Asphalt Shingle Roof Tear Off

May 10th, 2012 Posted in Residential Roof Replacement
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When you are replacing an asphalt shingle roof, one of the first steps should be to remove or “tear-off” the existing shingles and underlayment.  While it’s possible to install a second layer of shingles directly on top of an existing roof, a top quality residential re-roofing starts with a clean roof deck and that means removing all of the old shingles and the underlayment so that the old roof deck can be inspected and repaired if needed.

Some roofing contractors will quote a residential roof replacement without tearing off the old roof.  This is a less expensive alternative, but the short term savings will be offset by long term costs, particularly a shorter service life for the new roof.  You are better off in the long run by starting with a clean, solid roof deck.

As an initial matter, some local building codes prohibit more than a single layer of shingles so you may not even have the option.  Even if the option of adding a second layer of shingles is available to you, experienced roofers know that the roof will not last as long if installed directly on top of an existing layer of shingles.

One theory is that trapped moisture in the old roof shortens the life of the new roof.  Another theory is that the added heat is what causes the reduction in the lifespan of the second layer.  A third possibility is that the unevenness of the existing roof makes the second layer more susceptible to moisture intrusion and leaks.

Whatever the reason, some manufacturer’s warranties are invalidated by installation of the shingles on top of an existing layer of shingles.  The bottom line is that the small additional cost of removing the old roof is well worth the expense.  The result will be a higher quality, longer lasting roof.

 

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Asphalt Shingle Features

May 10th, 2012 Posted in Asphalt Shingle Roofs
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If you are in the market for asphalt shingles for your residential roof replacement, you have probably already found out that all asphalt shingles are not created equal.  It wasn’t very long ago that a homeowner’s choice in asphalt shingles was pretty much limited to what color three tab shingle looked best.  These days, a homeowner can choose not only between three tab or laminated shingles, but also from a host of features.  Which of these features are right for your home depends on your situation and personal preference.

One of the main weaknesses of asphalt shingles is their low impact resistance which makes them susceptible to hail damage.  Laminated shingles have higher impact resistance than three tab shingles and are an excellent choice for most areas, but if you live in a hail prone area, there are some laminated asphalt shingles made with a Class 4 impact resistance rating which is the highest in the industry.

Low wind resistance is another drawback of standard three tab shingles, especially in coastal areas prone to named storms.  Although most three tab shingles have wind resistance ratings of only 60 mph, many laminated shingles are rated for winds over 100 mph.  Some laminated shingles carry even higher ratings, up to 130 mph, and make an excellent choice for areas prone to high winds.

If energy saving is a concern, look for “cool roofing” asphalt shingles coated with special ceramic granules to provide them with relatively high solar reflectance.  These shingles are available in a wide array of attractive colors including some surprisingly darker colors.  You don’t have to have white roof to achieve energy savings!

Asphalt shingle roofs in wet or humid areas are prone to algae growth which appears as dark streaks on the roof.  If algae growth is a problem in your area, look for shingles specially treated with zinc additives to inhibit algae growth.

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Hail Damage to Metal Roofing

May 2nd, 2012 Posted in Hail Damage
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One of the reasons that metal roofing is becoming increasingly popular is that it is much more resistant to hail damage than composition asphalt shingles.  Even modest sized hail can cause enough damage to an asphalt shingle roof to require a roof replacement.  Most metal roofing can withstand moderate sized hail with no significant damage.  However, some homeowner’s are under the mistaken impression that metal roofing is impervious to hail damage.

While metal roofing has excellent impact resistance, larger hail can cause dents and indentations in metal roofing.  Very large hail can cause serious dents and other damage to metal roofing.  In many cases the damage is cosmetic, but in some cases the dent will cause a crack to form in the coating and the metal will begin to corrode.

The dings and dents are not only unattractive, they will lead to increased maintenance to treat the dinged rusty spots.  In addition, even though the damage is cosmetic, it can devalue your home and make it more difficult to sell.

The bottom line is that even if you have a metal roof, you should have it inspected for damage by an experienced roofing contractor following a hail storm.  Most reputable local roofing contractors offer free roof inspections and if hail damage is found, they can usually help you understand the insurance claims process.  Be sure to stick with a good local roofing contractor rather than a storm chaser or other out of town roofer.  These roofers are more likely to encourage to file a claim even if you don’t have any hail damage.

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Minimizing Hail Damage

May 2nd, 2012 Posted in Hail Damage
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The time to think about minimizing hail damage to your roof is long before the storm arrives.  Once hail starts falling, there is nothing you can do to stop or minimize the damage to your roof.  Your priority should be to keep you and your family safely inside your home where the roof can provide the protection it was meant to provide.  The roof may be ruined, but it can be replaced and most of the cost will be covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy.

