Our roof of the week is a beautiful home in Katy.
State Roofing installed GAF Timberline HD series shingles in Charcoal. Materials included were Z Ridge Hip Shingles and GAF Deck Armor Underlayment. Silver Pledge Warranty. State Farm insurance hail claim.
There is more to a home’s roof that meets the eye.
Whether you need a roof repair or a new roof, it’s helpful to understand the basic roofing components and materials.
Chimney – a pipe through which smoke or gas goes up into the air, usually through the roof of a building.
Gutter – shallow troughs fixed beneath the edge of a roof, with the sole purpose of carrying off rainwater.
Valley – a hollow resembling or suggesting a valley, as the point at which the two slopes of a roof meet
Chimney Cap – a cap or cover for a chimney; they help keep animals and rainwater out, block downdrafts, block debris and help stop sparks and embers
Vent Stack – an opening designed to convey air, heat, water vapor or other gas from inside a building or a building component to the atmosphere.
Attic Vent – part of an attic ventilation system that replenishes fresh air through the attic space.
Ridge Cap/Vent – a ridge cap is a material or covering applied over the ridge of a roof; a ridge vent is a ventilator located at the ridge that allows the escape of warm and/or moist air from the attic area or rafter cavity.
Fascia – a board that is nailed to the ends of a roof rafter; sometimes supports a gutter.
Soffit – the exposed undersurface of any exterior overhanging section of a roof eave; soffit vents (an air inlet source as part of attic ventilation) are often installed in soffits.
Counter Flashing – flashing is used to weatherproof or seal roof system edges at perimeters, penetrations, walls, expansion joints, valleys, drains and other places where the roof covering is interrupted or terminated. Counter flashing is a strip of sheet metal in the form of an inverted L built into a vertical wall of masonry and bent down over the flashing to make it watertight.
Hip Ridge – a material or covering applied over the ridge of a hip roof
Reduce the chance of problems by choosing repair contractors carefully
It’s not unusual after a big storm for unreliable contractors to target consumers who need repairs. Here are some things to consider when choosing a contractor:
Weather is unpredictable. Avoid bigger loses by knowing what to look for in a contractor. Contact our office today for a free, no obligation inspection today.
Don’t miss the largest roofing event in Texas!
This year’s trade show will feature 90 exhibitors, seminars for Residential & Commercial Contractors and networking opportunities with Peers and Industry Experts. Don’t miss out on the golf tournament, award luncheon, door prizes & more!
Register now at: http://roofingcontractors-texas.com/events/
Don’t forget about your gutters!
As we enter the Fall rain season the condition of your gutters are important. Do you have sufficient downspouts and downspout size? Gutter companies are notorious for bidding jobs and leaving out the right number of downspouts and under-sizing them. Additional downspouts are costly and leaving them out gives them the low bid advantage.
With rains coming you need to have your gutters cleaned and joints sealed. And don’t forget to flush out your downspouts and underground drains that they are connected to.
Water flowing over the back of your gutter system can damage fascia and soffit. This can become a costly repair and allow water intrusion into your home.
And as always, use ladder safety. Let your certified and trained contractors do the work.
Homeowners beware! Your roof flashing may not be the cause of the leak!
Continued rainfall saturate your brick chimney and mortar joints. Water intrusion through the brick and mortar bypasses the industry flashing details and causes damage. Sheet rock, insulation, framing structures and contents are all at risk because there are no weep holes in brick chimneys to allow evaporation. This damage can also occur to brick walls and areas around window.
Maintenance to areas will help prevent damages from occuring. There is a clear sealant on the market specifically designed to seal masonry and applies similar to deck sealant. This product repels rain water and prevents absorption. Annual application might be necessary.
Not all insurance companies cover water damage. Call your agent and inquire. Also, make sure your policy has prepared you for hail, wind, tornadoes and hurricanes. Ask about your deductible and confirm that you have a replacement cost value policy. Don’t forget about flood insurance!
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