Top 8 Tips For Leaky Roofs

Here are ten quick tips for your next roofing project. These tips from Denver roofing company experts will help you with one of the most common roofing issues-- leaks.

• If discover a leak in your roof during a storm, make sure to wait until the weather stops before getting on your Denver roof. Attempting to repair your roof during a storm could end with you in the hospital. Even temporary repairs are dangerous to make when the roof is wet, or snow covered. Being patient and careful whenever working on your roof will ensure that the repairs you make are accurate and you remain safe.
• Another safety precaution to take when repairing a leaky roof, is to wear rubber sole shoes and a harness every time you make repairs to your roof. Rubber sole shoes will prevent you fro slipping and the harness will catch you if you do fall. Also working with a buddy or making sure that someone is on site while you are on the roof will ensure that if you are injured someone is there to call an ambulance.

Take These Steps To Make That Home Sell

If real estate sales are on your mind but you just can't come up with the strategies that can give you the best results, you may need to consider a few of these tips and the advice of this article. You could be on your way to really making a great deal of money just by increasing your selling power with great tips.

Denver Roofing

If you have a roof that leaks, you should fix it before you put your house up for sale. Roof damage must be disclosed in the real estate contract. One thing to consider is having a Denver roofing company come and inspect the roof so that you might be able to have a 5 year certification. With a 5 year certification of the roof, the prospective buyer can rest assured that they will not have any issues in the near future with the roof. If you do not fix the damage, and it is disclosed in the contract, the buyer may insist that you replace the entire roof, which will end up costing you a lot more.

When renovating a home to sell, focus on visible improvements first. Upgrading the furnace or installing heated floors is all well and good, but if the roof leaks buyers will be turned away. You have a much better chance of getting a return on your investment by making sure the exterior siding or interior paint looks good first.

If the ceiling on your home that you are trying to sell needs to be repaired, you need to make sure you do that. Most buyers are going to be unwilling to purchase a house that needs a new roof. Invest in a nice roof so your buyers will be more likely to bite.

There are key strategies to selling real estate that you can find through tips and advice like that of this article. You could easily find a better selling groove and pick up sales with the right techniques and moves of better power and greater strength in your market, regardless of where you are.

Roof Substitute Wanted Simply because of Hail Damage - Must My Insurance Organization Pay out For It?

If you reside in the Denver location, large winds and hail are just a element of existence. Your property can be damaged by these and you might not be mindful of it. Now you're almost certainly like most people and wonder if it's well worth making a declare for something that didn't do "noticeable" harm? The reply is Yes. Equally wind and hail storms can significantly have an impact on the integrity of your roof, siding, windows and gutters devoid of leaving evident harm. The consequence could be a major high priced issue in a yr or so, and by then it will be also late to have the insurance coverage pay out for it. Why? Because there is a time restrict with most insurance carriers on how long after a storm that you can nevertheless file a declare. Now following that time period is up, your insurance carrier will not only concur that you have storm relevant harm, but the could also deny any potential claims due to the fact you in no way had the required repairs made.

Most folks are understandably perplexed by the declare approach. However there are a whole lot of myths out there, some of which are: If I file a claim, then I'll drop my coverage or it will raise my premium. FALSE. There are state legal guidelines in spot to guard you from that occurring. The Insurance coverage Firm will send its very own roofer out to do the perform and I won't have any say about the top quality or schedule of the function. FALSE. You the house owner are accountable for selecting the contractor that you are most cozy with. My roof is new so it's covered by the companies guarantee. FALSE. Warranties turn into null and void soon after a storm has brought on injury.

So to conclude if there was a hail storm in your place or you suspect harm call a specialized business to decide regardless of whether or not you need to file a declare for storm relevant damage.

For much more data on this or other roofing topics please pay a visit to Denver Roofing

Measuring Your Roof to Determine Total Need of Roofing Supplies

Roof measurement is not hard, but because it occurs in three dimensions instead of two it takes a little more than simple arithmetic. Roof measurement is important if you are considering hiring a Denver roofing contractor for a job because it is a basis for pricing. The total area is how the roofer determines how much roof materials they need.

Except spray foam which starts in two mixable liquids, most roofs are measured in squares. One roofing square is 100 square feet. You do need some geometry to measure areas. The formula for a side of a triangle is area equals half the base times the height. This is useful for end gables which are already triangles. However most roof sections are four sided. So first you will need to determine the length of the angled side of the roof.

