Monday, October 25, 2010

Emergency Roof Repairs Video

Article Source: Youtube

I found this video on Youtube about the 3M product created for emergency roof repair. It is a great demonstration of the use of the product in water, it can go on wet! This is the ultimate do it yourself roof repair product, it looks easy to use!


Thursday, October 21, 2010

Repairing A Wood Shake Roof

Posted by: Denver roofing

A wood shake or shingle roof can and should be repaired, anytime after its ten to fifteen years old. Some people foolishly claim that the life of a wood roof is only twenty years! Nonsense. A wood roof with care can and will last you forty plus years! After all, wood shake is a premium roofing material. To properly repair one, you first must understand the design of the roof.

A wood roofing system is made up of several thousand pieces of wood called shakes. Shakes come in a number of different sizes and grades, but the most common for residential single family homes is #1 grade medium sized. Medium sized shakes are usually twenty four inches long, and they are cut tapered, meaning that the bottom or "butt end" is thick and as you move up the length of the shake it gets thinner and thinner, all the way to the top. Now the shakes are laid in rows, starting at the bottom of the roof (right above the gutter), then progressive rows are laid overlapping the first row. The desired distance between rows is commonly ten inches. As the rows move up the coarse of the roof, they are staggered, so that the water will not be able to go under the rows below. At the top of the roof is the ridge cap, this is the weakest part of the roof, and usually wears out first.

Now that you know the layout of the roof, its time to learn what to look for in roof repairs. Since the ridge cap usually wears out first, it's a good idea to plan on replacing it. To do so, first it must be removed. The easiest way to do that is to start at the last piece that was installed, and remove from that end working your way to the first piece that was installed. Once removed, all old nails or staples need to be hammered back down. Then start laying the ridge caps at one end, nail each side twice. Be sure to nail far enough back, so that the next ridge piece covers the nails. The desired overlap is ten inches. Once the ridge is installed, you will need to inspect the field of the roof for any signs of damage (such as missing shakes, broken shakes or split shakes). One of the most important things to look for is exposed felt paper. The underlayment is not made to be exposed to the elements, so where ever that you can see it is normally bad. The top reasons for exposed underlayment are, Missing shake, broken shakes, split shakes and something know as burn thru. Burn thru happens when the water that is shed from rows above, drip on to the thin part of the shake, in between the two shakes above. Over time the flow of water can wear away that thin area of wood, exposing the felt underlayment. When this happens, there are two different ways to go about repairing it. Both are acceptable, the first way is to replace the entire shake. The second way is to insert a piece of sheet metal, under the shakes above, but over the top of the shake with the burn thru.

Once all the ridges are installed, and the necessary Denver roof repairs are made in the field of the roof, it's a good idea to check out the flashings. You will want to check the sealant around all vent pipes and chimney counter flashings. If they are cracked, a good silicone caulking is what is called for. After the pipes and flashings are sealed, paint the flashings and particularly the valley metal with quality rust inhibitor paint. After you have completed all that, your cedar shake roof should be in good shape for another three to five years. If you run in to any difficulty, one of our representatives would be happy to assist you.

More Articles: Fixing A Rubber Roof | Considering Roof Replacement?

Monday, October 11, 2010

10 Tips for Finding the Right Roofing Company

By Laine McKenna

1) Ask around. You value and trust the opinion of your friends. Have they had their roofs done within the last 10 years? Any problems? Do any of them have a roof that you would like to see on your home?

2) Contact your local Better Business Bureau. The BBB has strict criteria for membership, meaning you can be sure that any member listed will offer reliable service. The last thing you want to do is to pay someone and have them not finish the job, leaving you with a huge problem on your hands, and a gaping hole in your roof! Ask for a list of members in your area.

3) Use the information from your friends and the BBB to compile a list of potential roofing contractors. Don't just settle on one. Do some comparison shopping before awarding the job to a contractor. You want to do some interviewing before committing. Think of it as dating. You don't just marry the first person you meet! And if you plan to live in your house for as long as possible, then roofing will be a lifelong commitment too!

4) Ask for license information. The roofing companies in Denver should be able to provide you with a roofing license and this license should be for the state you reside in. Criteria for homes vary from state to state so it's important that Other companies may have contractor licenses, which will work fine, but you want someone who has a roofing license working on your home.

5) Ask about insurance. No one should set foot on your property to work if he or she is not insured. Ask for an insurance number. It would be a huge mistake (and liability) if you allowed someone to work up high, on top of your roof, without any sort of insurance coverage.

6) Ask for references. Most companies don't have a problem with this either. Don't just go off of what's on the company website. Ask for names and phone numbers, along with pictures. This will separate the roofing companies who stand by their work and the ones who just bounce around from job to job doing mediocre work.

7) Ask about options. A good roofing contractor should be able to offer a recommendation for your roof, rather than just doing the labor part of the job. Your contractor should discuss the pros and cons of different roofing systems and work with you to find a roofing system within your budget.

