Repairing a shingle roof can be easier said than done. First, there is the issue of working on a slope high above the ground, which is a hazard all by itself. If the pitch of your roof is a rise of more than six inches for every twelve inches across, it is important to use roof brackets for additional security in your footing. When working on a roof, always wear thick rubber soled shoes and never attempt the repairs if it is wet outdoors. It is also important to be extra cognizant of power lines and television antennas and to ensure that metal never comes in contact with any of these items.

Shingle roof repair that requires a simple shingle replacement can be done by a homeowner, although a professional contractor will also be able to do the job – probably more quickly and safely than you can do on your own. First, measure the area of the roof that you will need to repair, to calculate the number of shingle to purchase. Always add ten percent to your total, to allow for cutting and waste. In addition to the appropriate number of shingles, you will need hot-dipped, galvanized roofing nails, roofing cement and possibly roofing felt, depending on the size and degree of the repair.

If your shingle roof repair will take place on a roof valley, you will need to use extra care to make sure there are no cracks or gaps in the work. A roof valley is the place where two roofs come together, and an easy place to get a leak in your roof due to a crack or roof nails fastened to close to the valley centerline. Roof valleys require flashing (unless closed type) and roofing material underneath the shingles to ensure this area is watertight. If you need to make a shingle roof repair on the roof valley, it is often a good idea to enlist the help of a professional roofing contractor to make sure the repair is done exactly right.

The other issue with shingle roof repair is that it should be done as quickly as possible to avoid any further water damage within your home. Leaks can go on for some time before the damage becomes apparent, and you don’t want to compound the problem by postponing necessary repairs. With same-day service and uncompromised quality, Roofs R Us can handle all of your shingle roof repair needs. Call us today and get that shingle roof back in top notch condition.

Interested in Improving wind resistance to your asphalt roof shingles? Fortunately, steps can be taken to reduce the potential for this kind of damage to roofs.

Proper flashing around a chimney includes two layers. The first is called step flashing: Sections of L-shaped sheet metal are woven into the shingle courses and lapped up the side of the chimney. Next comes the counterflashing: A second layer of metal is embedded in the chimney mortar joints and folded down to cover the top of the step flashing.

The corners are especially vulnerable. We cut and bend the metal around the corner. Even in a quality installation, this leaves one small spot that should be sealed with a high-quality urethane caulk. This caulk can work itself loose over time. If the flashing looks to be in good condition, recaulking should take care of the problem. However, caulk is not a substitute for properly overlapped flashing materials.

The type of metal used for flashing depends on where you live. Aluminum and galvanized steel are the usual choices in the Quad Cities area. Copper is the longest-lived, but because it’s expensive, we see it only on high-end jobs here. Another advantage to copper is that the corners can be soldered for a watertight connection. In the Northeast, masons are partial to lead flashing, which is soft and easy to bend to shape. But no matter which material is used, it must be layered correctly if water is to be kept out.

When the chimney is at the bottom of a roof slope, we always install a cricket, a small diversion roof that prevents water from pounding the up-roof part of the chimney. We frame and sheathe crickets just like the rest of the roof, and then completely cover them with ice and water shield, which is folded up under the chimney flashing. We install asphalt shingles over the membrane to blend the cricket with the rest of the roof.

Because chimneys are such a potential trouble spot, inspect them once every year or two for loose or missing flashing and cracks in the masonry. Small cracks can be sealed with caulk designed to repair masonry. CALL US FOR AN INSPECTION TODAY

The second thing that work well is to remove the brick chimney about a foot below the roof. Install a chimney liner in the chimney chase.Then install a double walled pipe with a flashing, rain cap, and storm collar.Now you have no more chimney flashing to worry about, you have no more tuck pointing to deal with and you have a maintenance free chimney. Look at the before and after pictures and you be the judge.

Raingutters are usually just below roof level, catching the rain coming down off your pitched roof. Unfortunately, they often catch a lot more than that and grow things too! They are a prime catchment area for leaves and twigs, and moss can either grow in gutters, or fall from where it had been growing on the roof. Birds are also known to build nests in gutters.

This is all bad news as it means that the natural flow of water – off the roof, into the gutter, and down the downspout – will be impeded and not all the water will end up where it should go.

Water pooling can cause large drips over the gutter;damage to the gutter pipes, excess weight in the gutters and can be abreeding ground for insects and mold. Also, pooled water can become frozen in winter, giving you cracked gutters and further problems at

the worst possible time of the year.
These are all good reasons to keep your gutters clean and free of obstruction.

When it comes to hazards to the life of your roof,antennas and tree branch can be major problems.Many time the wind will cause thing such as these to come crashing down on your roof.

What do we do when this happens? First we need to have it removed, so it don’t cause further damage.Second, we want to get a qualified roofing contractor to assesses the damage and fix it.Many times it will look from the ground like there is no damage, but the damage is hidden.So don’t take chances get it checked out.
Finally, to prevent future damage we need to get an annual maintance roof inspection to spot problem before they happen.As its said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.