You could determine the roof area with just the floor plan but that would take some trigonometry. It could be easier to just clamber upon the roof and get the distance from eave to peak. To help out, divide up pieces of the roof into triangles or rectangles. The rules for these shapes are much easier to calculate. But it is never a bad idea to ask the Denver roofing contractor to check your figures.

To determine the roof slope, you need to break out that old formula from algebra - rise over run. So just take the height of your roof from eaves to peak and put that over the distance from the center of the roof to the eaves. This is your pitch. Another way to calculate it is with a level. Set a level of known proportions (best a one foot level) set one end on the roof and make it level. Then measure the distance to the roof on the other side. That measurement in inches is your rise over 12 for a one foot ruler. Otherwise just divide. If it was 3 inches that would be expresses3/12 or 1/4.

Once you find the total area in square feet, this is divided by 100 to find the number of squares of roofing material the Denver roofer has to order, plus extras.

Roofing Preventative Maintenance

If you have a little bounce in your knees you can do your own periodic roof inspections. Going up on the roof a twice a year can give you a heads up on problems before they cause water damage. The roof's job is to take all the abuse from weather and falling objects to protect the home. Over time it will tend to wear out.

This article will go over each of the common types of roof and the recommended inspections and maintenance for each one. I got these recommendations from my friends who do Denver roof repairs.

Asphalt shingles are the most common roofing material, however they can be the most fragile. To start inspection, remove all degrees because gutters and drain lines are often the first to go. Roof penetrations are other common areas of water ingress. Loose shingles can be firmed up with a dab of roof cement. Check caulking and sealants. While most roofs do a good job against weather, they are not so good at stopping hundred pound branches. So trim back overhanging branches.

Bitumen and built up roofs are a little different because they are flat. This means any pooling water is a real problem. Remove debris to help stop this. To repair bald spots in gravel roofs, brush out the areas and add mastic and loose gravel. Blisters are a common problem. They should not be handled themselves. Stepping on one can cause an instant leak so call your Denver roofer. Water is your enemy. Check sump drains for proper drainage.

Wood shingles are organic materials so they are especially vulnerable to moss and algae. The common Denver roofing repair is to install zinc control strips which stop these kinds of organisms from growing. Check mortar and flashings around penetrations. Look for rust, small amounts can be fixed with rust away, large amounts could be a signal of a drainage problem or the need for new flashing.

Single ply and spray foam roofs are similar visually to the built up roof. Single ply roofs only have one layer of protection so be careful of any possible punctures as this will lead to a leak. Check the edge trim. Roofs are designed to stop water coming down from above, not from below or the side. So the edge weather stripping needs to be intact or water will seep in.

Green Roof Building

Green roofing is an exciting new prospect for the roofing industry and the world. Green roofing has the potential to take wasted space on the millions of roofs needlessly absorbing the suns energy and convert that into something useful. Green roofing does present some unique problems. Usually roofs are designed to remove water as quickly as possible, but vegetation needs water, and there will be an additional layer of sometimes wet growing material for the roof to support. This means that the roof must be much stronger to support all this additional weight. The roof also needs a very effective drainage system that keeps the part below the growing material dry.

The soil and vegetation layer of a green roof usually consists of low maintenance plants. Therefore the typical roof does not need a irrigation system. If the roof is more for looks or to play on, a irrigations system may be installed. These should be drip systems that deliver the water to the roots to minimize evaporative water loss. But most will let the plants grow naturally. A Denver roofing contractor may have to consult with a nursery on the correct type of plants.

The scientists behinds these roofing systems divide them into intensive and extensive categories. The extensive roof is also called an eco-roof. These are thinner and lighter, but the reduced soil limits the vegetation options. The common plants are mosses and grasses. These grow in a low profile and require little maintenance.

If your Denver roofing contractor is more ambitious, you could try an intensive roof. These have enough soil to make a full garden. This type of roof is ideal if you are looking to make a rooftop garden oasis. Small trees, and little patios can even be housed with enough structural support. If you do get your Denver roofing contractor to install and intensive roof, you will probably have to hire someone to maintain it.

Green roofs are very good insulators and reduce the heat of the roof overall significantly. This saves on heating and air conditioning costs. This can help reduce the heat island effect in urban environments. The plants and soil also filter the air and water in the area. Green roofs are especially popular in urban environments because they add yard space in areas where this was impossible.

