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dirty roof gutter

August 19, 2019 in Gutters & Downspouts, Roofing

Roof & Gutter Cleaning – Best Practices

As a homeowner, you know that maintenance is inevitable. Even the highest-quality home will need to have ongoing maintenance performed to remain in proper working order. One task that you should not overlook is roof and gutter cleaning. Your roof is the first line of defense for your home against all kinds of weather conditions, so keeping it in good condition is essential. Let’s take a look at some of the key points to understand related to roof and gutter cleaning.

Safety is Always #1

No matter what, the focus of your efforts when cleaning your roof and gutters should be safety. There is no need to put yourself at risk when trying to perform this maintenance task. If you don’t have the right equipment – such as a sturdy ladder – or if you are at all uncomfortable with heights, simply hire someone to do the work for you. Paying to have your roof and gutters cleaned is not particularly expensive, and it will be worth it if it means avoiding doing work that you aren’t comfortable with. Only proceed with doing your own work when you are confident in your abilities and know you have the right equipment for the task at hand.

Remove Debris Carefully

Assuming you feel confident in doing this work yourself, get started by taking the debris off of your roof and out of the gutters and downspouts. Things like leaves and small branches may have landed on the roof from nearby trees, so gather them up and dispose of them properly. Allowing debris to remain on your roof can cause problems in the long run, as it will gather in the gutters and prevent water from running away properly. Unless you have numerous large trees around your home, cleaning up the debris should be a relatively quick and straightforward task.

Address Moss Problems

In some areas, moss is a significant problem on roofs. When a roof has plenty of shade, and cool and damp conditions are present, moss can thrive. It might not look too harmful at first, but moss can do damage to your roof over time if allowed to remain. However, while you might be tempted to scrape it off, that’s not the right approach. Instead, use a moss killing product which can be applied directly to the moss so it will die off on its own. If you were to scrape the area affected with moss, not only might you damage the roof, but the moss would be likely to just grow right back.

An Overall Review

While on the roof, take a careful look at the condition of the surface to determine in any repairs are necessary. Hopefully, you’ll find that your roof is in good condition and doesn’t require any further work, but it’s always smart to check. If you do find one or two spots that need to be addressed with a repair, bring in a professional so you can make sure it is done right the first time.

house with metal roof

July 19, 2019 in Roofing

Six Modern Trends in Metal Roof Replacement

To the layperson, it might seem like the construction industry moves rather slow. After all, if you are just looking at buildings from the street once they are finished, they don’t look much different than they did years ago. Within the industry, however, nothing could be further from the truth. There are always exciting new trends to monitor, and amazing new materials and techniques to put into action. In this article, we’d like to shine some light on six trends in the world of metal roof replacement.

Keep It Clean

One of the trends you’ll notice if you look around at other metal roofing jobs is a shift toward simple, clean aesthetics. More and more, the projects that are being completed are using straightforward designs without much extra ‘fluff’. This style allows the natural beauty of the metal roof to shine through without interference from unnecessary design features.

Sustainable Products

This is a trend that extends far beyond the metal roofing industry. People are quickly becoming conscious of how their decisions impact the natural world around them, and plenty of buyers are demanding products which are sourced in an environmentally-friendly manner. Also, those same buyers are looking for products that can help reduce the amount of energy that a home uses on a day to day basis, further reducing their overall impact on the globe.

Light Tones

There are plenty of colors available to you when you opt for a metal roof, but you might not feel like making too much of a statement with a bright shade. Instead, you could do like many others and pick something light that will still add visual appeal to your home while not drawing too much attention.

Match It Up

Keeping with the discussion on colors, you could also opt for a single shade throughout the roofing project, including gutters and trim. It’s traditional to use different colors for each of the roof, gutters, and trim, but that tradition seems to be shifting. A single color for all three offers an interesting look, and it just might be a look that you enjoy.

