Category: Home Pro Roofing MI - page 15

Secrets To Keeping Your Roof Intact For Longer

How often to you look up to check out your home’s roof?  For me the answer is rarely.  Life is busy when I am outside I am playing with kids, jumping in the car to shuttle kids to sports or doing work in the yard.  Occasionally I glance up at the roof as I am pulling in after work but I never truly inspect the roof.  This is a mistake for sure.  I have learned that small damage left unnoticed takes something that could have been repaired simply into a new roof having to be installed.

A question I often ask is where do I start with maintaining my roof?  Finally when replacing my roof I decided I could take the opportunity to ask the professionals.  The roofing contractor explained that it is important for families to start by understanding that roof inspections were something that needed to occur two times a year.  The perfect times being the spring and fall seasons.

The first thing he told me to do was to grab a flashlight and head up into the attic area of the home.  From there I was to look for four basic things:

1)      The first thing I was looking for areas where the roof was sagging inward.  He said I would be able to visually see where the plywood was sagging.

2)      The next thing is to look for water damage and leaking throughout the interior of the roof.  Water for sure can cause issues that are expensive to fix, not only with your roof but ceilings and installation as well.

3)      Another thing to look for is dark spots, which could signal water had been there and dried.  Also trails of water where spots could have started leaking and been trickling down.

4)      Another thing to look from on the inside of the home is light peeking in.  This would signify a hole in the roofing materials.

The next step is to check the exterior of the roof.  It is important to pay attention to damage in the flashing, missing shingles, any shingles that are curled, buckled or rotted.  Here are some basics to pay particular attention to:

1)      Twice a year head up top on the roof to check visually for cracks in the roofing material, bald shingles or missing shingles as well.

2)      While you are on the roof scan the roof the roof lines for loose materials and wear around the chimney, vents and pipes.

3)      Check your gutters for extra granules from the composite shingling.  This is a sign of progressive wear.

It is so important that any signs of wear are immediately taken care of and repaired to avoid the need for total roof replacement.  Many roofing contractors will come out to your home access the extent of the damage and give the homeowner a written estimate to repair the roof and prevent further damage to the roof.  Just make sure to take in all of your options before committing to the expense of a new roof.  Many times even water damage can be repaired and prevented from happening again.  New roofs are expensive.  Make sure the roof you have has lived it’s life out to the fullest before investing in a new roof.

 

Take A Look At These Great Home Improvement Tips

A collection of easy methods to begin enhancing home helps make the perfect starting point for a beginner to emerge and hopefully begin improving their unique home easier. Below is just this kind of collection that will hopefully conserve the eager novice into eventually learning to be a pro in terms of diy.

Tend not to panic if you scuff a corner of a wooden furniture, trim or cabinetry. Instead, grab your iron as well as a damp napkin. Wet the damaged corner lightly, and after that apply the heated iron to regenerate the finished color and grain from the wood for the area that was scratched.

Connect some motion sensing night lights. To start, you should look at plugging in an in every strategically located outlet involving the bedrooms and also the bathroom. Now you can obtain these lights at the dollar stores for inexpensive prices. Think of the reassurance they are going to provide!

Many home builders save the construction costs by using only solid wood or particleboard cabinets that do not have any kind of hardware. Fortunately, you can purchase cabinet knobs, drawer pulls, and handles online or at any hardware store. You’ll be able to select vintage-look pulls, modern knobs, or designer accents which can be installed in minutes.

Installing carpet can be a daunting task if done yourself, or even an expensive task if you pay an expert to make it happen. Fortunately there’s an alternative. Much like vinyl flooring, there are carpet tiles that you can get. These too have adhesive backing that permits you to have them installed easily, and they also look much like real sheet carpeting when installed.

Get more decor and cut costs at the same time by changing your window treatments to energy-efficient varieties. Thermal drapes are produced from heavy fabrics that act as insulation to reduce drafts, and blackout curtains block sunlight, keeping your home cooler during the summer time months. Many window treatments perform double-duty, combining blackout effects with thermal fabrics.

Ensure you have a very thorough understanding of your house improvement projects. Waters unmanned . from underestimating the fee involved or time necessary to develop a project. By causing a listing of the process and materials, you are able to ensure you are very-prepared, and you’ll also employ their list to look for a second opinion to stop missing any steps or overlooking any potential obstacles or complications. This is especially valid with exterior renovations.

Were you aware that it is possible to install your metal roofing right over the surface of old asphalt tiles? This will save you money and time because you will not have costs active in the removal. But if there are many than two layers they should be removed first.

Landscaping is an additional exterior do-it-yourself that often turns costly and results in wasted resources. One major tip is to purchase landscaping indigenous to the region in places you live. Also be sure to purchase plants which are perennials. This is easier and less expensive spending the time and cash to re plant every year.