When building a new home, keep in mind that the lower the roof slope the more damage falling hail will do to it. When hail strikes a sloping roof, the force of the impact is less because the hail usually strikes at an angle.  With a flat or very low slope roof, the hail will strike the roof more directly and with more force causing greater damage.

The roofing materials make a big difference when it comes to roof hail damage.  Slate and tile roofs have very high impact resistance and can withstand most hail with very minimal damage.  Slate and tile are very expensive and very heavy, so many homeowners prefer to install metal roofing.

Metal roofing has slightly lower impact resistance than slate and tile, but it has a far lower cost and weight which means it can be installed on almost any home and fits into most budgets.  Very large hail can damage metal roofing, but in most cases the damage is only cosmetic.

Composition asphalt shingles have the lowest impact resistance and are much more likely to suffer hail damage.  However, higher end laminated shingles have significantly better impact resistance than three tab shingles and have become the shingle of choice for many roofing experts.

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Prompt Hail Damage Roof Inspections Are Important

May 2nd, 2012 Posted in Hail Damage
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Whether you have an asphalt shingle roof, metal roof or slate or tile roof, you should have the roof inspected for hail damage shortly after the hail event, even if you do not see any damage from the ground.  Hail can damage a roof in ways that cannot be seen from the ground.  In addition to pitting and bruising, hail can dislodge the ceramic granules that protect an asphalt shingle roof from sun damage.  Hail can also cause pitting in metal roofs.

If enough ceramic granules are dislodged from the shingle, the roof will probably fail within the next year or two.  Without enough ceramic granules, sun exposure dries out the asphalt and the shingles become brittle.  If the hail was large enough, a metal roof may have some pitting that appears cosmetic, but could also contain very small cracks in the coating that will allow moisture to reach the bare metal and corrosion will begin.

In most cases, this diminished life expectancy of your roof is covered by your homeowner’s insurance.  It’s important to have a professional roofer or roof inspector look at your roof soon after the hailstorm to determine whether you have hail damage and whether or not the hail damage is merely cosmetic.  Most roofing contractors offer free roof inspections.

Most insurance companies have a time limit on filing claims for hail damage.  If the claim is filed too late, then the claim will be denied.  It is important to avoid denial of the claim by filing the claim at the earliest opportunity.

Don’t wait to have your roof inspected after a significant hail storm.  Call a good roofer right away and if there is hail damage, file the claim as soon as possible.

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The Straight Scoop on Hail Damage

May 2nd, 2012 Posted in Hail Damage
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Many homeowners are under the mistaken impression that all hail damage to their roof should be visible from the street.  Others believe that if the roof is not leaking, then it did not sustain hail damage.  Another popular misconception is that a new asphalt shingle roof will not be damaged by hail.

The reality is that hail can cause severe damage to an asphalt shingle roof that is not visible from the ground.  Most hail damage is due to excessive granules being dislodged by the hail.  This type of damage can be hard to see from the ground, especially by the untrained eye.  An experienced local roofing professional will be able to identify this common type of hail damage.

The fact that the roof is not leaking today doesn’t mean that it might not start leaking tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year.  When the granules are dislodged from the shingles, it leaves the roof exposed to the sun’s UV rays which cause it to dry out and ultimately fail.  It might take weeks or months for the roof to fail, but you shouldn’t wait that long to file a claim.

Finally, new roofs are not necessarily better able to withstand a hail storm. It’s true that an old, dry roof might be more susceptible to damage than a new roof, but new roofs can definitely be damaged by hail. It depends in part on the type and quality of the shingles installed.  Laminated shingles have higher impact resistance ratings than three tab shingle and will be able to better weather a hail storm.

The important thing to remember is to have the roof inspected by a good roofing contractor at your earliest opportunity.

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Free Roof Inspections

May 1st, 2012 Posted in Hail Damage
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If your home has been hit by heavy weather, it’s a good idea to have the roof inspected by an experienced local roofer or roof inspector.  High winds and hail can cause significant damage to your roof, especially if you have an asphalt shingle roof.  Newer laminated asphalt shingle roofs have better hail resistance than older three tab shingle roofs, but both can be damaged in a storm with winds greater than 60 mph or hail larger than 1 inch to 1 1/4 inches in diameter.

You can inspect your roof yourself, but it is easy for a homeowner to miss the most common type of hail damage.  Very large hail causes highly visible damage such as split or pitted shingles, but smaller hail can cause damage that less obvious, but no less harmful.  Smaller hail dislodges the protective ceramic granules that cover an asphalt shingle.