Going Bright

Okay – so above we mentioned that one of the trends is to use light tones, and that’s true. At the same time, other homeowners are feeling like being a bit bold, and those projects tend to be finished with bright metal roofing in any number of various shades. If you do decide to pick a bright color, make sure the project will be approved by your homeowner’s association (if you have one) before you go ahead with the job.

More Than Roofing

You may decide that you like the look of your roofing so much that you actually want to use it on more than just the roof. Believe it or not, this may be an option. If you are doing more than just a roofing project, consider employing the use of your metal roofing on one or more of your walls to create an interesting visual feature.

metal roofing

June 20, 2019 in Roofing

Metal Roofing: The Best Choice for All Types of Weather

The more time you spend researching roofing choices, the more you realize that metal roofing is a great choice for many situations. Not only does it look great and offer a relatively affordable solution compared to other options, it is also great at dealing with weather. If you are working on a roofing project in an area that is subjected to harsh weather on a regular basis (like here in the DC metro area), you will at least want to consider the possibility of opting for a metal roof.

Holding Firm in the Wind

If you aren’t familiar with how metal roofing works, you might think that it would be at risk of flying away in the wind. With a good metal roof, this just isn’t likely to happen. Since there are not separate shingles to consider, you don’t have to worry about losing sections of your roof to a wind storm. Instead, as long as you have a heavy metal roof that is installed properly, the wind should just whip right on over.

Channeling Away the Rain

One of the most common weather conditions your roof will face is rainfall. Obviously, when the rain comes down, your roof needs to keep it from leaking into your house, and it needs to funnel the water away, so it doesn’t cause problems later on. A metal roof will allow the rain to slide off the house without any trouble, and a coating that is applied to quality metal roofing will keep it from rusting as the years go by. Some potential buyers also have concerns about the sound that might be produced by a metal roof in a rainstorm, but that shouldn’t be an issue as long as you have sufficient insulation.

Reflecting the Heat

When the sun is shining brightly, you probably aren’t too worried about the condition of your roof. After all, a beautiful day filled with blue skies sure seems like it would be easier on a roof than a nasty storm. However, for some roofs, a day of hot sunshine can be a problem, if the temperatures rise high enough. Fortunately, metal roofs are great at reflecting heat away. The surface of the roof will be hot during the heat of the day, but it will also cool quickly after the sun goes down.

The Lightning Factor

One other concern some homeowners have about using a metal roof is the thought of lightning being drawn to the roof. When lightning strikes, it simply finds the fastest way to get to the ground, often through a tall tree or similarly prominent object. So, your house is at no greater risk for a lightening strike than it would be with a different type of roof. In addition. A metal roof won’t catch fire, so you may even feel a bit better when dealing with an electrical storm than you would with a material that could burn. In the end, no matter what kind of weather conditions your home has to face, a metal roof is ready for the task.

kitchen skylight

May 17, 2019 in Skylights

Skylights: Five Advantages You May Not Know About

Skylights are an attractive feature to add to a home for a variety of reasons. If you have been thinking about adding a skylight to your current home, or if you’re trying to decide whether it is worth adding one to a home you are building, the five advantages we have listed below may help you make up your mind.

#1 – Privacy Benefits

Wait a minute – how can punching a hole in your roof actually improve privacy? Well, it comes down to how you are going to access some natural light inside your home. Most people enjoy natural light, and if you don’t have a skylight, you will need to keep your shades open in order to let that light in. With a skylight, however, you can keep your shades closed and still have some nice light entering the space. This might not be as big of a deal in the living room, where the shades will often be open, but it can be great for bedrooms and bathrooms.

#2 – Environmental Benefits

We would all do well to use less electricity. By reducing our dependence on the power grid, we can do the environment around us a big favor. Toward that end, letting in natural light through the use of a skylight will allow you to keep the lights in your home turned off more frequently in the daytime. Adding just a couple of skylights isn’t going to dramatically reduce your power usage, but every little bit is a step in the right direction.