Well, hopefully the previously mentioned collection of tips were enough to give you a fantastic start taking what to do and expect in terms of improving your own home. This collection was carefully constructed being an aid inside your arsenal to help you start to hone your property improvement skills into doing great and safe improvement jobs.

Home Pro Roofing is a Michigan based company that installs and repairs roofs using a variety of

Home Pro Roofing MI

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Whatever You Ever Wanted To Understand About Metal Roofing

Metal is the latest craze in roofing material today. It has become popular because of the most advantages it provides over traditional roof materials such as composite asphalt shingles. Homeowners have become fond of metal roofs because they are durable, practically maintenance free once installed and good in many varying weather environments. Below you will find a list of answers to regularly asked questions about metal roofing. The answers will have you calling a metal roof installer to refurbish the look and durability of your current roofing.

Q – What does the typical metal roofing cost to replace in comparison to a shingle roofing?

A – Metal roof is considered a superior product. When contimplating a metal roof for your home you need to understand the expense that will be considerably higher than a shingle roofing because it is meant to outlast a shingle roof ten-fold. If you analyze metal roofing to tile or cedar shake roofing you will find the costs to be comparable.

No matter what multitude of metal roof you buy you will not ever have to think about replacing your roof again. This is a perfect choice for families that are considering living in their homes for the long term. However, metal roof does increase the value of your house so it is an amazing alternative for homeowners that are looking to sell. Metal roofing often comes with a thirty to fifty year warranty, adds value to your home, helps save money on energy bills and allows you independence from ever replacing your roofing again. What is not to love?

Q – I worry that that metal roof will not fir the style of my home or neighborhood.

A – This is not even an issue considering that most residential metal roof is made to appear like many conventional roofing materials. Metal roof is similar to asphalt shingles, clay tiles, slate and cedar shakes except that it is more durable and able to withstand most any weather. When looking into a metal roof for your home you will be surprised to find the abundant variety of colors, patterns and styles obtainable to pick from.

Q – What about lightning? Does metal roofing attract lightning?

A – This is a great myth encompassing metal roofing. The truth is that your metal roof has as much of a chance of being hit as does a shingle roof. Lightning is attracted to the highest point of a home not the material on the roof of the home. The difference is a metal roofing can help avoid lightning causing a fire from the lightning strike because it spreads the electric charge out over the entire roofing instead of one localized spot. Metal roofing is a non-combustible material.

Q – Are you able to get on top of the roofing and walk around?

A – Like any roof you should not spend an immense amount of time tromping around. Roofs are high and sloped which can cause issues no matter what material your roofing is comprised of. Yes, metal roofing is able to support people walking on it. However like any roof can be damaged if not walked upon with supervision to avoid stepping on raised portions of the metal roof panels.

These are just a few answers to some of the many questions encompassing metal roofing for residential purposes. For more info on if a metal roof is the best alternative for your house it is best to contact a metal roof contractor. Metal roof materials applied on your home can greatly increase the value, the longevity of the homes roof and the roofs durability.

Home Pro Roofing is a Michigan based company that installs and repairs roofs using a variety of

Home Pro Roofing MI

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Protecting Your Investment By Choosing The Right Roofing Material

Have you ever wondered why we have to have a roofing material barrier over the plywood that makes up a roof?  Yes, it gives a finished look to a home as does it counterpart for the sides of the house, siding.   The main reason we have roofing systems consisting of more than plywood is to create a barrier against the natural elements. Without the barrier present the elements would wreak havoc on the homes structure.  Water is the most intrusive natural element and the one most roofing materials are made to withstand.

To accomplish protection against the natural elements as well as the human elements the roofing material must protect the underlayment.  In order for this to happen the observable roofing material must withstand stresses presented by nature and man.  Industry standards have been put into place and tested to ensure the quality and life expectancy of a variety of roofing materials including; asphalt shingles, cedar shingles, metal roofing, concrete tiles, clay tiles and a variety of other materials now present in roofing.

Weather in the Michigan varies a great deal.  Roofing needs to withstand hail, wind, extreme temperatures varying from intense heat to extreme cold, snow, ice and the various freeze/melt scenarios of present in Michigan.  As with everything involving your home it is important to research the materials you are considering for your roofing need and determine for your environment what is going to be the most cost effective material to use to provide a weather proof barrier for your homes roof.