It is normal for composition asphalt shingles to lose a small quantity of these granules, but if enough of these protective ceramic granules are dislodged from the shingle, it will be exposed to the sun’s UV rays which will cause the shingle to dry out and become brittle in a matter of weeks or months.  The roof will fail soon thereafter.

An experienced roofing contractor or roof inspector will be able to identify any hail damage to your roof including whether your roof has been compromised due to ceramic granule loss.  The good news is that most reputable local roofing contractors offer free roof inspections so in most cases it won’t cost you a dime to have your roof inspected by a professional.

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Understanding Hail Damage

April 30th, 2012 Posted in Hail Damage
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Hail can do a lot of damage to an asphalt shingle roof, but many homeowners don’t understand exactly how hail damages the roof and as a result, they end up paying the entire cost for a roof replacement that should have been covered by their homeowners insurance.  Understanding how hail damages an asphalt shingle roof will help the homeowner decide whether they need to call a reputable local roofing contractor and arrange for a roof inspection.

When most people think of hail damage, they think of cars covered with dents, holes in their siding, and plants and shrubs stripped of their foliage.  Large enough hail can cause similar damage to an asphalt shingle roof.  Hail the size of golf balls and larger can knock shingles loose and cause pits and splits in the shingles.

However, smaller hail can cause roof damage that is much harder to see but no less damaging to your roof.  When hail strikes an asphalt shingle roof, it can dislodge the protective ceramic granules that coat the surface of an composition asphalt shingle.  These granules add color and texture to a roof, but their primary purpose is to protect the shingle from damage due to exposure to the sun’s UV rays.

An asphalt shingle is essentially a fiberglass mat soaked in asphalt and covered with protective ceramic granules. Without these protective granules, the asphalt would quickly dry out and the shingle would fail.

In a hailstorm, if enough to these granules are knocked loose, the asphalt base will be exposed to the sun and over the next weeks or months the roof will dry out and ultimately fail.  The bottom line is that any time you suspect that your roof has been impacted by hail, you should have the roof inspected by an experienced local roofer.  They are trained to spot hail damage and may even help you submit an insurance claim if damage is found.

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The Half Completed Roofing Scam

April 12th, 2012 Posted in Residential Roof Replacement
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Con artists are very creative.  Whenever a community gets wise to one of their schemes, they just think of another one.  The roofing industry is no different.  Like any service industry, most roofing contractors are honest businesspeople, but there are always a few bad apples that give the industry a bad reputation.

There are many different ways that unscrupulous roofing contractors try to cheat homeowners out of their money.  Most homeowner’s know enough not to pay for the entire job up front, so creative fraudsters sometimes turn to the “half completion  scam.”

The way this scheme works is that the alleged roofing contractor asks for partial payment upon completion of half the job.  Sometimes they will ask for a third up front, a third at half completion, and a third when the job is complete.  Called the rule of thirds, this is a common way of doing business.

Once the contract is signed, the contractor will hire cheap, unskilled labor to remove the existing roof.  Removing the existing roof is good practice when replacing an asphalt shingle roof.  Once the old roof is removed, the contractor asks for the payment due at half completion and argues that half the job is removing the old roof.

Once the homeowner pays, the contractor simply runs off with the money and no further work is done.  The contractor will have received two thirds of the cost of the roof replacement and only had to pay out a small amount to remove the old roof.

The homeowner is in a bind – not only are they out thousands of dollars, but their home is unprotected from the elements.  The homeowner needs to hire a reputable roofing contractor to finish the roof replacement as soon as possible.

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Roofing Contractor Warning Signs

April 12th, 2012 Posted in Roofing Contractors
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Finding a good roofing contractor is an important first step in a residential roof replacement project, especially if you will be installing an asphalt shingle roof.  With asphalt shingle roofing, the quality of the workmanship is just as important as the quality of the materials.  For a high quality roof that will provide decades of excellent protection for your home and family, you want top quality workmanship.

Finding a good roofing contractor can be a challenge.  With so many roofing contractors to choose from, it can be hard to tell the good from the bad.  However, there are a few warning signs to watch out for.  If you see any of these signs, think twice about using that contractor.

Never use a roofing contractor that asks for full payment up front.  Nine times out of ten this is just a scam and after you give your hard earned money to the contractor you will never see them again.

Avoid roofing contractors who submit unusually low estimates.  This is usually a sign that the contractor will be cutting corners somewhere.  The contractor might be using unskilled labor, inferior quality materials, or following poor roofing practices.  As tempting as a low estimate might sound, you get what you pay for with an asphalt shingle roof and its worth paying what it costs to get the job done right.

Be very cautious about using an out of town roofer.  Some are shady operators and some do good work, but none of them will be around if you need them for warranty work.  Better to stick with a reputable local roofer.

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