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Avoiding Winter Roof Damage

The first official day of winter is almost here, making it a great time to think about protecting your home from extreme weather conditions. Heavy snow and ice have the potential to cause some serious winter roof damage. A snow and icicle-covered roof couldn’t look more magical. However, this beauty could end up costing you thousands of dollars to both the outside and inside of your home.

The Weight of Snow

As snow piles up on the roof, it compacts and becomes heavier. A square foot can easily end up weighing about 50 pounds. This is a lot of weight sitting on the roof of your home. Older homes are especially vulnerable because they are not always rated to support that kind of weight.  While full roof cave-ins are rare, the stress can easily cause cracks in your drywall. This often leads to further winter roof damage.

Ice

Ice dams can also occur once the snow begins to melt. As water freezes, it can cause significant damage to the roof and inside of your home. Water can seep under shingles and refreeze. This causes it to expand and causes even bigger problems that lead to leaks and cracks on the ceiling and walls of your home. For this reason, trapped water on your roof needs to be removed immediately.

What You Can Do

Being prepared before the first snow falls is always the best idea. Having to scrape snow and frozen water off a roof can damage shingles and take years off its life. Snow protection systems like snow guards can help prevent ice damming as well as damage to gutters. Being prepared will save you money in the long run from having to repair the roof and possible interior areas of your home.

If you are not sure if your roof is winter-weather ready, have an expert out to ensure you will avoid winter roof damage and keep your home safe.

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Blog Residential Roofing

Watch for These Signs That You Need a Culpeper County Roofing Company

The roof of your home is a vital part of keeping your family protected and secure, especially when it comes to the weather. A good quality roof helps to cool your home in the summer and keep your family snug during the winter. In order to ensure that your roof does not weaken or begin to leak, you should hire a roofing Culpepper professional to inspect the roof on a yearly basis. In addition to the Culpeper County roofing company inspection, you can watch out for the following signs of trouble.

Warning Signs

Once you notice any of these warning signs, you want to call a professional roofer right away before the damage becomes worse.

Missing Shingles

Many homeowners have experienced the frustration of watching their shingles come down during a wind storm. Those missing shingles can lead to very serious problems such as water damage, rot, and mildew. Keep an eye out for damaged, deformed, or missing shingles.

Loose Flashings

Another common sign of trouble comes in the form of loose flashings. These strips of metal are used at the junctions of the roof to prevent water from getting past into the roofing materials. If the flashings on your roof are missing, loose, or damaged, you may experience trouble with your ceilings, electrical systems, and walls. If you are unsure about fixing the flashing yourself, call a Culpeper County roofing company who can do it for you.

Shingle Replacement

Sometimes the rough particles on the surface of shingles begin to rub off and gather in the gutters along the roof. If you begin to notice any of these granules in the water that pours out of your downspout, then you should consider calling in a Culpepper  roofer. This is a sign that the shingles are aging and need to be replaced.

Leaks

There is one important sign of serious trouble that you might notice without even going outside. If the ceilings or walls of your home begin to show signs of discoloration, cracking paint, or peeling wallpaper, then you may already have significant roofing damage.

Ignoring these signs will put your home and family at risk. If you notice any of these signs, it is best to contact a Culpepper roofer as soon as possible. By quickly addressing the problems affecting your roof, you may be able to prevent further, more serious trouble.

 

Finding A Culpeper County Roofing Company

Finding a reputable Culpeper County roofing company is extremely important.

It can be easy to panic once you notice signs of roof wear and decay, but it’s essential to find a quality contractor. Ask friends and neighbors if they have any recommendations, and check online reviews. Always, always ensure that your contractor is licensed.

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Blog Uncategorized

Signs Your Roof Life Is at Its End

Sometimes a situation makes it obvious that your roof life is at its end, and you need a new roof. This could be a tree branch crashing into it during a storm. Other circumstances are not so cut-and-dry. Issues like water damage may require only a repair. You do not want to jump the gun if you do not have to, but you also do not want to hold out longer than you should, because that could make the problem worse. Here are some signs that you need new roofing in Culpeper.

Signs Your Roof Life Is At Its End

Interior and exterior checks are both important. You probably want to start inspecting the inside of your house first, because it is easier. To check your roof life, head up to the attic and look for any sunlight coming through the tiles. Also look for areas of the roof that are sagging, dark spots of algae, and leakage or other water damage. All of these point to the fact that your roof is getting weaker and needs a replacement.

Exterior Signs

After a thorough interior inspection, look outside for other possible signs of damage that require new roofing in Culpeper. If you can see that the shingles are curling, buckling, or plain missing, your roof has most likely moved beyond its life expectancy. Missing shingles are an especially serious problem if the holes are located near the roof’s valleys, because flowing rain and snow could cause massive leaks. Lots of granules in the gutters tell you that your roof life is at the end, and the tiles have received a lot of wear and tear and need replacing.

If you are unsure, the best thing to do is to call a trusted roofing company to send over some experienced workers to evaluate your roof life. You can get free estimates on what it would cost for a repair and for a new installation,as well as advice on which one to choose. Getting roof inspections twice every year, once in the spring and once in the fall, can keep little repairs to a minimum instead of letting them worsen over time so you can avoid more problems in the future.

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Blog Emergency Roof Repair Services

Steps to Take After Sudden Roof Damage

Although it is not pleasant to think about, emergency roofing repair can be a reality for any structure, no matter the location or age, so it is important to be prepared in case of sudden roof damage. If you are a homeowner, you should know there are a few steps to take immediately after you experience unexpected roof damage. Noting a few basic items now can help you handle your roof problem quicker and easier when it happens.

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Blog Emergency Roof Repair Services

Roof Emergency Repair

The responsibilities of owning a home or building are many. They run from appliance maintenance and repair to plumbing matters to cosmetic issues. One responsibility that cannot be underestimated is upkeep and maintenance of the roof. At times, however, even the most conscientious homeowner may be faced with an unexpected disaster that results in damage to a roof and requires roof emergency repair. A damaged roof that leaks needs immediate attention. Over a very short period of time that leak can compromise the structural integrity of a home. This is a time to forego a do it yourself approach and call a contractor who can perform emergency roof repair, and do it in a timely manner.

Causes That Need Roof Emergency Repair

There are many causes for sudden damage to a roof. Nature can wreak havoc. Inclement weather is probably the most frequent culprit. Hail can cause dents in a roof vent and actually crack roofing shingles. Wind can loosen and tear off shingles, particularly near the corners and edges of a building. A lightning strike can actually create a hole in a roof. Animals, like rodents, pigeons and other birds, raccoons, and bats can gain access through a roof before the residents are even aware of them. Fire damage, from within or from a neighboring fire, can be devastating.

The first priority for any professional called in an emergency situation is to make sure the roof is safe, and then to stop any leak or potential leak. A good contractor will have enough knowledge to accurately assess the situation and choose the best course of action. Sometimes the job may require extensive work. A contractor may perform a quick fix that will hold until they perform the actual repair work. There are many options for temporarily patching a roof that can run from roofing cement to sealants to special tapes. If conditions are favorable, they may repair the roof on the spot. Each situation stands on its own.

When considering your roof, and roof emergency repair, find a contractor who is willing and able to respond to an unexpected situation at unexpected times. Make sure he is a conscientious contractor. They will take the time to explain the damage and provide a course of action. The roof protects your entire home and problems with it demand prompt attention and consideration.

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