Below is a list of roofing materials commonly used in Michigan to choose from:

–          Inexpensive and straight forwarded installation

–          Has a high fire resistance rating

–          Is available in different class levels for a variety of weather situations

–          Wind warranties that withstand one hundred thirty mile an hour winds

–          Easy to repair if damage occurs

–          Long lasting and needs to be replaced less frequently than other materials

–          Available in high fire resistant ratings and class ratings to withstand fire and weather

–          Metal material is lightweight and durable

–          Easy to repair if damage happens to occur

Anyone that has owned a home knows that you pour your life savings into it.  Between the interior, exterior and the worldly possessions found inside the amount of time, energy and money put in is irreplaceable.  This is why choosing the right roofing material for your home is so important.

Not only is choosing the right material important but also the right installation company.  Finding a professional in your area should come fairly easy; selecting one however might be a tad bit more difficult.  Follow the steps below and you should be able to find a reliable, trustworthy roofing contractor.

  • Find a contractor that has a permanent place of business.  This should include a phone number, tax id and is licensed.
  • Ask to see a copy of the insurance contract the company has.  It is important in finding a reputable roofing contractor that they are responsible and liable for accidents with his employees that happen while working on your roof.
  • It is important to also find a roofing contractor that maintains financially stability.  You as a consumer have the right to ask for information relating to this.
  • Work with a contractor that has references that can vouch for the work the company provides and the manner in which his employees work.
  • Always get a written contract for the services that are to be performed in detail.  This should include the materials, type and quantity to be used in your install.
  • A contractor should be able to also explain how much he works on your project verse has employees to assist.  You should know if he is a supervisor only or if he has a crew with a supervisor for each individual roofing project.
  • Carefully read the warranties that are provided on the materials the professional roofing contractor is recommending be used on your roofing project.
  • Look especially careful into bids that are way below industry norms.  If is sounds too good to be true it probably is.

Finding The Right Roofing Material For Your Home

What do people want most when spending money on a product and service?  If you answered something around the arena of getting the best bang for their buck you are thinking along the right track.  This is exactly what homeowners looking into replacing their roofs are looking for.  They want to get a reliable option in materials and labor at a realistic cost.  When looking into replacing a roof consumers are interested in something inexpensive, few, simple maintenance requirements and longevity.

When looking into replacement roofing there are many options available to homeowners.  The roofing materials that are available to you will also depend a lot on the region in which the home is in.  For instance, in Michigan we find that clay roofing tiles are not a feasible option in roofing material.  The cold temperatures and drastic climate changes would not play well with this fragile option.  However, in a southwestern climate clay roofing tiles are a popular option because they don’t dry rot, burn or are not easily damaged by insect wear and tear.  They require a small amount of maintenance helping to maintain their popularity within certain regions within the United States.

Popular options for Michigan homes tend to lean towards materials that are viable in the changing climate.  Shingle roofs and metal roofing remain a solid choice for homeowners within this region. Shingle roofs are by far the most common material used in roofing within the region. There are several types of composition shingle roofing materials including higher quality, more durable asphalt shingles and fiberglass shingles which also may include recycled content.

Shingle roofs, often known as composition or asphalt shingle roofs, offer many advantages over other roofing materials especially for those of us that live within a climate such as Michigan where the season changes are inevitable.

Advantages:

  • The style of home that the material can be used on is a wide range. Whether the home is historic, contemporary, modern or classic shingles are aesthetically pleasing.
  • Shingle roofing material tends to be a less expense option when compared to other roofing material such as metal.
  • The durability can be increased using higher quality architectural shingles.  Although many homeowners find the low-cost 3-tab shingles a viable option for their needs and desires.
  • The variety of colors, types and manufactures also make this option popular.  Complementary shingle colors should be sought out using your existing siding color as a guide.
  • Shingle roofing is easy to repair and fire resistant which also makes it incredibly desirable to homeowners seeking to install a new roof.  Roof repairs are not unheard of. Shingles make the repair a bit easier which save the homeowner time and money.   Wind damage is the number one cause of roof repair and in states such as Michigan that is not unfamiliar territory.

Disadvantages:

  • Unlike other roofing materials composition shingle roofs last a relatively short amount of time.  The average life span varies between fifteen to thirty years.  Depending on how long you plan on being in your home may convince or detour you from purchasing this type of roofing material.
  • Extra hot temperatures can cause damage such as scarring.  Although this is a rather minor roof repair and the temperatures would have to be way above average for a good portion of time for people in the North-East region.
  • Given the right conditions moss and mildew can grow on shingle roofs.  This again is a fairly simple fix but something to think about.  If you live in an area with very little sunlight getting to the roof it might be something to consider when choosing a shingled roof.
  • A disadvantage of some shingles is that they are considered environmentally unfriendly.  They do not decompose rapidly if placed in a landfill.  Many shingle suppliers are starting to sell recycled shingles to improve the environmentally friendliness.