Reroof America… We do much more than roofing: What Can New Gutters Do For You?

Reroof America believes that a good rain flow system is important for your home protection and home value. 
If you home has gutters already installed and you have an insurance claim for wind or hail damage, the insurance adjuster is likely to find damage on the gutters too, causing a replacement need.   If you do not have gutters installed, it is always a good idea, and not as costly as you may think.  

That the main purpose of a rain gutter is to protect a building's foundation by channeling water away from the home… and in doing so, they also help to reduce erosion, prevent leaks in basements and crawlspaces, and protect painted surfaces (like fascia and window wraps) and siding by reducing exposure to water.

Commonly rain gutters are constructed from aluminum, painted steel or copper, but can be maid from a variety of materials, including cast iron, lead, zinc, galvanized steel, copper, plastic, concrete, stone, or even wood.

Several different types of gutters, known as profiles, are produced… a few examples:

Box Gutter

A box gutter is a deeper gutter, designed to handle higher water volumes, and can be concealed within the structure of the roof.  Often times box gutters are used in commercial (flat roof) buildings.

Seamless

Cold forming technology exists to allow continuous gutters to be created, on site, in long individual lengths suitable to roof edge conditions, thereby reducing joints along the length of the gutter. These mostly joint free gutters are referred to as "seamless", and available in various shapes, sizes, and finishes.
Reroof America features seamless gutters and which means there are no joints to leak. Our gutters are custom-made on the premises to fit your home.  Typically, we install seamless gutters are installed with hidden hangers, which are fastened with screws.The finish on the materials is warranted not to blister, flake, chip, crack or peel for a period of twenty years.  As with all our installations, we warrant our workmanship to be free from defect for a period of five years.


Copper

Copper gutters can cost up to three or four times more than aluminum or steel gutter systems. Copper is a gorgeous metal that patinas to a rich green or brown (depending on whether you live in a coastal or inland location) and will give your new custom home undisputed bragging rights.

Gutter Protection

Clogged gutters can cause water leakage into the house as the water backs up. Clogged gutters can also lead to stagnant water build up which allows mosquitoes to breed and also allow grasses and weeds to grow in the gutter

Rain gutters can be equipped with gutter screens, louvers or solid hoods to allow water from the roof to flow through, while reducing passage of roof debris into the gutter.
There are many reasons why you should consider putting gutter protection on your house.

• To eliminate costly damage to your home because of: clogged gutters, foot traffic, ladders, even mold and mildew.
• Prevent foundation cracking or leaking, wet walls, flooding basements and crawl spaces, as well as sagging gutters.
• Stop using your precious time on the dirty and dangerous work of climbing a ladder to clean debris from your home’s gutters.
• Protect your gutters, landscaping windows, doors, fascia, soffit, siding and brick.
• Safety - No more getting on old step ladders and climbing around on your roof to clean your gutters.
• Preserve your home and add curb appeal.

So… when you provide Reroof America with the greatest honor of all… allowing us to re-roof your home, consider upgrading your gutters too.  Your home and foundation may thank you later.

Guttering Services Are Available At All Reroof America Locations, including Oklahoma.  

Fall Storm Season Brings Wind, Hail, Roofers, and Potential Problems

Insurance companies and roofing contractors like Reroof America know the drill... but are you ready? The annual storm season in the western part of the country often arrives in conjunction with a “second” storm season hitting the Midwest and Southeast and can cause major headaches for property owners. Many people across the country find that March through May are some of the most dangerous months of the year, as evidenced by total number of major storms and outbreak of tornados. However, aside from the hurricane danger in September; October and early November can be quite harrowing months for property owners, especially because the window to complete repairs before winter comes is much shorter.


