The time has finally come, its time for a roof replacement. Most homeowners have quite a few questions about what their roof replacement will look like. Do I need to do anything special to prepare? Which materials should I consider using for my replacement. If you’re ready to replace your home’s roof, check out our FAQ to learn a bit more about the process!

Which Material Should I Use?

One of the most common questions we get from homeowners looking to install a new roof is which material is right for my home? The answer is that there is no right answer! When it comes to roofing materials, while there are some materials that are better suited to particular applications, such as rubber roofing on flat buildings, most materials come down to homeowner preference!

While asphalt shingles are the industry standard, our team also happily installs a number of other roofing options including clay-tile, and of course slate roofing, which we recommend to homeowners in search of a durable, long-lasting option.

There are other options too, including metal & cedar shingles, which means ultimately, what you choose to install on your home comes down to your preference!

What Maintenance Should I Be Performing

When it comes to roofing maintenance, the answer is dependent largely on your property & climate. For homeowners who are trying to be diligent about their roof and keep it protected as much as possible, there are a few best practices.

First, it’s a good idea to clear off debris as much as possible. If your home is surrounded by trees, it’s quite likely that you tend to have leaves and sticks accumulate on the roof. While these are generally safe to leave, they do have the potential to hold moisture on the roof and cause damage. If you’re serious about keeping your roof protected, cleaning them off gently with a roof rake can help protect your home as long as you take care not to tear off the granules of your shingles.

Additionally, if you have a great deal of snow on your roof, it is a good idea to remove the snow to take extra stress off of your home.

Have It Inspected Annually

Lastly, it is a good idea to have your roof inspected on a yearly basis to check for any signs of wear & tear. While generally your roof while be in good repair for the first few years after a replacement, having a roof inspection can often provide peace of mind knowing that everything is well maintained!

Contact Us Today

Are you ready to replace your home’s roof this winter? Our team at Rhode Island Slate Roofing is ready to assist! Reach out to our team today by calling us at (401) 255-2003 or by filling out our team’s online contact form! We look forward to hearing from you and assisting with your roofing needs!

It’s every homeowner’s worst nightmare; a leaking roof. Your roof functions are your home’s first and primary line of defense against water damage, so a leak in your roofing system can be extremely detrimental for the health of your home, and it is important to have it addressed as soon as possible. However, the issue with roof leaks is that oftentimes, it can be incredibly difficult to pinpoint exactly where your roof is leaking from! While many homeowners opt to call in a professional to help them discover the source of the leak, with a bit of determination and knowledge, you can often find the source of the leak yourself! Interested in learning more? Keep reading below for a few tips!

Take A Look At Your Roof

Whether you’re able to spot a potential roof leak depends in large part on your willingness to talk a walk around your roof. If you feel comfortable using a ladder and walking along the roof, you can take a look at your shingle system and see if you can spot any major signs of damage. If your leak was caused by missing or broken shingles, you will be able to identify the source of the damage and make any necessary spot repairs.

However, finding roof damage isn’t always so simple. Sometimes the source of the leak is far more subtle, and it requires additional steps to identify the source!

Hop Into Your Attic

Next, if you weren’t able to identify your roof leak from the exterior of your home, you’ll want to take a look inside your attic and look for signs of a leak internally. Oftentimes, after a leak has been happening for a couple of weeks or more, there will be signs of a leak in the roof deck or attic in the form of water spots. If there is a significant trail of damage, you may be able to follow the water spots back to the source of the leak. However, if there isn’t a clear path back to the roof, you may not be able to pinpoint exactly where the water was leaking from, which leads us to our last tip.

Spray The Roof With A Hose

As a last resort, grab a hose & have a friend go into your attic with a flashlight. You will want to slowly spray your roof down with water, section by section, and have someone inside the roof to examine it for signs of a leak. If you take your time and move across the roof one section at a time, it should be relatively easy to pinpoint exactly where the leak is coming from.

Contact Us Today

Are you in need of a roof replacement this fall? Our team at Rhode Island Slate Roofing is ready to assist! Reach out to our team today by calling us at  (401) 255-2003 or by filling out our team’s online contact form! We look forward to hearing from you and assisting with your roof replacement needs!

Asphalt shingles are the most popular roofing material in North America. Widely manufactured and installed, this material is known for its durability, aesthetic appeal, and economical price point. However, while they are renowned for their longevity, that doesn’t mean that you can neglect your roof. By following the proper maintenance procedures, you can keep your home protected from damage, and your roof in good condition. Interested in learning more? Keep reading below for our asphalt shingle maintenance tips!

Keep The System Clean

Since your roof is constantly exposed to the elements, you may think that you don’t need to worry about keeping the system clean of debris, as that is far less damaging than the rain or snow.

However, debris like leaves, sticks, and other foliage, can hold moisture on your roof, which can be damaging over time. If you’re interested in maximizing your roof’s lifespan, keeping the system clean of debris is one of the best things you can do for your roof.

Keep Branches Away From The Roof

Sometimes the most damaging debris isn’t whats on your roof, but whats hanging over it! If you live in a heavily wooded area, it’s possible that you have branches from surrounding trees hanging over your roof. If these branches rub across your shingles, they will likely knock granules loose from the shingle system, which shortens the lifespan of your shingles. If there are any low-hanging branches on the trees surrounding your home, be sure to remove them to keep your home’s roof protected!