Spray Foam Roofing

Spray foam roofing is an interesting roofing material consisting of two different liquid materials that combine to form a seamless roofing material. After mixing, the foam expands over 20 times to form a complete solid roof. These roofs are popular for the speed in which they can be applied, while providing high performance water resistance and insulation.

Abbreviated SPF, spray foam roofing becomes an adhesive, that will adhere and make a roof on almost any surface except bitumen. This means concrete, cinder block, wood and metal roofs can be covered, which leads to lower costs and less roof waste. Instead of tearing off the old roof and installing a new one SPF can be installed. Spray foam also doubles as insulation further reducing a step required on roofing contractors in Denver. Once sprayed, SPF lasts around 50 years. During that time, it will need occasional maintenance in the form of cleaning and priming.

Sometimes roofing contractors in Denver add UV resistant granules to the top coat of foam to protect it from the sun. Foam is actually pretty hardy. The word foam often turns people off, but the foam is hard and durable. They handle human traffic better than asphalt roofs, but can still be damaged from limbs and tools falling on the roofing surface. However, because it is foam roofing contractors in Denver love SPF for its insulating abilities. A square foot of the substance weighs less than three pounds. This means the rest of that material is insulating air.

In warm climates especially, SPF roofing will pay for itself with reduced energy bills on cooling. Studies show that this roofing material pays for itself in 4-5 years. Few other roofing systems will pay for themselves ever. For the two polymers in the foam to correctly combine, the spraying must be done right. The gun, hose and feeding systems must all operate correctly to install a 1 to 1 ratio of the polymer bases. If something goes wrong, it must be fixed immediately or the project must be stopped. It can be hard for some roofing contractors to do this because this means swallowing the costs of redoing the roof.

Finding Leaks in Your Home

So your ceiling is leaking. Unless there is a problem in your heat pump or other HVAC equipment, it probably means you have a roofing problem. However, short of simply replacing the entire roof, it can be hard to find a leak. Water rarely drips straight down. Instead it finds studs and beams and follows them down into the home's interior. So the source of the leak, from both location and cause cannot be determined just by looking at watter dripping from the ceiling.

For small roof leaks, you may never notice because the water runs over such a long portion of your internal structure that it gets absorbed before it chips any paint or causes any other blatant damage. Water in the attic can cause serious problems. Moist areas always have problems with mold, but in the attic water can start to degrade your insulation.

When trying to find a leak, Denver roofing companies follow these basic guidelines. First any contractor or experienced roofer will inspect roof drains in the area. Especially in flat roofs, clogged drains can lead to standing water. The roof is not made to work underwater. It is designed to wick water off as quickly as possible while keeping the interior dry. A drain is not waterproof because it is only expected that water will flow straight down it.

For composition or asphalt shingles, you can run a blade along under the shingle. If it stops about an inch in, it is probably sealed with tar, but if it goes further there is a good chance that this could be your leak source.

Penetrations are the most common leak sources according to Denver roofing companies. Often these penetrations were added after the roof and were not sealed properly. All roof penetrations need special attention because they are weak points in the roof. A combination of flashing, pitch and roofing materials is recommended by Denver roofing companies.

The next place to look is the attic or crawlspace. This will get you closer to the source of the leak before water starts running everywhere. Sometimes problems with duct work or plumbing cause leaks that you think are roof leaks. On steep roofs, exposed nails can rust and cause holes for water to leak in. Accumulated debris can also cause water damage. Clear nests and sticks near chimneys and other obstructions. Swamp coolers with leaking pans will dribble water on the roof and shorten its lifespan significantly.

Think if any contractors were working on the roof around the time it last held up. HVAC contractors, electricians and the like might have added equipment or damaged something in the ceiling. Dropped tools are a leading cause of roof damage. The thin inner roofing material is not made to handle a heavy roofing hammer. In those cramped spaces it is easy to pull flashings loose and cause other roof damage.

Historic Spanish Clay Tile

Out of the monotony of common roofing material Spanish tile really pops. The distinctive barrel shape is instantly identifiable. Along with slate roofing, tile is one of the oldest roofing materials still in use. The main reason for its continued popularity lies with its sturdiness and artistic expressions. Tile will last for over a hundred years as long as it is not exposed to blunt trauma. Clay tile also comes in a myriad of roofing options, with different shapes, colors and textures. Some clay roofs have lasted hundreds of years.

