

The estimate or quote that you get from a roofer will tell you a lot about how much the work will cost, how long it will take to finish it, and what special notes or details you’ll have to take into account. A lot of roofers will not give you a written estimate, since they consider it a matter of trust and honor to complete the project properly. However, this is also a recipe for many issues later on. Without a written estimate, your roofer can later ask for more money, and you won’t be able to hold them accountable for the initial promise they made to complete your project within an established budget.

Trust and Long Term Commitment

Finally, a dependable and trustworthy Aurora roofing contractor will commit long term. While many roofing contractors only provide you with a quick repair service and then they’re gone, others will go the extra mile, offering discounted maintenance services, long term labor warranties and a friendly emergency roofing service, should your roof start leaking again after a bad storm. These are typically the experts that you should hire right away.

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Best Roof Styles for Modern Homes

Littleton roofing contractors

A modern home style can be obtained with both sloped and flat roofs. Modern approaches to the new constructions and materials for the creation of roofs make it possible now to successfully implement spectacular and unusual projects, including in the case of residential buildings with different styles.

Flat roofs today are no longer associated only with commercial buildings, but also with the ultra-modern geometric design of new residential buildings.

More and more owners appreciate the fact that they can enjoy the luxury of functional fashion, while remaining ecological, by opting for green roofs. These roofs can be easily installed on flat roofs and there are many benefits of such an eco-renovation: the creation of mini-ecosystems in urban areas, reducing pollution and the effect of urban heat island, increasing energy efficiency, providing protection against noise and water infiltrations etc.

In the past, the main goal of green roof projects was the integration of water management efficiency and of some elements that help achieve increased energy efficiency. Nowadays, the trend is to design green roofs suitable also for leisure activities.

In the case of sloped roofs, Littleton roofing contractors substantiate that the variety of materials existing nowadays on the market offer many solutions for creating roof designs for modern homes. In addition to the wide range of colors, there is also a rich palette of textures and coatings, which provides stability and style. Available in various shapes and 100% accessorized with matching accessories, premium roof systems have a superior design.

The color chosen for the roof of a modern home must also be in trend, so it can go both in strong shades and in grays appropriate to the industrial style used by avant-garde designers.

Solar tiles represent a category of very new roofing materials that will be developed and improved in the future. They are expected to revolutionize the roofing industry, being the latest option for modern homes. A solar tile is actually a photovoltaic module, embedded in a tile shape, made of classic materials and standard sizes. Solar tiles can replace not just traditional roofing materials, but also the photovoltaic panels.

Types of sloped roofs suitable for modern homes:

  • Single-slope roofs

A single-slope roof can be used to create an ultra-modern look of the house. You can imagine this type of roof as half of a gabled roof or as a flat roof that was slightly sloped. It allows an opening of the facade to the sunny areas and reduces the exposure on the opposite facade.

It is good to remember that such roofing requires additional thermal insulation and is not very suitable for areas prone to strong winds.

A popular option at the moment is to use single-slope roofs for houses built on several levels, in order to obtain more interesting and unique designs.

  • Roofs with complex shapes

The complex-shaped roof is a combination of two or more roofs. They are usually created to complete constructions with a unique shape. So, if you appreciate diversity and complexity, this type of roof can be another great choice for a modern home.

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The Top Trends in Roofing that Improve Your Home’s Street Appeal

Trends in the development of today’s roofing systems show the efforts made to establish a balance between energy efficiency and environmentally friendly concepts, on the one hand, and aesthetics, on the other. Regarding this year’s roofing trends ( which are expected to last in the coming years!), these are the most important aspects:

  1. Color is critical

This year, when you choose the color for your roof cover, the inspiration comes from nature.

Blue can be a good choice – a soothing color that evokes the ocean. No matter how the shadow falls on the roof, choose blue if you want to create the impression of serenity. Or you can opt for dark gray, a sophisticated and contemporary color. Consider combining gray with a contrasting color, for a dramatic effect.