These late year storms can cause more damage than you think to your roof and siding. When October storms hit, people tend to think less about them as there is not the national awareness as there is in the spring months. Typically the hail is a little softer in the fall, however, the hail and wind can be equally as damaging to the integrity of a roof or siding.
So far in 2011, there have been major wind and hail events in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. These recent fall storms are coming on the heals of major East coast damage from Hurricane Irene and a very active spring storm season earlier this year. As a result of these storms, there has been an increase in demand for building products and as such increased construction material costs on items such as asphalt roofing shingles.


In addition to construction material problems, property owners may have other difficulties in dealing with their insurance replacement work. Reroof America offers some tips for homeowners who experienced some of these late season storms:

1. Call your agent or insurance claim “hotline”… if you look on your insurance paperwork, there is usually a claim number.

-OR- If you are not sure if you have hail damage or not, you should call a reputable roofing contractor (your insurance may recommend on like Reroof America) to come out and do an initial damage assessment. This is important as some insurance premiums can be negatively affected by filing claims even if there was no damage.


2. If you have an approved claim, need an emergency repair or are certain that you have damage… contact a recommended and certified contractor. Make sure that they are registered and certified by the local and state agencies and carry plenty of general liability insurance.

3. Schedule the repairs… being this late in the year, most severe hail damage should be addressed before the heart of the winter arrives. This is especially important in areas where snow is on your roof for extended periods of time.

4. Do not pay up front… one of the most common scams by storm chasing contractors is taking payment up front and not completing the work.

5. Demand a complete system… when having your roof work completed after a storm, you will want to make sure that you have a complete protective roofing system installed. This will ensure that you have the most waterproof roof. We feature the GAF System Plus and GAF Golden Pledge Limited warranties.

So if you were one of the many unfortunate homeowners who experienced some hail, wind or other storm related damage to your home, you will probably want to have it checked out before the winter hits. Remember, a roof that is damaged may become worse and cause some major headaches over the winter if you don’t address the problems quickly. (but do take precautions in selecting your roofer and roof system)

What Is Under Your RoofWhat Is Under Your Roof???

As Reroof America is a full service contractor... I have been spending quite a bit of time in attics this week looking for roof leaks and otherwise diagnosing roofing problems.   A thought occurred to me that when most people think about roofing they think about what they see… usually shingles or some other type of roofing like wood shingles, slate, metal roofing or a composite roofing material (for residential homes).  While the roof covering is important, equally important is what is underneath the waterproofing materials (shingles and underlayment).  

First I thought I would describe why the roof deck is so important then the different kinds of residential roof decks that we see and why they work or don’t work. 

Purpose of The Roof Deck 

This is relatively simple, the deck must be strong enough to:

1. Bear the weight of the waterproofing system above
2. Hold the fasteners in place

These are two very important factors in roof system design.  The strength of the deck must be considered in conjunction with the joist spacing.  This will determine the type of roofing system, in terms of weight, that your home can have. In terms of the holding capability of the deck… the most common wood and OSB systems meet most manufacturer’s requirements. As for the fasteners… they should be long enough to penetrate through all layers of roofing materials and extend through the underside of the roof deck or penetrate at least ¾ inch into wood plank or board decks.  The only time we get in to potential trouble with deck fastener holding problems, is when the use of insulation board or some other type of decking is used (or attempted to).     

Common Types of Residential Roof Decks in North America:

1. OSB or Plywood:

The most common materials used for roof decks are plywood or oriented strand board (OSB). For plywood a minimum 15/32 thick or ½ inch nominal plywood for 16-inch rafter spacings and 5/8 inch nominal thickness for 24-inch rafter spacings. For OSB, a minimum 15/32 inch thick or ½ inch OSB for 16-inch rafter spacings.

Potential problems with OSB - stability because of the effects of moisture

Potential problems with pressure Treated or otherwise chemically treat wood decks – premature deterioration due to chemical reactions.

 2. Solid Board Decking & Spaced Decking:

In older homes (before circa 1990) many homes used 1x6 or more commonly 1x8 decking like the ones pictured below:

Potential problems can occur on these when the decking is separated by more than 3/8 of an inch.   Many local codes will require spaced decking with more than this space between boards, to be re-decked. 