Because clay tile is not water tight, it is often the flashing and waterproof roofing materials under the tile that has to be replaced before the tile. Working on the materials under the roof requires the removal of tile. Tile is strong, but brittle, so only an experienced Boulder roofing company should do this kinds of work. Usually what needs maintenance is the tile fastening system, the weather proofing or flashing.

Tiles resist weather and hail very well, but because there are spaces in between them they are not weather proof. During average rainfall most moisture will be quickly routed off the roof but there are always chinks in the armor. Because the tile is expected to last so long, it is important to install quality roofing materials underneath. This means metal flashing. Once properly installed, a clay tile roof should not need any further visits from the Boulder roofing company. Tiles often outlast the buildings and roofs they were installed in. There is actually a booming business in recycled tile from Spain. Broken tiles are the chink, and they do need to be replaced quickly.

These tiles are beautiful on historic and modern buildings. In olden days, clay tiles were hand made and fired in kilns. Historic buildings using tile often find that the tile is the most memorable aspect of the building.Some handmade Mexican and Spanish tile tradesmen still exist, but most tile used by a Boulder roofing company comes from factory made, machine extruded manufacturing.

Once installed in a new roof, tile often lowers the temperature of your roof and attic. All the air space allows for adequate airflow, essential in roofs. Without airflow, heat and moisture build up, eventually leading to rotting. The tile also acts as a barrier. It absorbs heat while there is the air space and roofing materials between the hot tile and the roof. Compare this with asphalt shingles which are thin, dark, and attached directly to the roof.

Repetitive Stress Roofer Injuries

Roof construction is an inherently dangerous industry. Roofers work high up so are at risk to fall. In competitive markets they are often on tight deadlines, so many Denver roofers get injured working in adverse weather. The combination of working outdoors, high above the ground, with heavy staple guns and materials make the job one of the most dangerous in Colorado.

The most common injuries for roofers are broken bones from falls. One slip and a Denver roofing contractor may be out of the business permanently. Clambering around beams requires a lot of nimbleness that may fade as roofers age. As data from aging roofers is collected, there is another possible injury being associated with Denver roofing companies, and that is repetitive stress injuries.

One study said that over half of all roofers who leave the Denver roofing industry do so because of pain induced by repetitive stress or other health reasons. Leaving the industry early can also be crippling financially. Many roofers do not have many other skills than constriction, so they may have trouble supporting themselves if they are forced into early retirement because of health reasons.

Repetitive stress is caused by doing the same stressful actions over and over. Things like carrying heavy roofing supplies up ladders and nailing frames are possible contributors. In houses with shingles or tile roofs, roof contractors have to nail thousands of shingles to the roof with a gun. They are often hunched over, nailing roofing tile after roofing tile in the sun. Each firing of the nail gun is like a small shock wave that can damage bone, nerves and connective tissue over time.

Unfortunately many of these roofers who have to retire early suffer from skeletal diseases. Being a roofer past the age of 50 is not very common because of the stresses on the body. So at a time when most occupations are reaching their peak, roofers are breaking down. They even seem to physically age faster than the norm. Most construction workers are paid by the hour, so as their bodies break down, older roofers have to take time off and miss work, which means they are getting paid less and face the possibility of not being rehired for the next job.

Beware Door to Door Roofing Scams

The roofing contractor business is going through a tight time now because of the economy and housing market. However any legitimate roofing company is not going to go door to door asking for free roof inspections and your business. But that is exactly what some "roofing contractors" are doing.

The scam works like this: the roofers drive through the neighborhood going door to door offering a free roof inspection. If the customer agrees, once on the roof, the roofer looks for damage and if there is any, reports it and tires to get a contract to fix it from the homeowner. This sounds just like any reputable roofing contractor in Denver would do, and it is. The difference is if the roof is fine, the scammers start damaging it.

So you have a 100% chance of having a damaged roof if you let a door to door roofer into your home. Legitimate Denver roofing companies may offer a free inspection, but they will not go door to door. In any case, it is a good idea to supervise workers, especially if you have not dealt with that company before. Benjamin Franklin had a plaque that applies in this case, saying: not to oversee workers is to leave your purse open.

Most people don't know the difference of what it looks like for someone on a roof to be repairing or damaging a roof. And most people just mind their own business. The owners are usually inside and can't see anything that is going on. The scammers run it as a numbers game: eventually someone will let them on their roof, and someone will pay for the damage. Since they are just manufacturing work out of nothing, it only takes a few houses to pay for their week.