As general advice, a good roofer Houston TX contractor suggests that when you want a new color for your roof, take into account the exterior design elements, starting from the color of the walls and up to the shades of the surrounding landscape. Also, do not forget to consider the color of the neighboring roofs! It is important to take into account the aesthetic rules of your area. To maintain the chromatic harmony, choose a shade that does not stand out too much or disturbs visually. This does not mean that you cannot show your personality by choosing an original design that will make the difference you want.

roofer Houston TX

  1. Environmentally friendly is beautiful

The importance of eco-friendly products and practices is growing, so it is desirable to turn to sustainable construction and achieve complete harmony from the inside out, up to the roof, through environmentally friendly practices.

The beginning of this new century reveals an increasingly obvious ecological trend in most areas. Significantly developed in the automotive industry in recent years, this trend is slowly but surely embracing the construction industry. And what part of a building can be easier to adapt to the new ecological trends than the roof? Turning to eco-friendly roofing materials is a very responsible attitude these days, not to mention that there are several such solutions that will help you improve your home`s street appeal.

Green roofs are one of the best examples, if not the best.

With the development of a broader vision of sustainability, it is important to remember that, from the point of view of the construction life cycle, the environmental impact of any building comes from energy consumption and the use of renewable and sustainable materials.

Green roofs go beyond the significance of contemporary architecture and add new value to the role of buildings in urban planning.

They are designed not only to bring the natural element back to the urban environment, but also to provide solutions to important problems such as the “urban thermal island” effect and storm water management.

Solar panels and, more recently, solar tiles are other solutions that will improve your home`s street appeal, if you combine them with a roof with modern architecture. Solar roofs are expected to become increasingly popular and power the buildings of the future.

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What Are the Main Signs of a Roof That Needs to Be Replaced?

roof repair Gaithersburg MD

In many instances, homeowners believe that repairing a roof is a better choice than replacing it entirely. After all, it’s cheaper, you don’t have to deal with that much hassle, and the whole project is over sooner. Unfortunately, things don’t always work out so easily, and there are a lot of cases when it’s usually best to just install a new roof altogether:

  1. Probably the main reason most roofs are replaced is age. The projected lifespan of a roof depends on the quality of its materials, the sturdiness of its construction and how well it can be upgraded and reinforced to prevent damage from setting in during storms, fires or even periods of intense sunlight. Projected lifespan can vary from 15-20 years for the cheapest asphalt roofs, to more than 100 years for a well-designed concrete or slate roofing system.
  2. When you buy a new home and the roof it has is not the proper one for the area, leaving it as it is can often lead to a lot of damages that will cost a lot of money to repair over even a short amount of time. Most experts recommend that you hire a roofer to learn about the best roofing materials for your area, and then aim for a complete re-roofing job with a better material.
  3. One or more leaks will not generally show whether or not a roof needs to be replaced. There are countless cases when an experienced roof repair Gaithersburg MD contractor can fix multiple leaks in just a few hours without them returning. Also, newer roofs are typically less affected by water damage, and their interior structure is more resilient than older ones. However. When typical repairs don’t tend to help much and new leaks keep springing up almost during each new storm, then you might want to consider having your roof replaced.
  4. Internal damage may also be an essential factor. Even for a newer roof that hasn’t been affected too badly by storms and hail, issues such as poor ventilation and condensation forming inside its interior structure – most especially the decking – can lead to mold and severe damage that needs to be repaired by removing at least part of the roof first. If the damage spreads to enough areas, it’s usually more practical to replace the entire roof altogether.
  5. Improper installation is an undesirable but very real issue that happens when homeowners hire an inexperienced or unskilled residential roofer to handle the installation of a new roof. In some cases, the installation work was so bad that the entire roof had to be scrapped and the project redone. This is just one of the reasons why it’s important to find the best roofing contractor for your money.