#3 – A Great Look

If you take pride in the way your home looks and you work hard to keep it in good condition, you may love what a skylight can add. The light they bring it can illuminate your home in ways that just aren’t possible with artificial lighting. Of course, if it is the aesthetic that you are worried about above all else, consider working with a professional designer to place your skylights in just the right spots.

#4 – Feel Good

Letting more sunlight into your home can improve your access to vitamin D, and vitamin D has been shown to boost mood in many individuals. If you live a lifestyle that has you inside throughout much of the day, it’s easy to feel a little bit down – even if you don’t know why. While adding a skylight certainly isn’t a guaranteed way to feel better, getting more vitamin D through sunlight access may be beneficial.

#5 – See Clearly

Do you have trouble seeing in parts of your home from time to time, even during the day? Depending on the design of your house, there might be some dark corners that are hard to illuminate even with artificial lighting. A skylight may solve this problem, at least during the daylight hours. As long as it is placed in the right spot, you can use a skylight to make it easier to see some of those notoriously dark spots in your house.

shingles on home

April 22, 2019 in Tips

5 Common Roofing Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

The roof on your home is the first line of defense against whatever Mother Nature decides to throw your way. If you have any problems with your roof, those issues are likely to become problematic sooner rather than later. Many roofing issues are caused by roofing mistakes, so it is important to confirm that your roof has been installed and repaired correctly. The five mistakes we have listed below are things to think about when considering the condition of your roof.

Poor Nailing Job

One important part of a standard roofing job is to manage the nails properly. There are a couple of things which need to be done right here. First, of course, is that the nails need to actually be driven into the nailing strip, where they are meant to go. This might seem like an obvious point, but it is missed more often than you might believe. Also, it’s important to drive the nails to the appropriate depth. If the nail isn’t driven far enough into the shingle, it can easily work its way out down the line. Or, if the nail is blasted all the way through the shingle, it actually won’t be holding onto anything and the shingle will be loose.

Dealing with the Valley

The low point where two sections of the roof come together is known as a ‘valley’, and it’s important because this is where water will head before making its way off the roof. Another common mistake seen in residential roofing is to skip the use of a metal piece to help usher water away. As you might imagine, skipping the valley metal is inviting problems with leaks down the road.

Failing Flashing

Flashing is an important part of many roofing jobs, as it helps to move water away from spots where it might be able to work into the home otherwise. Inexperienced roofers may have trouble using flashing correctly, which is a mistake that might not make itself known for a while – but is likely to be a problem down the line. When a new roof is installed, it might be possible for some of the old flashing to remain, but anything that is damaged or no longer serving the intended purpose should be replaced.

Out of Line

Shingles are meant to be installed in straight lines, and in a uniform manner. That part of the job is a pretty easy task for an experienced roofer, but those without much time on the job may struggle. While the odd appearance of such a roof is one thing to worry about, you may also wind up with performance issues if the shingles aren’t straight.

Shingles on Shingles

Believe it or not, sometimes a new roof will simply be tacked on right on top of an old one. This is simply not a good idea. Before new roofing shingles are installed, the old shingles should be removed and disposed of properly. Saving some money now by skipping the removal of the old shingles is going to come back around and cost even more in the long run.

solar panels on roof

March 13, 2019 in Solar Panels

What to Know Before Installing Solar Panels on Your Roof

If you are interested in using alternative forms of energy for your Maryland home, there is a good chance you’ve considered the possibility of adding solar panels to your home’s roofing. Solar panels come along with plenty of potential benefits, but there are a few things to think about before you make the move and go ahead with the project. Let’s take a moment to examine some key points that you’ll want to keep in mind.

