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Is Your Roof Protecting You?

Like most other homeowners, you may not worry much about roofing. However, you need to know that your roof is there to protect you and your home as well.

This article is not going to teach you all that there is to know about getting a roof repaired, but these roofing contractor tips are very important.

Here Are Some Roofing Contractor Tips

Safety First

If you can afford to, you should always hire a professional roofing contractor, but if you have to work on the roof yourself, make sure that the weather conditions are clear for your own safety.

A wet roof can be slippery. Your roof will also need an ample amount of time to dry. A rain shower the following morning can end up setting you back.

Hose off the shingles, so you can have a clean workplace without a mess of leaves or other debris.

You can also use the hose to find a leak in your roof. One of the best ways to find a source of a roof leak is to use water itself.

It can be tricky to see where a leak is coming from in the middle of a storm, but a garden hose will allow you to test your roof until the leak has been found.

Your best bet, however, is to always hire a professional roofing contractor to inspect and repair your roof.

Choose A Reliable Contractor

Do not choose the first roofing contractor you find in the phone book or online. By choosing the first roofing contractor you read about, you may end up spending more money than you need to.

Call numerous roofing contractors and go with the most reliable one at the best price you can find. It's not easy to choose a roofing contractor, but asking for a list of references can be a huge help.

Any roofing contractor which refuses to provide such a list is not one that you want to hire. Don’t just ask for the list, though, be sure to call a few people on it to double-check their experiences.

Inspect The Whole Roof

When inspecting your roof for leaks, it is important that you inspect the whole roof, not just one section. If you find a troublesome area of your roof, you should still check all areas, as there could be more problems elsewhere.

It will be cheaper for you to have all fixes done at the same time, when you hire your roofing contractor, rather than waiting.

Leave It To The Experts

If you have a general handyman that does work in and around your home, do not allow him to do anything to your roof.

Fixing a roof requires a high level of experience and know-how. This is why you would be better off hiring a roofing contractor that specializes in this type of work.

What’s Your Roof’s Age?

The age of your roof is a good indication of whether it needs replacing or not. Most roofs have a lifespan of fifteen to twenty years before replacement is needed. If you have a roof that was put on top of another roof, if 20 years have gone by, you likely must replace it.

Inquire About Credentials

Take the roofing contractor’s credentials into consideration during the hiring process. Although credentials do not give you a guarantee that you will get quality work, they do show you how involved the person is with your local community.

It also says a little something about their character as well, which is valuable information.

Contractor License & Insurance

Any roofing contractor you hire needs to have proper licensing and insurance. If they don’t have this available, then it's best not even to consider hiring this particular roofing contractor.

If your roofing contractor does not have insurance and causes a large amount of damage, then you will be the one to pay.

As was mentioned at the beginning of this article, most homeowners don’t really know too much or concern themselves with roofing.

However, it is an important topic since you will want to protect your family and the items that are contained in your home. Knowing this information will help to keep your family and valuables safe.

What To Look For After Big Storms

There are a variety of ways that weather can incur damage to your roof, even in moderate storms. When a storm has passed, the absence of leaks doesn’t guarantee the roof is undamaged. Whether the storm brought rain, wind, and/or hail, doing an assessment quickly can start the repair process before more damage incurs.

4 Things To Look For After A Storm

Look For Downed Power Lines

The most dangerous residual effect of high winds is downed power lines, so look for those first. Make this assessment from as far away from the lines as possible for safety purposes.  Report any issues to your electric utility immediately.

Check Trees For Missing Branches

Many areas of a roof may not be visible from the ground, but if you have trees that are missing branches that can’t be found, they may be up there.

Check The Attic For Leaks

Many leaks start small and grow over time. You may not see water damage unless you’re up in the attic. Look for damp insulation and inspect the areas around the chimney, the vents, and any other apparatus that penetrates the deck.

Evidence Of Roof Damage On The Ground

Take a walking inspection around the grounds of your home. Look for all types of roofing materials including shingles, fascia, and flashing that may have been blown off of the roof. Take a look around the mouths of all of your downspouts as well to see if any roofing materials came loose and were carried down by the drainage system. You may also be able to assess any separation of the shingles from the deck by inspecting the roof’s edges, which can be caused by storms with high winds. Remember that finding one broken shingle on the ground may mean that there are many more broken pieces that evidence roof damage repair that are still on the roof.

