Posts filed under ‘Advice’
Ventilation Products
Proper roof ventilation ensures the maximum life and performance of your roof. Without adequate ventilation, even the best roof systems fail. Balanced ventilation requires an equal amount of intake ventilation and exhaust. Our manufacturers suggest, at a minimum, providing 1 square foot of Net Free Ventilation for every 300 square feet of attic floor space. Local building codes may vary so consult your roofing contractor and municipality to see exactly what is requires by code.
A properly balanced attic ventilation system will help to:
- Increase your roof’s lifespan by removing excess moisture.
- Prevent rotting wood and mold in your attic on or your roof deck.
- Minimize damage to exterior and interior paint.
- Possibly reduce heating and cooling costs.
Roofing Underlayment Products
Quality roof deck protection (often referred to as “tar paper” or “felt”) provides an extra layer of protection between your shingles and your roof deck. It helps prevent wind-driven rain (or water from other sources) from seeping under your roofing system and causing damage to your roof structure, plywood roof deck or the interior of your home. It will also:
- Lay flatter and avoid “telegraphing” wrinkles
- Help the roofing system lay flat and uniform
- Result in a better-looking roofing job
Roof Accessory Paint
You can enhance the beauty of your new or existing roof by using roof accessory paint. Roof Accessory Paint will help to:
- Hide unsightly penetrations through the roof including vent pipes, exhaust vents,
or flashing - Resist rust and harsh weather on roof accessories that can eventually stain or discolor your roof system
- Ensure a neat and finished look to your new or existing roof.
Our roof accessory painting work is backed by warranty. Please ask us for more details or visit our roofing accessories page: Roofing Accessories
Roofing Accessories: Gutter Protection
Gutter Drainage Protection keeps leaves, twigs and other debris from clogging your gutters and allows water to flow freely. During a repair or re-roof, you have the opportunity to improve your gutter system, sometimes at a reduced cost. Please contact us with any questions about your gutters. visit our roofing accessories page at: Roofing Accessories
After Roofing – Protect Yourself
After Work:
- Make sure you request a release of lien from the contractor and subcontractor and most importantly the material supplier. This means that each of them affirm that they relinquish their right to lien your house. A note about material suppliers. You will likely receive a legal document from the material supplier called a “Notice to Owner.” This confirms who the material supplier is. They will have a right to lien your house if they are not paid by the contractor, even if you already paid the contractor for the material.
- Request a receipt showing full payment of work performed on your house per contract terms.
Protect Yourself During Roofing Work
During Work:
- If you notice any unusual behavior or dangerous activity, contact your contractor immediately! You can save yourself the problems associated with jobsite accidents.
- Make sure your contractor gives you a list of materials and that they are the best materials available. For example with a tile roof, the layer immediately beneath the tile is the cap sheet. There is a self adhering cap sheet and a cap sheet laid in hot asphalt. Self adhering cap sheet is less resilient and many contractors use this to save money. Make sure you have the best materials on your roof!
- Make sure you contractor orders material in a timely fashion, preferably immediately after you sign the contract. Material wait times can be long. Make sure you’re at the top of the list and not waiting between inspections.
- Usually a contractor will ask for progress payments after each inspection. Before you hand over that check, ask to see the permit and make sure that the inspection was performed and passed. You’ll know that the work to that point was approved by the city.
- Ensure that your contractor cleans up after work every day. Trash and debris can be a hazard to you, your children and your animals.
Before Roofing Work Begins – protect yourself
Before Work Begins:
- Ask for a certificate of insurance in your name before you sign the contract with your roofer. Current insurance can protect you in the event of a mishap on the job. Without proper workman’s compensation and general liability insurance, you as the homeowner may be liable for accidents and injuries on your property.
- Check the contractor’s credentials at the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Unfortunately our industry has all too many unlicensed contractors and it could cost you! Always use a licensed contractor for your work – you can check their records at www.myfloridalicense.com.
- Check if the contractor is BBB rated, and if so, make sure their rating is excellent.
- Compare the contractor on your contract to the contractor on your permit application. NEVER sign a blank permit application or notice of commencement – make sure all the relevant information is filled out. It’s not hard to forge signatures, so make sure that the contractor you are dealing with is the same as the contractor listed on your permit application. Otherwise, you could get stuck with the contractor’s unpaid bills.
Roof Ridge and Ventilation
An often overlooked component of a successful and long lasting roofing system is attic ventilation. The amount of ventilation is critical to the longevity of your roof. A balanced venting system has the following benefits:
- Removal of excess heat and moisture
- Prevention of roof rot
- Mold suppression
All of the above conteribute to premature roof failure.
Further proper venting can reduce heating and cooling costs, in many cases.
Contact us our your preferred roofer and make sure that your ventilation system is balanced. It could save you hundreds or even thousands in roof repair or replacement cost.
Solar Panels and Roofing
We’re often asked what the benefits of solar roofing are and if the homeowner should opt to add solar panels to their roofing system. With some new systems even fitting into new shingle and tile profiles, solar panel manufacturers are offering more choices than ever for your roof.
As the future of our energy sources becomes less clear and fuel and electric costs rise in response, solar panels and other renewable energy sources will become more and more relevant to the average homeowner.
Some of the most compelling reasons to choose solar roof panels are:
- Higher home resale value
- Lowered utility costs
- Government and state subsidies to partially defray initial cost
- Aesthetically pleasing options.
Remember though, solar panels aren’t for everyone. Like a hybrid vehicle the upfront cost is higher and depending on the size of home and area, solar panels may or may not be the right choice. Please contact us to discover the options you have with solar roofing.
The Importance of Roofing Warranties
A new roof is like buying a new car, often it’s a big and necessary purchase and although they come with warranties, those warranties come with conditions. Just like a car, a roof has to be maintained. Roofers and material manufacturers by and large offer good warranties on your roof, however you may not always read this one important exclusion from the warranty: WARRANTY EXCLUSION DUE TO LACK OF ROOF MAINTENANCE.
Roofing materials have come a long way over the years and today they withstand daily fluctuations in weather better than they ever have. Having said that the cold-hot, dry-wet cycles take a toll. As such the roofing system has to be evaluated yearly for penetrations, broken or ripped shingles, tiles etc and mold. Each of these are enemies to any roofing system and leaving your roof untouched for years may invalidate that all important guarantee.
Many companies including Garabar, offer low cost maintenance programs that keep your roof in top shape for years. Please contact us for more information.
