Get Answers to Some Frequently Asked Roofing Questions

A: While leaks are an obvious clue that your roof needs attention, the condition of the shingles will determine whether a repair or replacement is appropriate. When worn out, shingles sometimes curl, warp or lose granules and may have missing or damaged shingle tabs. Pay particular attention to any visible signs inside your home such as discoloration spots on the wall, loose wallpaper, peeling paint on the ceiling and drips.

A: The black streaks you commonly see on older roofs are algae growth on the shingles. This occurs when spores blow out of trees and land on a damp roof. It can often be worse on shaded roofs or roof sections that face North where it takes longer for the shingle to dry out. This gives the algae a chance to grow.

A: Our roof warranty includes a 5 Year No Leak Workmanship Warranty, which covers any issues due to installation. Our warranty does not cover acts of God, such as hurricanes, hail, or straight line winds over 110mph.

A: Although code does allow for 2 layers of roofing, your manufacturer’s warranty on material is void if installing shingles over an existing roof. We do not offer a workmanship warranty on second layers because it is impossible to determine cause and fault of leaks when there is more than one roof system.

A: No. That is just covering up a bunch of unknown problems. Complete tear-off is recommended by the manufacturer. In some localities, building code requires full removal. We must start with bare roof sheathing so that a proper roof can be built. If a roofer tells you that they can save you money by putting another layer of shingles on your home, THROW THEM OFF OF YOUR PROPERTY AND NEVER SPEAK TO THEM AGAIN.

A: We take every precaution to ensure that your home and surrounding areas are protected during our installation process. Please mark any underground sprinkler heads and make sure outdoor furniture is protected and barbecue equipment is covered. We are happy to assist in moving any items that you would like protected.

A: Your satellite dish must be detached and reset during the replacement of your roof system. Most of the time the dish is aligned correctly, with no interruption to service. If service is interrupted and the dish must be re-aligned, you will need to call your service provider and pay them to adjust the dish.

A: Absolutely! Ice and water shield is an water barrier that adheres directly to the roof deck. We install ice and water shield in all valleys, along all eaves, around chimneys, and highly recommend installing it around low sloped areas and eaves that are prone to ice build up. This will not stop an ice dam from forming, but it will decrease the chances of an ice dam causing water damage to your home.

A: On most homes, a ridge vent offers more ventilation per square foot than box vents, and are more aesthetically pleasing. There are applications where box vents are necessary. Our estimators are trained to specify the best system for your home.

A: You cannot prevent ice dams. Home remedies such as heating cables and even panty hose filled with rock salt, can help melt snow and ice. However, sometimes mother nature wins. This is why Ice and Water Shield underlayment is necessary in certain areas of the roof. When an ice dam forms and water backs up under the shingles, this water barrier self-seals around nail heads and blocks out the water.

A: Melting snow often refreezes on the roof’s overhang where the surface is cooler, forming an ice dam. Ice dams block proper drainage into the gutter and can cause water to backup underneath roofing components triggering wood rot of decking and rafters. During heavy snow periods, an accumulation of snow, ice and water may clog downspouts and gutters, damaging them beyond repair or tearing them off the house. While there is no guarantee against ice dams forming, the following preventive measures will reduce your risk:

• Make sure your attic has adequate insulation and check that insulation does not cover your soffit vents. If you don’t have soffit vents, consider adding them.
• Install sufficient ventilation to expel heat and moisture. Ridge vents combined with soffit vents will improve attic air flow and validate most manufacturer’s shingle warranty requirements for ventilation.

A: Our estimators inspect the roof covering, drainage systems, flashing (around skylights, chimneys and vent pipes), ventilation systems and the roof’s rafters and trusses (if access to the attic is available). Click here for helpful information on the major components of your roof.

A: Yes. Please call us to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced estimators. After our inspection, we will provide you with a written proposal detailing specifications, options and costs—many times before we leave your property.

A: Depending on the selection of roofing components, new shingle roofs are given a 25-year to limited lifetime manufacturer’s warranty. In general, the validity of a manufacturer’s warranty is determined by the manufacturer’s specified roofing components which must be installed together—eave guard membrane, felt underlayment, starter strips, shingles ridge caps and roof ventilation system. You must choose an approved applicator who is certified to install materials according to manufacturer roofing guidelines in order to meet the requirements of their warranty.

The lifetime of a roof depends on several factors including its exposure to natural elements such as sun, rain, humidity, wind, snow and ice. These conditions will eventually age the roofing components. If you have a few roof shingles that are damaged or missing, this can have a cascading effect—weakening adjacent shingles and shortening the lifetime of the roof. Clogged gutters also pose major problems to roofing components. Gutters that do not drain properly will allow rain water to flow back onto the roof underneath good shingles possibly rotting the decking. Overflowing gutters will eventually cause problems along the fascia such as paint peeling, mildew and wood rot. To learn more about the benefits of gutter protection for replacement and existing home gutters, visit our Gutter Protection page. Inadequate roof ventilation can also reduce the lifetime of roofing components. Without sufficient attic ventilation, extreme temperature buildup will prematurely age the asphalt causing granules to come off and the shingles to curl. For more information on the importance of proper ventilation, visit our Ventilation Systems page.

A: A properly insulated attic and a well-ventilated roof will help you reduce heat loss and moisture condensation in the winter and heat retention in the summer enabling you to conserve energy. Adequate ventilation and insulation in your attic will also help reduce the possibility of ice dams from occurring caused by uneven roof temperatures and melting snow. That being said, you should not count on a new roof to lower your energy bills.

