My Blog
February 2011
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Posted on Sunday, February 27, 2011 11:52 AM
Replace Your Roof before Doing Anything Else Nice to Have, But Not Overly Exciting. Replacing your roof falls into this category - though I admit, it's much more than Nice to Have, it's more of a necessity. The roof is one of the most important lines of defense against water infiltration into the home. Every single home remodeling task you undertake, from drywall on down to the most delicate swath of paint, will be ruined if you do not protect it properly with a correctly installed roof. Types of Roofing Materials to Use Your choice of roofing materials often depends on your locality, as much as on your own personal taste. · - Asphalt Composition Shingles: Cheaper and easily obtainable, but less attractive than other options due to "flat" appearance. ·
- Metal Roofing: Metal roofing is still rare, and few roofers know how to install it; special companies are required for this job. ·
- Slate Roofing: highly attractive, and a high-end roofing option; extremely slippery to walk on. ·
- Rubber Slate or "Faux" Slate - Recycled post-industrial synthetics gaining in popularity.
Important Note:Roof pitch (angle) affects the kind of roofing shingles you can use! Roof Replacement Cost and Terminology The cost to replace a roof, as you might imagine, varies. It varies according to your roofing materials (all the way from the cheaper 3-tab asphalt shingles up to architectural shingles or even slate), the roofing contractor, the pitch (or steepness) of your roof, the area to be covered, and a host of other factors. Is summer the Only Time to Replace a Roof? Roofers are amazing - and this is why we pay them to roof our houses. I have seen roofers here in the Rocky Mountains – Pueblo Colorado - on a roofing job between snow storms. No, the weather conditions do not have to be perfect just above 45 to 50 degrees with a little bit of sun. However, any installed areas must be dry before any covering layers are installed. The trick behind any roofing project is to have a large team of professional roofers who can knock out work phases in hours, instead of days. Another reason to think twice before doing your own roofing job. The Roofing Process Remarkably, a moderately-sized, professionally-installed roofing job might take only 1 or 2 days. - Remove all existing shingles, deposit them in a roll-off, and remove.
- Make minor repairs on roof if in good condition. If not, replace bad wood with plywood.
- Install drip edge along eave lines under the felt and along the rake edges install drip edging on top of felt
- Lay down felt paper.
- Apply the shingles - starting at the eaves and working upward
- Apply flashing around all areas where leaks might come into the house - against the chimney, stack vents, etc.
For a FREE estimate or examination on Roofing, Siding, Painting, Fascia, Soffits and all Repairs Please call (719) 543-6501 Call Almighty we’ll make sure your home’s all-righty |
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Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 9:53 AM
FREE No Hassel No Obligation Estimates in Pueblo, Canon City, Penrose, and surounding areas on Roofing, Siding, Painting, Fascia, Soffits and all types of Repairs. Ask us about how you may qualify for a new roof if you have T-Lock Shingles. We will work with your insurance if needed. Serving Southern Colorado for over 20 years. "Call Almighty we'll make sure your home's all-righty" (719) 543-6501 |
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Posted on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 7:52 PM
Spring time is traditionally the time of year for spring cleaning. While spring cleaning efforts typically focus on the inside of a house, homeowners should think about how they can spruce up the exterior of their homes as well. Enhancing a home’s exterior can add significant curb appeal and value for the homeowner.Before beginning any home exterior projects, homeowners should consider the following: - Budget—make sure it’s realistic and stick to it.
- Goals— What is the main objective? To increase the resale value of the home, or is it simply a much-needed remodeling?
- Sources—homeowners should consult reliable contractors, builders, architects and Realtors for advice.
Replacing a roof is one common exterior project that increases a home’s value. Sometimes homeowners are forced to put new roofs on their homes after weather or fire damage. They may also be facing expired warranties on the roofing material. And many homeowners today are replacing their roofs simply to enhance the curb appeal of the home even if it’s not on the market. There are several criteria to think about when choosing roofing material. Most important, does it have weather and fire resistance classifications? What is the product warranty? A roofing material’s value should also be considered to ensure that it complements the home’s design. In addition to traditional roofing materials such as asphalt, shake, slate or tile, composite roofing is an increasingly popular choice. Composite products, such as Lamarite® Composite Shingles, offer the look of real slate or wood shake shingles, but provide more durability and safety features. For a FREE estimate please call 719-543-6501 Specializing in: Roofing, Siding, Painting, Fascia, Soffits and all Repairs Call Almighty we'll make sure your home's all-righty |
Choosing a Contractor, Roofing Contractor, Siding Contractor, Lein Waivers, Exteriors, T-Lock Shingles, Free Roofing Estimates, Different Types of Roofs, Free Siding Estimates, Painting Contractor, Free Painting Estimates
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Posted on Monday, February 21, 2011 3:40 PM