8) Ask for a free written estimate. Most companies are more than happy to provide this. Have the contractor come out to your home, rather than offering this over the phone. This will prevent any sudden surprises when the contractor shows up and says the job will require more than originally anticipated.

9) Ask about warranties. You want a roofing system that will last, so you can get your money's worth. Some companies will offer warranties on clay tile roofs for 50-100 years! Now that's getting real value out of your home!

10) Look for a design-oriented contractor, someone who has a keen eye for what will look best with your home. A good roofing contractor will be up-to-speed on the latest styles of roofing and techniques. After all, this isn't just about having a roof over your head - it's about having a roof with some real curb appeal!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laine_McKenna


Finding the Best Roofing Companies

It seems like roofing companies are everywhere these days. If you do a simple search on Google for "Denver roofing companies" you're going to get page after page of results. However, as with any other industry, there's a big difference in quality from one roofing company to the next, and it can be difficult to determine which companies are legitimate and which are scams.

Don't get fooled by advertisements for low prices and "too good to be true" promises. Getting your roof repaired - or getting a new roof installed - is going to be an investment. However, it's an investment that's absolutely worth it. If it feels like you're paying next to nothing, you are probably getting scammed with poor quality work or low quality materials.

So what's the best way to determine which roofing contractors are right for the job? Read below to find out.

What All Good Denver Roofing Companies Should Have

1. Accessible Representatives and Quality Customer Service. Contractors that care about your business are going to make themselves readily accessible to you. In addition, they're going to be committed to providing the best customer service possible. Your business should be valuable to them, and if they treat it any other way they aren't a good choice for you.

2. A Range of Specialties. Although it's not necessarily negative to find roofing repair contractors that specialize in just one or two types of repairs, it's generally better to find a company that can work with a wide range of situations and materials. The more your roofing repair contractors know how to do, the better.

3. Proper licensing and insurance. Without these documents, you could be held responsible for any accidents that occurred while the repair contractors are on the job. Any legitimate company will be able to produce the documents upon request, so be sure to ask to see them before committing to anything.

4. Better Business Bureau (BBB) Accreditation. This ensures that the roofing companies in Denver you're considering have met the standards of the BBB and are recognized as legitimate by this important organization.

5. Industry experience. Great customer service needs to be backed up by the right amount of experience. The length of time a company has been in the industry is a reflection of its competency and a good indicator of its capabilities.

There's a lot to consider as you search for the best roofing companies in Denver, but finding a quality roofing company is well worth your effort. Your roof is an incredibly valuable part of your home and making sure it's taken care of by your areas best is a necessity - not an option.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Fixing Your Rubber Roof - A Few Good Tips

I found this article about rubber roof repairs. We do not work with many rubber roofs in Houston but I know there are some of you who have rubber roofs who might need this information. Again, I think its a good article which is why Im using it in my blog. I hope you like it!

Many commercial establishments have a rubber roof on the tops of the buildings. These are popular choices due to the slope generally found on these structures. Most of the roofs used for commercial construction are flat. The challenge with this choice is how to protect the building from water damage.

Unlike sloping surfaces, a flat roof does not have the assistance of gravity to direct the water away from the surface. This is the main motivation for choosing rubber as a surface coating. Over time you will likely need to do some rubber roof repair to protect and extend the life of the surface.

All roofs will eventually leak. It is an unfortunate, yet indisputable fact. All roofing materials expand and contract on a daily basis in response to heat and humidity. This requires materials that are flexible, yet durable. If you are in need of a rubber roof repair, you will find that the technological advances of the last few years offer many viable options.

Previous to these improvements, this type of roof was mopped with compounds to fill cracks and defects. The products and procedures were very costly and only offered temporary solutions. It was sort of a hit-and-miss technique, only used when there was a problem.

In today's market of rubber roof repair, you have the option of totally resurfacing the roof with state of the art materials and procedures. Unlike the products of the past, today's products create the solid bond with the existing materials that will not cause future problems.

It will no longer take a labor-intensive effort to prepare the surface. Most of the current products do not require the time and effort of applying a primer before the actual application. All these improvements have increased the quality and reduced the long term costs of protecting your commercial establishment.

If you have a rubber roof repair in your future you should choose an EPDM product. This is termed as an elastomeric product that will provide the flexibility and protection you need. This particular coating choice will also provide strength to the roof's surface.

It has excellent insulating properties that will assist with lowering your heating and cooling expenses. It is completely weatherproof, and when applied correctly with last for many years without the need for repairs. There are professional companies who will tackle the large jobs. It is also available in smaller quantities for the do-it-yourself set . . .

Be sure to visit author Chris Smitts website where you will find lots of FREE INFORMATION about Roofing and Rubber Roofs- Click Here!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Smitts