Your roof is a significant investment for your home. You may think that once your roof is installed, you don’t see the roofer again until you need a new roof. There are many residential roofing services to hire that may cause you to contact your roofer.
Roof Inspection
One of the top residential roofing services to hire is an inspection. Your roof needs to be inspected throughout its life. Local roofers inspect your roof regularly, usually twice a year. This helps them determine if there are any needed repairs. In addition, an inspection allows you to address small concerns sooner so your roof can last longer.
An inspector looks for water damage from several sources. Your gutters may be clogged and not functioning properly. You may have flashing that’s damaged or installed incorrectly. If there has been a severe storm, shingles may have blown off your roof. All of these situations allow water to get inside the house. When mold is growing around the chimney and on attic insulation, these are signs of excessive water damage. A roofing contractor will do an interior inspection and look at those areas.
A local contractor examines the asphalt shingles to see if they have worn down. They are looking for loose or missing shingles. They also ensure they aren’t rotting and have no algae growth. When looking at the gutters, they also look for loose granules. This could be a sign of worn-down shingles.
In addition, a roof provides a structural inspection. During this inspection, they look for signs of sagging and uneven roof lines. They look carefully at your chimney to assess for cracks, damage to chimney caps, and crumbling grout. Finally, they want to ensure your attic is venting properly. If not, it can cause the buildup of moisture and heat, which increases the risk of ice dams.
If you have a metal roof, an inspector looks for loose seams. Metal does expand and contract based on the weather. As a result, you may have loose screws and separating seams. This can cause a buildup of water and condensation which can damage the structure.
Roof Maintenance
When thinking about residential roofing services to hire, you can’t overlook roof maintenance. Roofing contractors will explain that regular maintenance can help prevent more damage to your roof. It ensures the integrity of your roof. It also allows you to monitor any damage that is currently on your roof.
Roof maintenance includes an inspection of your roof. A professional contractor looks for loose shingles, loose nails, loose flashing, or anything out of place. Most of the time, if they notice something is loose, they can repair it right away. This is true as long as it’s a minor repair. While you can often remove debris from your roof, roofers do this during regular maintenance. If you decide to do it yourself, you don’t have to climb on the roof. Instead, you can purchase a tool that allows you to remove branches and other items from your roof. Debris often piles up on your roof from rain or wind.
During regular maintenance, a contractor removes mold from your roof. Mold spreads quickly and can cause damage. Minimal mold can be washed away with the gentle spray of a hose. If there is too much mold on your roof, you need a professional to remove it for you. Your gutters are an important part of maintenance. Many don’t realize how important your gutters are for your roof. When the gutters have buildup and don’t function properly, it can damage your roof. The gutters can be cleaned by hand, but you must climb on a ladder to reach them.
If you don’t have regular maintenance scheduled for your roof, you can contact a local contractor. They can inspect your roof and provide an estimate as well as a schedule for regular maintenance and inspection.
Roof Cleaning
When you are considering residential roofing services to hire, regular maintenance is a priority. During regular maintenance, you can expect roofing companies to clean your roof. It removes buildup or debris that could prevent your roof from functioning correctly. In addition, roofers ensure that the work area is secure and wear appropriate gear to keep themselves safe.
A roofer removes debris that accumulates on the roof. This could include branches, twigs, leaves, and other materials. They may use a leaf blower to remove some of the debris. Roof cleaning also removes moss, mold, mildew, and algae from your roof. In addition, companies offer roof snow removal and limb or tree removal.
Some items stick on more and may require a brush. A roofer may also use a pressure washer and specialized cleaning solution to remove stains and moss on the roof. Not only does this help improve the way the roof looks, but it can also prevent damage. During the cleaning process, the roofer inspects the roof for any signs of damage or wear and tear, such as missing shingles or cracks.
Some roofers offer two different ways to clean the roof. A mechanical roof cleaning uses brushes and a power washer. They may also use a surface clean which uses pressurized water to remove debris. Power washing is effective for removing anything on any surface. However, you should be aware that high pressure can cause granules from asphalt shingles to fall off. This can reduce the length of time the roof can last.
There is also a chemical cleaning that uses chlorine bleach, alcohol, and other chemicals to kill what’s growing on the roof. While a common concern is that this solution will kill grass and flowers below the roof, that can be prevented. As long as the vegetation is watered before and after the chemicals are applied to the roof, it should survive.