If you ask roofing and real estate experts, they’ll tell you that, whether you want to live in your home for decades to come or sell it for a profit, it’s typically best to consider hiring a roofer to tell you whether or not you should have your roof replaced or repaired. While keeping in mind the guidelines presented above, think about calling your friendly local roofing Gaithersburg contractor to provide you with a complete roof inspection and guide you on the best choice to make.

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What Are the Top Roofing Products to Use in Austin TX?

Austin, the capital of Texas, is a great and very special city in many ways, one of the features that make it so special being its capricious climate. Located in a transition zone between arid and humid regions, the city gets mild, short winters and long, very hot and often very dry summers and mild, pleasant springs and winters.

When local building owners look for materials to be used on their roofs, the climate that dominates the city is surely among the most important factors to have in mind, but the process should include the weighing of other aspects as well. Here are some of the criteria that you should use when picking the material for your next roof as well as some options that have been time-tested and proved very efficient.

roofing Austin

Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Roofing Materials

Besides resistance to the types of extreme weather that can affect your city,  roofing Austin experienced contractors substantiate that the other aspects to have in mind while browsing roofing materials include price, durability, aesthetics and energetic performance.

When it comes to pricing, roofing materials show dramatic differences. You also need to know that material prices can vary from one supplier to the other and they are higher in peak periods, such as in spring, but lower when the weather reduces the number of ongoing roofing projects, so shopping around and picking the best period to buy your materials are very important.

Roofing materials are different in terms of their lifespan as well – standard asphalt shingles can stay on your building for around 20 years, metal roofs are warranted for 40 years, while clay and cement tiles can offer a durability of up to a century.

Each roofing material is different in terms of thermal performance as well, some options, such as clay, offering better insulation, while others, such as standard asphalt shingles, are materials that need a little help in the form of insulation to prevent energy exchange.

The Materials that Work Best in Austin

Here are your best options:

  • Clay and cement tiles – these tile types are heavy and not the cheapest option, but their durability, their classic charm, their superior resistance to the elements, including heat and storms, make the choice a really good one;
  • Metal – the range of metal roofing materials is incredibly wide, allowing you to choose from numerous different alloys, styles and shapes. The most common alloys are aluminum, corrugated steel, stainless steel, copper and zinc-coated varieties, while the most common styles include large sheets, shingles and tiles;
  • Impact-resistant shingles – these special shingle varieties are extensively tested before they reach the store to check for their resistance to being hit by hail as well as to high winds. The material is among the most expensive asphalt shingle varieties, but still cheap compared to other materials. Impact-resistant shingles are lightweight and they come in a wide range of colors and textures, so no matter what style your building features, you will surely find the impact-resistant shingles that match it.
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What Roofing Systems are Best for Florida?

roofing Boca Raton

When it comes to roofing in Florida, not all materials are suitable for the local climate. Experienced roofing Boca Raton companies confirm that you need materials manufactured to withstand the constant heat and humidity specific to the Sunshine State and able to hold up against tropical storms or even hurricanes.

Ceramic roofs

Here are some of the many benefits of this type of roof:

  • Ceramic tile is a natural product, obtained by burning it at over 1000 ° C, which ensures its durability. A ceramic roof has a lifespan of over 100 years. From this interval, the warranties cover more than a third, so, in the long run, this type of roof is a very good choice.
  • Ceramic tiles can reduce energy costs by up to 30% and adapt to each season, absorbing or releasing heat and ensuring exactly the environmental comfort you need. It is not only a durable material, but also an economical one, because what is defining in estimating the value of a roof is its lifespan and not the purchasing costs.
  • The anti-condensation foils and the vapor barrier that are part of a complete ceramic roof system form a protective layer that prevents water from entering the building. Ventilation systems, in turn, help evaporating condensed water. There are also complete and safe solutions for lighting and access to a ceramic roof.
  • Last but not least, ceramic tiles provide an aesthetic aspect to any building, besides sealing it safely.