The only people who might understand are construction workers and insurance adjusters. Insurance companies hate this kind of behavior because it inflates the probability of something happening far beyond the projected average. Don't be worried that big roofing companies only care about the lucrative Denver roof replacement jobs. Most will give you a free consultation because they want to build connections. At some time, everyone will need a little roof work.

There was a case where an insurance adjuster noticed that roofers were damaging the roof of his neighbor. These crooked contractors were using the aftermath of a hurricane as an excuse to create more "wind damage."

Integrating your roofing decisions into your home concept

Your roof covers about half the visible area of your home from the outside. You therefore have some very important decisions to make regarding what kind of roof you want. This is going to be a fun process because of all the different options you have available! For every roofing material, there are many different styles and concepts you can go with.

In the good ol' days, a roof was just straw or wood over your head. Even further back was stone... and in modern days some Denver roofers even offer stone roof tile! The first settlers in Denver used wood planks with tar paper for water proofing. If you are making a log cabin, you can still use wood as your roof, but add tar paper and shingles or metal sheeting as well to make it last. Most modern homes have shingle, tile or metal roofs.

Metal is the easiest and simplest roof. Roofing for metal roofs basically just involves screwing the metal to the roof and leaving. It can be hard to make a metal roof attractive, but painting usually works well. A painted red roof indicates a kind of country barnyard style. A light blue or white roof will reflect sun heat and could be striking in the right background. Metal does not need much maintenance, although it will rust eventually, this would be after you had replaced your shingles several times.

Shingles are very popular in Denver due to their cheap price, light weight and ease of installation. Asphalt shingle installation is a labor intensive process, where the Denver roofing workers staple rows of shingles to your tar paper. The price for the materials is cheap however and it does not require highly skilled workers. Wood shingles on the other hand look much nicer and require more work to make and install. Wood lasts around the same time as asphalt/fiberglass shingles despite their use of natural material.

Tile is like shingles but made of a hard material like clay or concrete. The ceramic shingles are made by hand, cut from clay. Tile shingles last much longer than wood or ceramic. The tiles will last at least 50 years as long as they do not break. These tiles are very hard and strong against weather. They will however break or slip off if hit by branches or if people walk on them. So for tile roofs, you will have to replace a few tiles every year, while shingled roofs have to be completely replaced once they wear out. Tiles can also operate in a more narrow range of roof grades.

Call your Denver roof company to see what the life of your shingles is expected to be because you want to replace them before they start casing weather damage to your home.

Tile or Shingles?

The great debate in roofing is tile or shingles. The debate is not black and white. It gets clouded as slate shingles... which look about halfway between shingles and tile. Asphalt shingles are the cheapest kind of shingle. They are light and any Denver roofing company can install them easily, but they are not the most durable good.

Asphalt shingles are easy to replace, but they wear out quickly and can be damaged by strong weather. The problem with all kinds of shingles, both wood and asphalt, is that weathering slowly deteriorates them. Asphalt shingles shrink and wood shingles rot, the eventual end result of which is water damage through the roof below. Wood shingles have a long history in Europe but have been replaced by asphalt and other synthetic materials in the US for most common applications.

On the other hand, the low cost and flexibility of shingles make them more resistant to impact than tile, and the replacement cost is lower. Tiles are also more fragile when it comes to people walking around on them. Tile can break and fall off, causing a hazard. The tiles may offer more protection from impacts, at the expense of destroying themselves. Roof tile is made from a hard material like ceramic, clay or slate. There are many different styles, from Spanish rounded roof tile to simple square slate tiles. Tile is heavier than shingles, so when switching roof styles, hire an engineer or Denver roofer to check your roof for structural stability.

When it comes to insulating abilities, roof tiles work a little better than shingles because they are made of thicker material. The real difference in heat loss is your insulation in the attic. Proper insulation and venting will make much more of an impact than the type of Denver roof materials you choose.

From a pure aesthetics standpoint, only wood shingles can compete with tile. Tile looks cleaner and more masculine because of its thicker shape. The barrel roof tiles of southwest architecture are usually red or earth tones and give a more laid back tropical image.

If you want to really go crazy with your roof, hire a custom roofer that knows how to do old-school European shingles. There are many designs to choose from and your roof will definitely be unique.