Roof Repairs
You may need roof repairs for your roof. You will find this is one of the top residential roofing services to hire. Roofers will fix any loose, missing, or damaged shingles. If your roof is in good condition, you should only need to have the damaged shingles replaced. This helps you avoid a total roof replacement, which can be expensive.
To remove one shingle that is damaged, a roofer removes the shingles above the damaged one, even if it’s in good shape. As long as the good shingle is not brittle, it can go back to its original spot, along with a new shingle to replace the broken one.
If you have a leak in your roof, the roof material dictates which technique is needed. No matter what the roofing material is, it will need some sort of roofing cement to patch up leaks. However, that patch must be compatible with the type of material on your roof. If you have a flat roof, water may collect on it. Even when you have proper drainage, it can still happen. This is most noticeable after a severe storm. It can also happen from the condensation from an air conditioner. Before attempting to fix a leak, the roofing contractor must determine the cause.
If there are cracks in the roof or chimney, a roofer may apply a roofing mastic. This material is similar to tar. First, reinforced webbing is placed over the crack with the tar material. Then the crack is sealed. If you think there is damage to your roof, you should contact a professional roofer.
Roof Replacement
When you need a roof replacement, you need residential roofing services to hire. When your roof is replaced, you must prepare both the outside and the inside of your home. For example, when you are having plywood replaced, you should cover furniture, bedding, and clothing to prevent falling debris from damaging your household items. During the roof installation, roofers scatter and nail materials all over your roof.
When considering residential roofing services to hire, you should know how your home and roof are prepared for a replacement. The preparation steps are the same, no matter which type of roof material you have.
Once all the safety steps have been taken, the existing shingles are removed. The wood decking underneath is inspected for damage. If the wood decking is wet, rotted, or soft, it’s removed and replaced. This material must be solid to give your roof a strong foundation. It’s needed so your shingles can remain in place and intact. Once the wood decking has been prepared and put in place, a drip edge is put in place. This metal is installed at the edge of the roof.
An underlayment is put in place to protect the roof from ice and water. This prevents water from leaking into your roof. This is placed at all connections, flanges, and chimneys. The roof is then covered with heavy-duty roofing felt. Now, the base is ready, and roofing materials are installed. They install shingles from the bottom up and add counter flashing and ridge vents as needed. Your contractor should clean up along the way, and there should be a final inspection before the roof is finished.
Re-Roofing
When you are thinking about re-roofing your home, you need residential roofing services to hire. When you contact a local roofing company, they explain re-roofing to you. When new shingles are layered on top of existing ones, that is re-roofing. You can only add one additional layer to your roof. If your home already has more than one layer of roofing, it won’t work for you.
These roofing services are great for you if your existing roof is in good condition. If you have water damage or missing shingles, re-roofing may not work for you. If you are considering re-roofing, it should happen for your entire roof. It’s not recommended for a portion of the roof. If your roof is sagging, re-roofing is not available to you. In general, re-roofing is more affordable than replacing the entire roof.
You must consider some features before deciding to re-roof. You must know your roofing material and the number of stories to your house. You also consider the pitch of your roof and the age of your home. This is a faster option because the time it takes to remove the existing roof is not a factor. You should also know that re-roofing has a shorter lifespan than if you had replaced the entire roof.
Gutter Cleaning
Another one of the residential roofing services to hire is gutter cleaning services. When you notice there is debris like leaves and twigs in your gutters, you want to have them cleaned. When debris accumulates and clogs your gutters, it can become a problem. Clogged gutters can cause water to back up under the shingles, which can cause damage and rot to your roof.
In the winter season, debris in your gutters can lead to ice dams, which can cause water to back up and enter your home. Water also overflows clogged gutters causing damage to your foundation, walls, and roof. Debris in your gutters can attract pests. Rodents, insects, and birds may create a pest infestation in or around your home. To prevent damage to your roof, you should have your gutters cleaned a minimum of two times per year. If you have trees around your home, you should clean your gutters more often.
In addition to cleaning your gutters, professional contractors will inspect the gutter system. Gutters should be installed along the eaves of the roof. They are attached to the fascia with brackets. Gutters are installed on a slope to allow water to flow to the downspouts. Downspouts are installed on the house’s exterior and attached securely to withstand heavy rain and strong winds. A roofer may install additional features like gutter guards to prevent debris from clogging the gutters.
This guide gives you insight into residential roofing services to hire. While you know you need to care for your roof, you may not know what that means. This information helps you ensure you have the right services for your roof.