Repairs on the roof may not be enough to stop those leaks and solve all of your problems. Sometimes an entire replacement is needed to fix the underlying problems with your home. Use ATS Exteriors: Denver Roofing & Siding Company to determine whether it’s time to replace or time to repair the roof over your head.
Always be sure that you’re safe when you have to do any work on your roof. Trying to fix a leak during a rainstorm can result in serious injury or even worse. Place a bucket under the leak until the weather clears up, then go have a look at your roof to see if you can repair the problem.
Have a leak in your roof? Check out your gutters. The gutters of your home can easily become clogged, and can be a major cause of leaks, especially if they have not been cleaned recently. If you see they are filled with debris, like leaves, be sure to clean it out.
Have safety precautions in place when going on your roof. It’s critical, and you can lose balance when you haven’t climbed onto a roof often; thousands are hurt or lose their life from falling each year.
It is very common for the gutters on your house to become clogged, so make sure you have them cleaned on a fairly regular basis. If you allow them to stay dirty, it will give rain a chance to build up and pool on top of your roof, which increases the chances of the roof becoming damaged.
In the winter months, be sure your roof is equipped with ice and rain shields. Also, make sure it has proper ventilation. Your home is heated by the wall line and this is where ice tends to build up. It is the build up of this ice that can cause interior leaks.
Never work on your roof by yourself. You should always have someone else present, even if it is solely for the purpose of having someone that can call emergency services if you fall. Falling from the roof can be a disaster, but not having someone to help you is even worse.
Ask for copies of the roofing company’s liability coverage before letting them work on your roof. If they are an experienced and professional company, then they should have these papers with them when they meet with you. Any company that doesn’t carry or outright refuses to provide copies of their insurance and papers detailing worker’s compensation should be avoided.
When looking for a good roofing contractor, ask your family, friends and co-workers for recommendations. Ask people you know if they were pleased with the work done, the quality of the materials and whether the cost was fair. Also speak with them about how well the cleanup went as well as if they got a warranty on future work.
If you have gotten in touch with a roofer but he cannot come out for several days, you may need a temporary fix. Nailing heavy plastic to the area can help. This isn’t the best way to handle a leak, but it will hold you over for now.
If you want your roof to last quite a while then you need to make sure that sticks and leaves are cleared off of it regularly. When this debris builds up, it attracts and holds water. When you have water on your roof, the wood beneath the shingle may rot, which can lead to costly leaks.
Do not work with any roofing contractor that wants to give you an estimate over the phone. Each roof is different, and you should find someone that is willing to come out and take a look at your particular issue. If someone balks at making a home visit, you should probably hire someone else.
It is best to choose a contractor who is a member of different industry associations. If the company is worth the time, they’ll be a member of some of these organizations. It show the company is trying to keep up on the latest trends, news, and techniques. If your contractor is not a part of any industry associations, you must question the commitment to their field.
Home maintenance is hard work and the one area that many owners neglect are the roof boots. These boots are made of rubber and they are near where the fence of the roof comes up. They have been known to dry out after a while. This opens up your roof to leaks, so check them out frequently.
Make sure that any contractor you hire to fix your roof is licensed and bonded. Do not take their word for it since they may be dishonest with you. Ask them to show you proof that they are licensed, and do not hesitate to call around and make sure everything is valid.
When inspecting your roof for leaks, do not neglect to check the valleys. A roof’s valley is an area where two roofs intersect together. Due to gravity, water naturally settles onto these places, causing the water to slosh back and forth. This results in added pressure onto the valley, resulting in leaks.
Check out a contractor’s work history before you consider hiring them. Verify these references by personally calling past clients so you can determine the quality of their work. In addition, if your contractor has current clients, drive by the clients’ homes so that you can check out the contractor’s work firsthand.
When seeking a reliable roofing contractor, always make sure to solicit recommendations from people you trust who may have hired such professionals in the past. By doing so, you can rest assured that you are engaging the services of a company able to provide you with the type of service you deserve.
The roof above you may only seem to have a small problem here or there, but in reality it is beyond the life expectancy and needs replacing. Use this article to help gauge the severity of your situation. The tips point out a few problems that you may not be be aware of.
ATS Exteriors: Denver Roofing & Siding Company
1245 E Colfax Ave, Denver, Colorado 80218
(720) 677-1567