Really old homes, built before 1950 probably have a tongue and groove pine decking and would have to be replaced with such. 

The decking under old wood roofs is typically a spaced decking.   Many homes in the Southwest and Midwest, that have composition over wood roofs, will have plywood or OSB installed directly over the spaced decking upon reroofing.

In some cases (as I have personally seen here in Oklahoma…) wood roofs have been roofed over with a new wood roof.  That’s right… two layers of wood roofs.   This is obviously not code.  

As you can see… the type of decking you have plays a critical role in the aesthetics and performance of your roof… and your home.   This is one of the reasons when ever we come out to inspect a roof we complete our inspection from the inside out.   If you hire a roofer who does not enter your attic to look at your decking before they provide you with an estimate… beware.  How can he know what to expect when they tear off the roof???   Avoid hidden and unforeseen costs with your roofing project by hiring a local reliable roofer like Reroof America.   

Roof Leaks... Why they hapen and how to prevent them

We (Reroof America) have been getting quite a few calls for roof leaks lately (not our jobs… but other contractors roofing jobs, or just old roofs that need some TLC)
So I thought I’d offer some ideas on common roof leaks. 
 
Roof leaks can be a real problem. They don’t go away on their own and they can be very difficult to diagnose

Water runs down hill… (gravity works)… However, horizontal home frame boards or other obstacles and cause a problem with the roof leak diagnosis.  A leak may actually be 10 feet horizontal from where you see the wet ceiling or find moisture in the attic.Finding the source of some leaks is relatively easy. Others will require extensive work and may require a water test which involves the use of water hose and a person in the home looking for the leak.  

The Field of Shingles
I have said before that typically the shingles themselves are usually not the source for leaks.   However, if roof is older, or you have damage from wind or hail the shingles may be the cause of the leak.  Usually this will be caused by cracks, tears, or holes where the granules have worn off over time, exposing the asphalt.  Asphalt will deteriorate over time when exposed to UV rays from the sun, allowing water to enter.  If you have a wood shingle, slate or other composite type roofing system, usually multiple layers of roofing  provides waterproofing protection... when these are damaged, leaks can occur.   With field leaks, usually spot repairs can be made, otherwise the slope or the entire roof may need to be replaced, depending on the damage or the problem. 
Chimneys
Chimneys are a primary source of many leaks.  They may contain as many as four different types of flashing. Small cracks or holes in the flashing may cause serious problems.  Some roofers will try and repair chimney leaks with caulk.  This is only a temporary repair and is not recommended.  Installing the flashing and counterflasing correctly is the only true solution. 
Valleys
Valleys can be big problems if the shingles are not installed correctly. Clipping the corners of the valley shingle can result in tremendous leaks, as the water will travel horizontally at the valley.  If a valley is leaking, often times the only remedy is to tear out and re-install the valley, correctly.  
Wall Flashing
Some roof leaks happen at step flashings. You find these flashings where a roof climbs alongside a vertical wall or where the roof terminates at a vertical wall. Metal flashing must be in place to direct water streaming down the wall away from the stopping point of the shingles. This flashing may be behind wood siding or in front of a brick wall. Again, the use of caulk to fix leaks at wall flashing is not recommended. 
Vent Flashings
Many vent flashings incorporate a rubber seal with an aluminum flashing. The rubber can fail quickly and can be the source of a leak.  Additionally, the flashing should be properly fit in to the field shingles to assure proper water flow. Caulking is only a temporary repair here…
Ice Dams
Ice dam can occur when snow accumulates on the slanted roof of a house with inadequate insulation. Heat conducted through the insufficient insulation and warm air from the attic bypasses warms the roof and melts the snow on those areas of the roof that are above living spaces, but does not melt the snow on roof overhangs. Meltwater flows down the roof, under the blanket of snow, onto the eave and into the gutter, where colder conditions on the overhang cause it to re-freeze… Proper water proofing membranes (Ice & water shield) will help keeping the ice dam from causing a leak.
Non-Roof Leaks
Sometimes you think you have a roof leak when in reality, you roof is fine, and there are other factors causing water to enter your home.  A prime example is attic condensation that is typically caused by humidity. Often this humidity is caused by shower vents going directly in to the attic, or water heaters inside attics.  The key to limit condensation is proper ventilation (allowing all humidity to escape your attic).  Other sources of non roof leaks include cracked or broken chimney caps, siding and/or window leaks.  Again, a water test may be required to find out the true culprit of a leak.   