Concrete roofs

Concrete has many advantages and positive characteristics, being another material suitable for Florida roofs:

  • Impermeability
  • Color consistency and smooth surface
  • Weather protection
  • Dimensional accuracy and practical use
  • High mechanical strength
  • Natural components

Metal roofs

Metal is another excellent material for Florida roofs and here’s why:

  • Extended warranty period: Depending on the material and the manufacturer, there are metal roofs that can last between 40 and 70 years, with minimal maintenance requirements.
  • Resistance in extreme weather conditions: Metal roofs will successfully withstand even the harshest weather conditions. They will not be affected by high winds, they will not change their shape or properties as a result of impact and, if properly maintained, they will not be attacked by corrosion.
  • Lightweight: A metal roof does not apply pressure to the structure of the house, being much lighter compared to most roofing solutions. For example, while concrete tiles can weigh up to 20 kg/ sqm, metal solutions weigh between 2.5 and 7 kg /sqm. Due to this property, metal roofs can be installed even over an existing roof.
  • Quick and easy installation: A single sheet metal plate generally covers over 1.5 sqm of roof. Also, having a much lower weight and being extremely malleable, the installation time of the roof can decrease significantly. This also translates into lower labor costs.
  • The only downside is that a metal roof requires an additional thermal insulation system. Although metal can reflect the sun’s rays (which decreases heat transfer indoors), it is not a good thermal insulator and requires some additional work to improve its insulation performance.

 

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How To Clean Your Roof

The roof influences very much the overall appearance of the building, so the choice of materials used to build or renovate it requires special attention, especially as the roof is also a fairly large investment. Shingles and tiles are now made from increasingly better materials and manufacturers offer long warranties. But what is often ignored is that the roof needs periodic maintenance and cleaning, just like any other building component, to remain in good shape. 

Why do you need to clean your roof?

  1. For aesthetic reasons

The first reason why you must consider cleaning your roof periodically has aesthetic considerations. Regardless the shape and architecture of your building, the roof plays an important role in the exterior design. It does not represent exclusively the element that protects the building, but it also visually influences its overall aspect.

We probably all know that distinct fresh and elegant air of a new building; a significant part of it is due to the vivid colors and shine of the roof. But time puts its mark on it; dust, mud and other debris accumulate on the roof, forming deposits that rain cannot wash completely. Some types of shingles are also prone to the development of moss and other vegetation. As such, the colors of the roof coating materials tend to change and fade over time.

  1. For practical reasons

Besides being unsightly, a dirty roof develops other vulnerabilities that will decrease its lifespan.  Dirt and biological factors may allow serious damage to shingles and the entire roof system. Moss and algae fill the spaces between shingles and tiles, allowing moisture and, eventually, leaks. Dirt also absorbs water and prevents its natural drainage through the gutters, allowing the development of harmful bacteria that you do not want around the house.

Many roofs are built not only to protect, but also to provide thermal insulation for the buildings. If they are covered by dirt, moss or algae, they lose much of this ability.

Centennial rrofing company

How to clean a roof

Centennial roofing company specialists recommend to clean the roof annually, to remove leaves and other debris Attentions should also be given to the gutters and downspouts. If they get clogged because of dry leaves, ice etc., you may experience leaks and also witness the apparition of corrosion. For this reason, it is advisable to include the roof cleaning operation in your annual maintenance schedule.

The surface of the roof should be cleaned with a soft brush and pressurized water (at a low pressure level, to avoid damaging shingles granulations and other protective layers). Use organic detergents, to prevent damaging the roof coating materials and the vegetation around the house.

Periodic cleaning and maintenance of the roof involves lower costs than replacing it. Use professional cleaning services and you will not have to worry about doing this operation on your own or affecting the structure of the roof.

What does a professional roof cleaner offer?

  • eradication of algae, moss, mildew, lichens, and bacteria
  • cleaning dust, mud, smog, soot
  • cleaning the drainage system
  • cleaning dirt and debris fallen around the building
  • protecting the vegetation from the action of chemical agents used to clean the roof