Does a Tile Roofing Require repairs?

A lot of people seem to harbour a common misconception that Tile roofing does not require repairs. Strangely there are roofing contractors who advertise stuff like. “once you’ve installed a Tile roof, all your roofing problems are over for life!” This is not true though. Tile roofing is one of the best options but it can develop problems and leaks.

Things you need to know about Tile roofing:

The main idea of installing a tile roof is to build a strong long term leak free roofing system. Tile roofs are best because they shed most of the water, especially during rains. But there are occasions when a little water creeps into the felt layer below the tiling. The ‘Felt’ is something made out of asphalt based materials. Over time ‘felt’ tends to deteriorate. With aging the material becomes brittle. Over time it is bound to develop cracks. That is when the water that seeps in from the tile roofing finds its way and leaks.

Leaks occur when the penetration pipe is damaged or at times the area near the chimney or skylight opening is damaged.

And, yes tiles break at times!

So to answer the question, “whether tile roofing requires repairs?” is a big YES!

Possible Repair Situations

Fix a leaking roof when it rains

In case your tile roof begins to leak while it’s raining heavily; you can get your contractor to get a tarp positions over your roof. This solution works for a while. You can get a complete check up done once the rains stop. The only condition when installing an emergency tarpaulin is that your roof is free of algae and moss deposits.

Fixing Vents

Roofs that are comparatively new generally do not have such issues. You may notice a sudden leakage. But it is advisable to wait till the rain stops because the water may be coming from a vent because of wind-driven rain. Using a tarp during such occasions does the trick. You can call your contractor for a general maintenance visit. They check the pipes and clean off loose debris. Replacing broken tiles or repositioning existing ones can also do the trick.

Damaged Felt

It is possible that the underlying layer made of ‘felt’ gets damaged; especially when the roofing system is more than 10 to 15 years old. In such situations experts check the entire lower surface bottoms-up to see the course of the water stream. The idea is to fix the damage at the very source.

Broken or Slipped Tiles

You can get your contractor to good a good patch up job if you detect broken or slipped tiles. If you do not wish to get an entire section re-done then go for patchwork; The contractor with replace the old tiles with fresh ones, and you are good to go!

 

 

 

How To Find A Good Roofer in 5 Easy Steps

 

Whether you are choosing a company to construct a roof for a brand new home or you are trying to fix and replace parts of a roof damaged in an unexpected and devastating storm, you need to take the decision of who to hire very seriously. The construction of a roof takes the expertise of professionals who take pride in their work. Leaving this important job to anyone with a pickup truck and a hammer could have you dealing with much more serious issues in the very near future. How can you find a quality and dependable roofing contractor? We have you covered, literally and figuratively. Here is how to find a good roofer in 5 easy steps.

1. Choose a local contractor.

The best way to get a feel for what type of job you are considering paying for with your hard earned money, is to take a look around your neighborhood. Do you see quality work? Are there a few roofs that catch your eye? Perhaps a metal sheet roof or bright Spanish tile roof has caught your attention. Do some research around your community and ask who did those roofing jobs. You are most likely going to find a local contractor that takes pride in the work they do and who has a very positive and established reputation in the area.

2. Check the reviews and testimonials.

Today businesses know that the best advertising is positive reviews and word of mouth referrals. Professional contractors not only complete quality work but they do so while cultivating a great hassle-free customer experience. Go online and find some reviews from your favorite search sites and read the reviews from similar customers as yourself. If you find reoccurring themes that seem troublesome consider that as a red flag. However, if you find the business reaching out and apologizing for small mistakes, taking care of customers, or simply racking up amazing five star reviews, consider them for your roof job.

3. Decide on quality instead of price.

While we do enjoy the lower prices that competition brings, not all extremely low prices are bargains. Avoid the business that literally pulls up in a truck with a few tools offering to complete the same work for a cheaper price. All too often these contractors cut corners or use sub par materials to get their work done faster and cheaper. This can result in shoddy work or worse yet, necessitate repairs soon after the work is complete.

4. Stay away from pushy salesmen.

A good contractor prides themselves on their work and fulfilling a necessary role for their community. Pushy salesmen not only fail to combine the proper services with the right customers, but may actually fail to deliver a quality service in the first place. They don’t have the foresight to create a strong reputation which may allude to the motive that they don’t plan on being around too long. All too often these contractors want to get in and get out before you have time to realize how inadequate their work is.