You’ll Need to Be a Good Candidate

Solar panels are a great technology, but they do not work well in all applications. For example, if you have a home that is surrounded by large, leafy trees, there may not be enough sunlight getting through to the panels. Of course, trees grow as time goes by, so take note of any small trees near your home which may present a solar problem down the line. You don’t want to incur the cost of adding solar panels to your home only to find that they are going to be able to deliver what you were expecting in the end.

What About the Rules?

If you live in a community with an HOA, you’ll want to confirm that you are actually allowed to add solar panels to your home. Again, this is about getting all your ‘ducks in a row’ before you write that big check. Spending the money on solar panels may not be a wise move if you’ll immediately be in hot water with your HOA as a result.

Connecting the Dots

Adding solar panels to your roof is only the start of the process. With panels in place that can absorb sunlight and turn it into energy, the next step is to connect your power supply to the grid. This is something that varies wildly from place to place, so you will need to start doing some research before you get too far along. Some of the points to address include whether or not there is a fee to connect to the grid and how long you should expect that process to take.

Are You Going to Buy?

Did you know that you don’t necessarily need to purchase the solar panels that will go up on your roof? While you do have the option to buy these panels, you could also lease them. The pros and cons here are quite similar to when trying to decide whether to buy or lease a car. The lease has some short term appeal, but the numbers typically favor a purchase in the long run. Every situation is different, so do the math in your case and make the decision that is best for you and your family.

It’s an exciting proposition to think about adding solar capabilities to your home, but this is not something that you should rush into without doing plenty of homework first. Give yourself plenty of time to gather the fact and then make your choice with confidence.

metal roof

February 19, 2019 in Roofing

How Metal Roofing is Environmentally Friendly

When you think about environmentally-friendly products, metal is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. It doesn’t look particularly natural, after all, but it is actually quite favorable for the environment when used as roofing. In this article, we are going to discuss a few of the reasons metal roofing is a nice option when keeping the environment in mind. Armed with this information, you just may decide that a metal roof is the right choice for your upcoming project.

They Are Built to Last

One of the worst things a roof can do to the environment is to be replaced frequently. There is a lot of waste that goes into replacing a roof, as the old materials will need to be pulled down and disposed of in some way. This is a mark in the favor of a metal roof, as this type of roofing generally will hold up for a long period of time. In fact, there is a good chance you’ll never need to put another roof on your home after your metal roof is installed. In many cases, a metal roof will be able to outlast an asphalt roof, which is another common option on the market today.

Recycling on Both Ends

Recycling is one of the most environmentally-friendly things we can do, and a metal roof is going to score well on both ends of that equation. For starters, it is common for metal roofs to be made up of as much as 40% recycled material. That means you are already helping to keep material out of the landfill just by purchasing a metal roof. Then, when the roof has completed its useful life, it will be able to be recycled after it is removed. The ability to be recycled is not something that can be said of every roofing material, so consider this another big plus of opting for metal on your roof.

Save the HVAC

Using your HVAC system aggressively during the warm summer months is a major energy drain – one which is not great for the environment. Fortunately, metal roofs to a great job of reflecting away the sun’s rays, helping the inside of the house to stay relatively comfortable. That’s not to say that you will never need to turn the AC on during a hot summer, but the overall energy used to cool your home back down to a comfortable temperature should be reduced. Of course, having to use less energy is not only a good thing for the environment, but for your bank account, as well.

Even if you didn’t take its environmentally-friendly nature into account, there would already be plenty of reasons to think about a metal roof. However, when you add in the many ways that a metal roof can be good to the environment, this decision starts to look like an easy one. Whether you wind up going with metal or not on the top of your home, this material is at least worth some strong consideration.

metal roof

January 22, 2019 in Roofing

Four Commercial Roofing Trends to Watch for in 2019

In the commercial roofing industry, you can’t afford to fall behind. If you let the competition in your area gain an edge, you might not be able to recover in time to save your bottom line at years’ end. With that in mind, staying on top of the trends is an essential part of the job. With this article, we are going to point out four trends that are likely to be the talk of the industry in 2019.