Hire The Right Roofing Contractor

The roof on your home and business is a significant investment. You need to learn as much information as possible about any roofing contractors you hire to do installation or repair work on your roof. Although there are a lot of questions for your roofing contractor that you’ll need to ask about the project, this is a good list for every roofing company that interviews for your business.

First some common sense questions for your roofing contractor. You need to have their license number so you can do some research at the Registrar of Contractors website/office. They will have all complaints, if any, posted about the company that have been filed in the last 3 years. You can also find out if their license is in good standing, the amount of their bond, if their license has ever been suspended and when it expires. You can find the name of the owner and how long they’ve had this license. All key information that tells you you’re dealing with a real, reputable contractor.

Here Are Several Important Questions
To Ask Your Roofing Contractor

Ask About The Crew

Ask what type of experience and other information about the crew that will be working on your property. How many crew members will there be? How much experience do they have? Have they been working for the contractor for some time or are they new? Will the estimator be part of the crew and follow up with them after the sale is made and they begin the work?

Inquire About Their Insurance

Make sure you get a copy of their liability and workman’s comp insurance. They should be able to give you the name of their insurance agent, who can then send you a copy of their certificate of liability and insurance limits. Having properly insured workers on your property is of the utmost importance.

What Is Their Work Warranty

Make sure you find out what type of warranty you’re getting for the work they do. Get it in writing and ask to see a physical copy of the warranty. If they just give you something verbally tell them to keep on walking.

What Are The Materials Warranties

The materials they use should also have a warranty. Ask what type of warranty they have and, again, ask to see that warranty in writing.

Is There A Final Inspection

Will the estimator or owner be inspecting the project after its finished? Make sure a final inspection is included in your project and that you have the right to be present for the inspection.

How Long Will It Take

How long do they estimate the project will take and can you get some kind of hard estimate in writing? Make sure you have a solid start date and a good hard estimated completion date before they start their work.

When Will They Work

What are the hours and days the crew will be working on the property? What time do they begin their work each day and what time do they call it a day. Do they just work on weekdays or will they be including any weekend work in the project?

What If It Rains

Last, but not least, what happens when it rains? How do they cover the project and what type of delays should you expect if the weather doesn’t cooperate during the project. Especially if your work is being done during our volatile monsoon seasons, you’ll need to have some clarity on this so you know what to expect.

Avoid A Disaster

When you’re doing your due diligence and research the right roofing company for your job, make sure you make the roofer’s insurance a part of your questioning. Hiring a company with inadequate insurance could make the difference between a positive experience and a disaster.

They need to be affordable and fit your budget. Be sure to question the background of the roofing contractor you’re hiring by asking about their credentials.  Make sure they have current licenses. Research their experience and make sure you get references from past customers. And don’t forget to check their standing with the Better Business Bureau.  It is equally vital to make sure they carry adequate general liability and workman’s compensation insurance before you hire them.

2 Forms Of Coverage That Are Important For Your Protection

General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance covers the roofing contractor if there’s a claim that includes property damage, bodily injury or harm, and any personal injury that happens as a result of some action by the roofer. If an accident or something happens on the project that causes a lawsuit, the insurance would be available to cover the roofing company, and you as the homeowner or business owner, if a claim needs to be paid. As the owner that hired the roofing company, you don’t want to be involved in a lawsuit and paying for something that wasn’t your fault just because you own the property.  This is important for you as the owner because you don’t want to be responsible for something happening on your property that is not your fault.

Workman’s Compensation

Workman’s Comp insurance compensates with money and medical benefits if any employee or subcontractor of the company you hire is injured while performing their duties on your project. If the roofer you hire, or any of their workers, were to get injured, they would file a claim for workman’s comp to replace their wages instead of suing the roofer or you, the homeowner or business owner.

When you’re hiring any type of contractor, to fix or replace your roof or any other type of service, its critical that they have adequate amounts of both these types of insurance.

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