5. Choose well written contracts and clear expectations.

A good roofing company has everything to gain from communicating clearly with their customers. Satisfaction is all about ease of transaction, quality service, and adhering to the agreement, or written contract. A roofer should be willing to meet your needs at a fair price while meeting clear policies and expectations, and following all rules and regulations. If this process is rushed or feels inconsistent you may want to consider choosing another company.

Choosing a contractor for your next construction job or roof repair doesn’t have to be stressful and confusing. Use these 5 tips to help get you started finding the best fit for your needs.

 

 

 

Installation And Care Of Different Residential Roof Types

Are you considering getting a new roof installed on your home? You may be wondering what type of roofing will be most worth the investment of time and money. You could choose to reroof in the same material you have now or consider using an alternative material for your shingles. Different materials have advantages and drawbacks in relation to roof repair and roof installation that should be considered. Here are a few types of roofing materials to consider.

The first are composite or asphalt shingles. These are the most popular, inexpensive and come in many different colors and types. Roof repair when you have composite roofing is easy, as you can simply reapply a new shingle here or there where needed. Plus, they generally come with a 20 to 30-year guarantee so it will be a while after installation that you will need to repair your roof. Roof installation is quite simple as well. A main drawback is that since these shingles are so common, your home’s roof will not stand out from others. It is also subject to mildew and moss growth over time, and asphalt not an environmentally-friendly product.

The next option is wood shingles. These are commonly installed on contemporary bungalows, cottages, and ranch-style homes. The natural weathered look is an attractive one that many people seek. Plus, some insulation value is placed on your home with this type of roofing. Roof repair with wood shingles is easy, and if properly maintained, this roof installation should last 30 to 50 years. However, unless these shingles are properly treated, they have a poor fire rating and can require a high level of maintenance due to the weather. Installation usually requires a professional to manage the work.

Tile roofing is a very attractive option on Mediterranean, Italian and prairie-style homes. They are non-combustible, which means that fires are contained with these kinds of shingles. While maintenance of this kind of roofing is easy, roof repair can be expensive and tricky because walking on the roof may break tiles and cause more repair to be done. This same level of trickiness calls for a professional roof installation to occur and the installers must be aware of the fragility of the tiles. There are other roofing options available today, but these popular options provide you with a starting point for considering what new kind of residential roofing you may want on your home.

 

 

 

Tips to Save Money on Re-Roofing

Where on one hand roofers come as life savers and help in preserving the roof by conducting some fixes and repairs, often they suggest total replacement of roof which robs the people out for their pockets.

The job of Roof repair is regarded as one of the largest maintenance projects that the homeowners are required to tackle. So, it is crucial that the homeowners should prepare themselves for such situations and take their time to find the right contractor after considering major aspects such as saving benefits in the long run, reducing the re-roofing cost, to bring the entire situation in their favor with respect to finances. Given below are some suggestions that can help you fit roofing contractor of your choice within the available budget:

Be smart and look around: Don’t select the first company that you call for an estimate. Be active in the process and give enough time till you receive several quotes for your home improvement project from multiple roofers of the city. This will help you lock the deal at best price. But, low quality of service at a low price can lead to disastrous results, so be careful about cheap service which might result in delayed or shoddy work.
Off Seasons Discounts: If possible, delay the roofing repair services till the season of discounts arrives. While the roofers remain busy in summers, spring and winters are best times to negotiate on prices (depending on the type of repairs you want to get done). Also, you can grab best deals around holidays when most people avoid getting into roof repair works.
Factor in Long-Term Cost Savings: Buying first time right and durable material or products can help you in saving re-roofing costs anytime in near future. Select energy-rated products which can help in lowering your utility bill, thus saving you money each month. In some cases, selection of such products can offer you a tax break.
Take some work for yourself: While the Roofers would be all ‘okay’ to do everything from scratch to the final finishing, every service will come at a cost spiking the overall project expense. So, the wise move is to take up easier portions of work on your own to keep the home improvement project under the specified budget limit. Apart from the actual roofing installation that demands specific skill-set, opt to take up the task of demolition, removal of damaged roof parts such as broken tiles/ shingle that can save you labor cost. In addition to this, offer the provision of storing the materials required for the roofing job on site for the contractor or perform cleanup and dumping job post the roofing, which are two important additions to the overall re-roofing cost.

All the mentioned pointers can help you make the entire roofing job favorable to your pockets.