Using the Right Products for the Job

There are plenty of products on the market which can make commercial roofing an easier task. Given the fact that it can be hard to find good labor for this job, it only makes sense that easy-to-use installation products would be a popular choice for contractors across the country. Of course, those products are only useful if they are used properly, so it seems likely that training is going to increase so that laborers are able to employ these options effectively.

A Lack of Help

As mentioned above, one of the prevailing storylines in the commercial roofing market is the lack of labor that is available to complete these projects. This is one of those problems that tend to arise in good times rather than bad. Since there are so many jobs that need to be completed in a good economy, it’s simply hard to find all of the people necessary to get the work done. Roofing contractors who are going to need skilled labor to work on commercial projects would be wise to plan as far in advance as possible to secure the crews needed for successful completion.

Only the Minimum

In what can really only be seen as a negative trend, many projects are designed with the goal of only meeting the minimum standards to get a project approved and past code requirements. Quite obviously, that’s not good news for the health of commercial roofing. Such minimum-viable projects might work reasonably well in some situations, but they will not be the right choice for all jobs. Often, more than the minimum is going to be needed in order to come away with a roof that truly suits the building and the situation at hand. The use of a roofing consultant is a good way to get away from this trend, since a qualified consultant is going to offer a better perspective on a project than simply to meet the minimum standards to get it done.

Sustainable Focus

It’s probably not breaking news that sustainability is a big topic in commercial roofing, as it is throughout the rest of the construction industry. While this subject has been on everyone’s radar for quite some time, it is ever evolving and the definition of what is sustainable is always changing. Companies who are committed to doing things in a sustainable manner will keep up with the newest ideas in this area so they can deliver clients a reliable, environmentally-friendly roof.

December 13, 2018 in Tips

How to Protect Your Home Against Winter Weather

snow covered home
As winter rolls in, it’s important to remember that winter weather can pose a threat to your home. There is certainly nothing you can do to stop the weather from coming, but you can prepare your home to the best of your ability. That way, when the weather does arrive, at least you can know you’ve done your part to protect your home. We’d like to offer up a few tips with regard to protecting your home during this harsh time of year.

Inspect the Roof

Heading into winter, you want to make sure that your roof is as structurally sound as possible. If there are any problems with the structure of your roof, getting them taken care of before poor weather rolls in and threaten to do damage to your home is important. Of course, going up on your roof to inspect for problems can be dangerous, and you might not know what you are looking for, anyway. Unless you are comfortable on your roof and have experience with this kind of work, it is a good idea to bring in a profession to do an evaluation. Doing so should not be a significant expense, and it can provide you with valuable peace of mind.

A Ground Check

We mentioned above that heading up on your roof for an inspection might not be the best plan, especially if you don’t know what to look for in terms of problems. One thing that is easy for any homeowner to do is to stand down on the ground and look up at the condition of the shingles. If any of your shingles are damaged or missing, you should be able to spot them from the ground (provided you can see all section of your roof, of course). Once you spot a problem from the ground, you can then bring in a pro to make the necessary repair.

Keep Your Gutters Clean

Fall is the right time to make sure your gutters are cleaned properly before winter moves in. This is a good practice for all homeowners, but it is especially important for those who live in an area where leaves will be dropped onto the roof during the fall. Leaves and other debris can easily cause your gutters to clog, and water will not be able to drain away from the roof as a result. Whether it is rain or snow, you need to move water away from the home quickly and properly to avoid doing damage to the structure. Again, be sure to exercise caution and only take on projects that you are confident you can complete safely. If cleaning out your gutters is a task that it out of your comfort zone for one reason or another, there is nothing wrong with hiring a contractor to do the work for you.

With proper planning, and just a little bit of good luck, you should be able to make it through the winter season without having to deal with too many home-related problems. Remember, get started early and give yourself plenty of time before the worst of the weather hits.