Frequently Asked Questions

Most of homeowner will ask themselves this question, just because, let’s face it… it is an important disbursement of money. You can do a DIY quick inspection and look for places where the roof deck is sagging, signs of water damage or leaking, dark spots and/or outside light showing through the roof. If you are looking at the exterior, you should be checking for damaged flashing, missing shingles, curling, blistering or buckling. If your roof has any of those signs the right decision will be to call a contractor of your trust and ask for an inspection, together, you will decide if you need a new roof.

Give us a call, we’ll be more than happy to help you out!

This is a really good question and the price range between both of them could be huge. It will require a professional inspection to do so; why? Because it depends on several factors: the inspector has to check flashing details, chimneys, pipe towers, and the ventilation system to identify soft spots in the sheathing. Also some questions will pop up during this inspection like how many layers of shingles have your roof? How many years have your roof? How many small repairs have you done to the roof?

If your roof has 2 layers of shingles the smartest choice will be to replace the roof, this will give you the opportunity to evaluate the condition of your roof system and make the additions necessary to prepare it for winter or future weather conditions, and off course, will save you money at the end of the road.

If you decide to repair, weather for financial reasons or because your roof is relatively new, please consider that your patch job may not match the existing roof. But that is a small price to pay if the repair would extend the life of your current roof for another 10 or 15 years! Right?! However, if you plan to sell your home in the next few years, make sure that the shingles ordered match as closely as possible. A roof with a prominent patch is unattractive and will not inspire a potential buyer’s confidence.

If you live in an area susceptible to algae growth, be sure to ask for this type of shingle when replacing your roof. Roofing manufacturers have begun mixing copper granules into roofing products to produce algae resistant shingles. That way you’ll not have those ugly black stains on your roof.

Our House Restoration’s expertise is the solution. We’ll inspect the roof for free and discuss with you the best option for your house. Contact us!

Maintenance is the magic word. Maintenance on your roof is vital but also in your roofing system, which includes proper ventilation, insulation and cleaning of gutters. This will add value to your home and is going to take away money withdraws off your shoulders in the near future.

First advise: Have a professional contractor inspect your roof at least twice a year.

Second: Clean your gutters. When leaves pile too deeply in gutters, water can wick into roof sheathing and rot it, or even rot roof rafters.

Third: remove leaves! Leaves and branches can scratch or gouge the roof when blown by the wind and the accumulation of leaves and debris can also retain moisture and cause rot. Remember also to get rid of moss, if any.

YES! Our partners from Owens Corning have an Energy Star product called Duration Premium Cool Shingles that can help reduce your energy bills when installed properly. These shingles reflect solar energy, decreasing the amount of heat transferred to a home’s interior -and the amount of air conditioning needed to keep it comfortable. Also, this will extend the life of the roof, thanks to solar-reflecting granulates that reduces shingle temperature and subsequently slow asphalt aging.

There are some methods that can damage your roof. DIY mixes can also harm your family and your roof; that is why we recommend always to hire a professional to do this job. But, if you are comfortable walking on your roof and prefer to do it yourself, you’ll need a full-body harness, a garden sprayer, a garden hose and a nontoxic, noncorrosive roof-cleaning chemical (choose the one safe for the environment). Some manufacturers sell a special tool applicator and rinsing tool, but if the staining isn’t severe, you may not need them. Just remember: the streaks look like mold, but they’re actually algae colonies that form in your shingles and feed on moisture and the limestone filler agents in the shingles, so, don’t take this process as a joke and help your house keep the value that deserves.

Algae is a living organism that thrives on dust, pollen, and the organic materials that make up the roof. The algae on your roof is Gloeocapsa magma, also known as blue-green algae. It’s a single-celled organism with a unique ability to build a protective sheath around itself to shield it from UV radiation. Dampness triggers its growth. Algae grows on, under, and behind the tiny granules that cover the shingles and can harbor a number of molds. This results in unsightly stains and streaks on the roof. Roofs with algae stains absorb heat rather than reflect it, resulting in a super-heated attic and higher home cooling costs.