Hail season is quickley approaching Colorado, when it hits how do you know which roofing contractor to use? I recommend that you always use a local contractor but how do you know if they are local or not. Storm Chasers have it down to a science, they come into an area and buy a local name and phone number, they even put Colorado license plates on their trucks, they look like a local contractor but they aren’t. I suggest you ask questions like: “Are you a member of the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce or a member of the the Southern Colorado BBB?” “What is your favorite restaurant?” “Who do you know?” and my two favorite questions in Pueblo, “What high school did you go to?” and “What color does the bell ring?” These are questions that will tell you pretty quickly who you are dealing with. If they don’t know what bell you are talking about, they definatley aren’t local. Why not deal with a storm chaser? These guys come into a town, set up shop, and do as many roofs as possible as quickly as possible and then head to the next storm, in many cases leaving behind problems and issues and possibly even material bills that may leave your home open to have a lien filed against it. Why use a local contractor? These guys are in your town, understand your weather and the special concerns of our area such as high winds, hail, and regional building codes. Their livliehood demands that they take care of problems or they soon will be out of work. They aren’t likely to pack up and move to the next state overnight. Most contractors will give you a free estimate and will work with your insurance company to help you file your claim. I suggest that you call a local roofing contractor before the insurance company to ensure the damage is worth filing a claim. If you have called your insurance company first, don’t show the insurance paperwork to the contractors until they have given you a written estimate. Eventually the contractor will need to see the paperwork so they can make sure it is correct, in some cases insurance companies miss things that should be replaced, your contractor can help get these little things taken care of. The cheapest bid is not always the best way to go. Do not choose your contractor by price alone. Do some research, ask for references, check with the regional building department, check that they are licensed and insured and beware if they want large amounts of money up front. T-lock shingles have been discontinued so in most cases even mild wind or hail damage will get you a new roof. Pueblo has been rated as a high wind area requiring shingles to be warrantied for 90mph or better. Some shingles meet this rating, for example Certainteed’s Grand Manor, Presidential and Landmark. Other shingles need to have special undlayments and extra nails to meet the requiremets. Your local supply companies, chambers, your friends and the Better Business Bureau can be good resources for hiring a contractor. Your roof should last you a long time and it protects everything in your home, take the time to find someone you trust to do the job for you. For a FREE estimate or examination please call (719) 543-6501 Call Almighty we’ll make sure your home’s all-righty Specializing in: Roofing, Siding, Painting, Fascia, Soffits and all Repairs |
Choosing a Contractor, Roofing Contractor, Siding Contractor, Exteriors, Wind Damage, T-Lock Shingles, Free Roofing Estimates, Different Types of Roofs, Free Siding Estimates, Painting Contractor, Free Painting Estimates
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Posted on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 12:56 PM
Will my insurance pay to replace my roof if there is wind damage? There are innumerable ways your home can be damaged. You may immediately think of fire and storm damage like a tornado or hurricane. However, there can be water damage from a broken washing machine or ice maker line, vandalism, sinkhole, hidden decay, hail damage, tear gas (yes, tear gas), sewage back-up, damage from blasting nearby or even from vibrations sent through the earth by heavy equipment being used in the vicinity. What if I Suspect Wind or Hail Damage? If you suspect your roof has been subjected to high winds or hail, you need to have it examined by a qualified and experienced roofer immediately. You can have severe damage to the tiles or shingles on your house even if no tiles or shingles are actually blown off the house. Many roofs look absolutely fine from the ground even though they have been totally compromised by storm damage.
Wind Damage Shingles have a sealing strip between them. Many times, wind will lift the shingles and break the sealing strip during a storm. After the storm, the shingles simply lay back down in place – looking fine. If that sealing strip is compromised, then your roof likely needs to be replaced. This sealing strip is critically important to the integrity, functionality and longevity of your roof. If the sealing strip is compromised you roof will likely start leaking within a year or two of the wind event. That is why you need to have it examined immediately, before it starts leaking. Likewise, tile roofs suffer from a similar plight. The tiles themselves on a tile roof system are simply decorative. The water barrier for a tile roof is the underlayment – the paper below the tiles. In a strong wind, the wind can “chatter” the tiles on your roof. This means the wind gets up under the tiles and repeatedly “jiggles” them up and down during a storm. After the storm, the tiles look fine. However, during the storm the chattering tiles have also “jiggled” the nails securing them to the underlayment causing the holes around the nails to open up wider than they should. This allows water to seep in around the nail holes throughout the roof. As with shingles roofer, many times, the water damage does not begin to show up for a year or two from the wind event. Hail Damage If your home is subjected to hail, you should also have your roof examined by a roofer. Some hail damage is easy to spot – like when it knocks holes in your pool screen, or dents the metal or lead boots on your roof. But, just as significant is hail damage that can only be seen close up. Often when hail hits a roof it causes what is known as “degranulation” of the shingles. Degranulation can only be seen on close inspection by someone who knows what they are looking for. When hail causes degranulation the integrity of the shingle is compromised, and the serviceable life of the shingle is significantly shortened – all of which warrant roof replacement under your homeowners insurance policy. Choosing a Roofer If your roofer identifies wind or hail damage, then call your homeowners insurance company. Do not delay. There are certain time limits set forth in your policy that may prevent a recovery if you wait too long after discovering a problem. Ask your insurance company to send an adjuster out to inspect your home. Make sure the adjuster coordinates the visit with your roofer so that the roofer can show the adjuster the damage. For a FREE estimate on Roofing, Siding, Painting, Fascia, Soffits, Insulation, and Repairs Please call (719) 543-6501 Serving Southern Colorado since 1992 almightyexteriors@yahoo.com |
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