Each one of Reroof America’s offices have skilled managers that experts at diagnosing leaks. Call a Reroof America office near you… or go to our website to find your closest Reroof America location. 

We have offices in:

Glendale, AZ (Phoenix area)

Wheat Ridge, CO (Denver area)

Oklahoma (Tulsa and OKC)

Raytown, MO (KC area)

O’Fallon, MO (STL area)

Schaumburg, IL (Chicago area)

Bloomington, MN (Twin cities area)

Harahan, LA (SE Louisiana)

Reroof America Contractors's Glendale AZ roofing office... a year after the storm...

Glendale, Scottsdale and several other areas in Phoenix valley area were hit by massive hail storms back on October 5th 2010.   Reroof America was there to help thousands of homeowners with their roofing insurance claims.  We're still there going strong... and want to reflect on some of the main issues that property owners in the storm ravaged areas of Glendale may have experienced.

Reroof America, being licensed in Arizona since 2000, was ready when the storms hit.  Some thoughts...

• We rapidly increased our Service Consultant force to meet the demand. Since we have numerous offices from around the country, we were able to offer some of our Service Consultants, who work in northern markets (and typically do not work during the winter months) an opportunity.  Our Service Consultants are independent sales contractors... so we do not direct them or "deploy" them anywhere... however, many of them jumped at the opportunity to help the people of Arizona.
• Some Service Consultants didn't stick around long as they couldn't quite adapt to joining the Arizona Roofing - Reroof America team.  Nevertheless, we had quite a staff and a great time helping our Phoenix area friends.     
• We started roofing the new storm work soon after the storm hit.  In some cased it to the insurance adjusters a little while to get out there... but for the most part we roofed everyone in a timely manner (there were some exceptions... but most of them were out of our control).
• As we expected... in January... all of the storm chasers came in.  We saw the number of roofing contractors increase exponentially.  Thanks to the Arizona Registrar of Contractors, these stormchasers couldn't sit for the exam for at least 45 days.  Since the storm hit on October, most of them didn't get set up until late December or January.
• We did hear some stories of roof scams by some of these storm chasers.  Most of the scams happened when unsuspecting homeowners paid money up front... rather than waiting until their job was complete and they were 100% satisfied.  Reroof America NEVER asks for any money until our customer's jobs is complete.  
• Many homeowners upgraded their roofs from 20-year three tabs to lifetime laminated shingles.  This added to the drive up appeal and property value of these homes. 
• All of our customers with flat roofs who had spray foam roofs... go a treat as we use one of the best spray foam crews (our sub contractor) in the valley area.  We are really proud of our foam jobs. 
• We had the opportunity to roof a few commercial projects and some multi family projects as well... these are not easy projects as it takes quite a bit of coordination and communication.
• Over the summer... many of our Service Consultants (independent sales contractors) and labor subcontractors went back north to their homes...  No worries though... our key personal and local employees and local subcontractors were (are) still there in Glendale... servicing the entire valley. 

As we come up on the one year anniversary of the October 2010 hailstorm, I can only thank all our customers for the opportunity to help them... especially this past year when it has been quite hectic.  We are still there in that same office (just not as many people)... and will be happy to assist you if you have any concerns.  623-930-7663 
 

Dont agree with your insurance adjuster about your roof claim... It's Ok, it happens all the time.