A: Unless shingles are missing from your roof, or you have water leaks showing up inside your home, an inspection of the roof is required to know whether you have suffered hail or wind damage. Call us for a free inspection, and an estimator will be able to determine if you have storm damage, and if the damage is significant enough to warrant an insurance claim. You could also start with a call to your insurance company. You’ve been paying them premiums so they owe you a visit from an adjuster. The adjuster’s job is to find coverable damage, estimate the cost of it, and then reimburse you for repair costs.

A: Most insurance companies cannot raise the rates of an individual based on one claim for storm damage, because it is a “no fault” claim; you did not cause it, and could not have avoided it. It is possible your rates will increase whether you file a claim or not, based on your zip code, and the number of claims filed in the area, which will determine if it is a “high risk” area.

A: Most significant storm damage claims are handled by the Catastrophe Claims Center of your insurance company, not the local agent. Your insurance company will send out specially trained Catastrophe Adjusters to inspect the loss in the field, and write the scope of repairs to the property. The Catastrophe Claims phone number is usually found on your policy, or a quick search on the internet.

A: Your insurance company will not pay for material upgrades, or any additional work outside the scope of loss. Most insurance companies do offer discounts for certain shingles and new roofs, so be sure to ask your agent what discounts you are eligible for.

A: It is important that your contractor meets with the adjuster to inspect your home. Most of the time a scope of repairs can be agreed upon on site, which helps expedite the process, and two pairs of eyes are better than one to ensure all damage is seen and properly documented.

A: Your insurance company holds back depreciation, a portion of the claim payment based on age and condition of the material, and deducts the deductible, which is the homeowner’s financial responsibility. The insurance company will release the depreciation payment once all the repairs have been completed, and proper documentation has been provided from your contractor.

A: A supplement is request for additional payment due to unforeseen repairs, additional work not previously documented, or an increase in pricing due to a time lapse from inspection to installation. All supplements are the financial responsibility of your insurance company, and are common with most homeowner’s insurance claims. Your estimator will provide all necessary documentation to the insurance company for any necessary supplements. We prefer to get these approved prior to onboarding your project so there are no surprises later if insurance does not want to cover something.

A: Vinyl siding, when installed correctly, holds up very well against wind and hail. If hail does damage to your siding, it is possible to replace only the damaged panels, unlike aluminum siding. The only downside is color fading, especially on darker colors, due to sun exposure, which happens over time.

A: Keep your vinyl siding looking new by pressure washing every elevation once every year or two, to rid it of algae and mildew growth. If you see any loose panels, have them repaired immediately to avoid damage from straight line winds.

A: Typically, someone is home for window, door and skylight installations because we need to gain access to the inside of your residence. For most roofing, gutter, and siding installations, you do not need to be home unless you want to. Installations can be noisy and messy while they are happening. If you have children, please make sure they remain inside during the installation. If you have pets, please keep them indoors. After the completion of the job, we will go over your property with a nail magnet to find and remove any remaining debris. We make every effort to leave your property in the same condition in which we found it. For roof installations, after the first rain, you will probably see shingle granules that wash out through the gutters which is a natural process. Nails may also wash out through the gutters so it is a good idea to check your yard for debris that may not have been visible to our crew at the time the job was completed.

A. Yes. For a $300 fee, we will inspect the roof and write a letter reporting its current condition and if any repairs are required. Please note that there is no warranty with this letter of inspection.

A: No. Under no circumstance should you allow anyone to power wash your roof. The granules on shingles protect them from ultraviolet radiation, and power washing will cause the granules to loosen and come off. If you are trying to remove algae, there are solutions you can try from home improvement stores to gently remove it. For black streaks (Blue Green Algae) you could try a product called Wet and Forget. For green colored growth (moss and lichens), you could try a product called Moss Out for Roofs.

A: If you ask us to clean your gutters during the process of a larger installation or repair we are happy to oblige. We do not offer stand alone service for gutter cleaning.

A. Yes. We hold a Virginia State Contractor’s License Class A 2701032098, as well as all local business licenses. We are fully insured with liability and worker’s compensation insurance and will gladly provide copies of both our license and insurance certificate. You may also view and print these items by visiting our Awards & Credentials page.

A: Yes, we accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. We can’t take your Diner’s Club card but we do like checks. Financing is available subject to credit approval by the lending institution. Visit our Contact Us page for more information and the links to apply.

A: When it comes to home improvement projects, it seems like you can find a wide range of pricing on what appears to be very similar products. This leaves the industry clouded in mystery when it comes to making sense of pricing. Part of this is because contractors are ordering materials that they then take responsibility for getting to a site, installing it properly, and then covering the job with an installation warranty. Every company has a different model for how they get this done. Most good companies have spent effort to figure out exactly how much they need to charge to get the job done correctly with great materials, in an organized fashion, and then make a profit so they are in business when you need them in the future (warranty). There really is no big mysterious way to do this. Here’s the basic “magic” formula for what is in a price: In general, the price a homeowner pays for a project is 1/3 materials, 1/3 labor, and 1/3 operating costs/profit. The first two thirds are pretty obvious. The third bucket is where you will find all of the other stuff necessary to make materials and labor show up at your property and get the job done right:
The person who scheduled your appointment
Estimator
Vehicles
Insurance
Licensing
Accounting
Production Coordinator
Field Supervisor
Quality Assurance/Warranty Manager
A well-planned and documented PROCESS

The costs can be distributed a little different than this depending on the types of products being used. For instance, doors and windows are heavier on material price than labor, but the two would still account for roughly 2/3 of the total price. Some companies have a better process and more support than others so their operating costs may be higher. When so many contractors have access to similar materials and it’s hard to tell what kind of labor skills they have, your best change for a peaceful experience is going with a company that has a solid process and highly-trained specialists executing the steps of the process for which they are responsible.