To stop the algae from returning, mount zinc or copper strips near the roof ridge. Then, every time it rains, the water that washes over the strips’ exposed edges will pick up ions from the metal and inhibit the algae from regaining a foothold. Once again, when it’s time for a new roof, ask for shingles with algae—resistant granules.

As small as the job seems to be, there will be always a possibility of noise, loud noise! If you, your pets or family members are sensitive to noise, take the precaution and get away from your house at least for a while; let your neighbors know about the project and duration of the project. Here are some important tips:

1. Construction Zone: Your driveway will serve as a route for trash dumpster (for shingle debris) and material delivery trucks, always keep children and pets away from the work area. Remove motorcycles, bicycles, boats at risk of being damage.
2. Protect your inside items and outside furniture: vibrations from construction work may cause items to fall or slide off of shelves and walls. Remove all furniture around the house to avoid damage by falling debris, such as: patio and pool furniture, potted plants, gardening equipment, and grills.
3. Roofing Crew: Do not allow crew members in your house, attic or garage, unless, they have a special permission to do so. Take a note though, that they will need access to designated roof point of access, driveways, side gates or yards, decks, and off course…power supplies!
4. Foresee in advance – Talk to your contractor about any other possible damages to your property during the installation. Precautions should be taken to prevent damage to your gutters, downspouts or electrical mounts.

Replace a residential roof does not take longer than 2 or 4 days. However, some factors may extend that period of time until one or two weeks. Factors include weather conditions, homeowners’ availability, contractor’s schedule, type of roof, material’s availability, size of roof, insurance paperwork, among others. Planning ahead and a good project management can reduce delays cause by those circumstances.

We offer a full one-year workmanship and all of our material suppliers offer a warranty on their material performance. We strive for perfection. On rare occasions there are hiccups and complexities we cannot predict on a job. When there is an issue we pride ourselves in making it 100% right as quickly as possible.

First, your roofers should lay down an ice and water shield over the entire roof. Made of polyethylene and rubberized asphalt, this membrane prevents water that has slipped under shingles from penetrating to ceilings below. The valleys should then be covered with metal flashing or weaving. We would also recommend two layers of the ice and water shield on the lower section of the roof (along the eaves), around chimneys and beside the dormers.

Sure, we love this kind of projects! This allow us to kick off our creativity and have fun while doing what we do best: fulfill our customers’ needs and enhance their experience! Call us or email us with information about the project, we’ll meet with you as a second step and discuss with you, ideas, details, your goals, budget, if it’s cover by your insurance, materials options, etc. Our goal is to go beyond your expectations!

You may ask the last owner about how old is the roof (building dates), if they have done any repairs, and about warranties. Roofing product manufacturers offer a variety of warranties on their products. Take a close look at those warranties to see what responsibilities and financial obligations manufacturers will assume if their products fail to reach their expected lives.

Are you worried about any leak on your roof? Or cosmetic matters? If you already notice an internal leak in your house call us immediately and we’ll take a look at your roof and discuss with you any further steps. Damages can be caused by climate changes, storms, hail, wind or simply by passage of time. If your roof has stains or moss, that’s maintenance related matters and no roofing product manufacturers will cover that.

Our House Restoration will work with your insurer on your behalf. Call us and let your worries in our hands!

Longevity in a large part is related to the cost and style of roofing materials. Slate, copper and tile roofs can last more than 50 years. Wood shake roofs should expect them to last about 30 years, while fiber cement shingles last about 25 years and asphalt shingle/composition roofs last about 20 years, based on a report created by The National Association of Home Builders.

Weather and environmental conditions, building design, proper installation, amount of routine maintenance, the quality and suitability of the roofing products you purchase play crucial roles in determining the life expectancy of your roofing system.

Your gutters is an important part of your roofing system, and most important is the maintenance, which you should perform at least twice a year. A good gutter system will prevent your house of damages such as water infiltration on fascia, siding and/or basements.

A properly installed gutter system will include seamless gutters on every sloped roof edge. The gutters should not hold standing water, should not leak, should be securely fastened to the fascia, and should have downspouts that are securely fastened to the exterior of the house.

A gutter protection system is always recommended, those that will not damage your roof and installed under the first row of shingles. Our House Restoration partner with some of the best in industry. Contact us and let us help you!