A couple of the markets where Reroof America works are prone to lots of storms and hail damage. I had a common occurrence in my travels this week to out St. Louis (O'Fallon MO) office during the second half of the week and while in Oklahoma City earlier in the week.

I experienced and heard several stories about homeowners, our Service Consultants and even third parties having problems with their insurance adjuster. In fact, back in August 2011, a wind storm came through my neighborhood in Edmond, OK and damaged numerous homes... One of these affected was my neighbor across the street that has two layers of wood roof (That's right, a layer of wood shingles, covered by a layer of wood shakes)...

See the below pictures from that storm:

You would think that every roof was damage and that insurance will pay for all the damage... After seeing the initial damage, I thought of course they would be totaled (i.e. the insurance carrier would pay for a total roof replacement)

Well the answer is yes and no.

The problem usually is that a homeowner either is sure that their roof should be replaced (usually because a contractor told you or every other home in your neighborhood is being roofed) or did not even think the roof was touched. Either way, if home was in the path of a storm get ready for some door knocking salesmen… some of which may be the scam artists you have heard about. Anyway, when it comes to your damaged roof, the contractor may be on the up and up... or he may be trying to manufacture a claim. And when you do decide to file a claim (yes you will have to file… not the contractor on your behalf), there are numerous factors that go in to an adjusters decision on your coverage and what the insurance will pay; the most common are:

1. What is your policy. Most insurance adjusters are paid to be insurance policy experts. In fact over the past few years there have been so many changes in policy types... and in many cases homeowners are not aware of changes in coverage’s to their own policy.

Specific changes to policy's may be:

A. An addition of Non-Recoverable Depreciation

B. A change in a policy for allowing "sloping"

C. A change in a policy to allow code upgrades

2. What type of roof do you have. We are roofers, we work with roofs every day of our life. There are tons of types (makes and models) of roofs. If the type of roof you have is more resistant to damage, or the adjuster (who is not a roofing expert) is not familiar with the system.

3. The type of damage. As I just stated, adjusters are typically not roofing experts, they should be damage experts. Sometimes though, the roof may not be damaged enough to "total" the roof, however in several cases that I have seen this year, when you take in to consideration the condition of the roof and the difficulty of the repair... many roofers will suggest (and rightfully so) that the roof needs to be replaced.

4. Wear and tear & manufacturer defects. Predetermined roof failure... such as a manufacturer defect... may effect your overall claim.

So... what do I recommend???

First... familiarize yourself with insurance and claim terminology. I think we have a great resource on the Reroof America website here:  http://www.reroofamerica.com/Insurance-Information.htm

Second... review your policy BEFORE you need to use it. Sit down with you agent and discuss what is covered and what isn't, if you are at all unclear.

Third... find a good roofer. One that is not only knowledgeable about roofing but can also effectively communicate with you adjuster to help get your claim resolved. Oftentimes this will not be the first salesman to your door. I recommend talking to a few and reviewing their credentials. Honest contractors do not mind being scrutinised. 

Fourth... be patient. When there are a lot of storms across the country (like in 2011) sometimes the adjuster field is low (experienced adjusters get dispatched to areas of high volume). If you think you disagree with you roofer or adjuster... get a second opinion. (Most reputable roofers will not mid if you get a second opinion)

Lastly... realize that you, and your roofer may be wrong. Like I said... there are many factors that go in to your roof and your claim. While you pay for your policy so it can be used in a time of need, there may be a valid reason for your claim to be denied… and there is likely something being lost in the communication.

As for me… this year I’ve see roofs that have no business being totaled… that were… and some that were definitely beat up enough to be totaled… that were denied.

In the case of my neighbor… we are still working with the insurance company to come to the right solution. Like I said… be patient!!!

If you have specific damage questions… you can always send me questions and pictures may be I can help you (with no obligation to you :) )!

Thanks for reading!!!