Handle Moss, Mildew & Algae

Next, if you’re trying to protect your roof from moisture damage, it is best to address & remove any moss, mildew, or algae build-up on the system. While in general, these won’t damage your shingles, they do have the potential to hold moisture onto your roofing system which can cause damage to your roof.

Clean Your Gutters

Lastly, whether your roof is made of asphalt shingles, slate, copper, clay tiles or anything else, you will want to keep your gutter system clean and free of debris. If your gutters are overflowing with debris, you may end up having rot in your roof deck as water spills out of the system. It could also damage your foundation, siding, fascia boards & more. Keep your gutter system clean to ensure that the entirety of your home is well protected.

Contact Us Today

If you need to replace your home’s asphalt shingle roof this fall, our team at Rhode Island Slate Roofing is ready to assist! Reach out to our team today for more information by giving us a call at (401)-255-2003 or by filling out our team’s online contact form! We look forward to hearing from you and assisting with your roof replacement needs!

Fall has arrived in New England, which means it’s time to take stock of your home’s exterior, and ensure that everything is well-maintained and ready for the cold seasons ahead. One of the most important elements of your home’s exterior that needs to be cleaned each fall is your gutter system. However, you may be wondering why keeping your gutters clean is so important, and what you should be doing to maintain the system. Take a look at our blog for a few gutter maintenance tips!

Remove Debris

If you want to protect your home this winter, it is essential that you remove any debris from your gutter system before the frost sets in. As most New Englanders know, one of the most damaging conditions for your roof during the winter is ice dams.

Formed when snow melting off of your roof refreezes in your gutter system, having debris in your gutters gives the snowmelt far less room to fill the gutters, which means it will quickly back up onto your roof, seeping under your shingles and causing water damage & rot within your roof deck. If you want to keep your home protected from ice dams this winter, cleaning your gutters this fall needs to be a part of your home maintenance routine.

Cleaning Your Gutters Safely

In order to keep yourself safe while cleaning your gutter system, it is essential to wear gloves during the cleanout. Your gutters are full of all sorts of debris, and you don’t want to hurt your hands during the process, whether from a splinter, bugs, or rust in the system.

Furthermore, you will want to use a standalone ladder, rather than leaning one against your gutters, as this could cause your gutter system to pull away from the home. Its best to have someone spot your ladder as well, since you will likely be leaning back and forth as you clean.

Check The System For Leaks

Finally, once you have finished cleaning out the system, it is best practice to run a steady stream of water through the gutters to see if there are any leaks. If you find that water is leaking out of the system, you can make spot repairs with a sealant that will keep your system working for years to come!

Contact Us Today

Interested in replacing your home’s roof this fall? Our team at Rhode Island Slate Roofing is ready to assist! Reach out to our team today by calling us at (401)-255-2003 or by filling out our team’s online contact form! We look forward to assisting you!

Most homeowners know that your home’s roof is arguably the single most important portion of your home’s exterior. It functions to keep fresh air circulating through the top of your home, and there are so many different styles of ventilation to choose from. Your roof has a unique combination of intake & exhaust vents depending on the shape of your home’s roof, but no matter how your roof is designed, you will need to have ventilation in order to keep your roof in peak condition. However, many homeowners don’t understand the importance of proper roof ventilation. If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of having your roof ventilated, keep reading below for more information!

Reduce Ice Dams

One of the biggest benefits of roof ventilation, particularly for New England homeowners, is that it can reduce, or completely prevent ice dams. This is because the whole reason ice dams occur is the temperature differential between your attic and the outside air. The warm air leaking into your attic can heat up your attic without proper ventilation. This means that the snow on your roof will melt, sliding down your roof and re-freezing as an ice dam. Therefore, having proper roof ventilation is nearly essential for New England homeowners who are looking to reduce the need for ventilation. However, with that being said, there are still other benefits to proper roof ventilation!

Increase Roof’s Lifespan

In addition to increasing its lifespan by preventing ice dams, roof ventilation helps to protect your home from warm weather as well. If your attic isn’t well-ventilated, heat can build up in the roof, which can end up damaging your shingles from the inside. In order to increase your roof’s lifespan, have a professional examine your roof and ensure that it is properly ventilated.

Improve Energy Efficiency

Another reason that roof ventilation is so important is that it helps to hot air escape during the summer, which can reduce your home’s energy bills by keeping the house cooler. If you’re looking to improve your home’s energy efficiency, proper roof ventilation is one of the best options!

Help Balance Out Your Home’s Temperature

If you notice that the top floor of your home is always considerably warmer than the rest of the home, it is quite likely a ventilation issue. Since heat rises, if your roof isn’t ventilated well enough, all of that rising heat sits in the top of your home, greatly increasing its temperature. If you’re looking to make your home a more comfortable place to be, ventilating your roof will help!

Contact Us Today

If you’re interested in learning more, or in replacing your home’s roof this summer, our team at Rhode Island Slate Roofing is ready to assist! Reach out to our team today by giving us a call at (401) 255-2003 or by filling out our team’s online contact form! We look forward to hearing from you and assisting with your roof replacement needs!

When it comes to your home’s roof, many homeowners are unaware of how complex your roofing system truly is, and how easy it can be to fall behind on proper roof maintenance. Your roof is one of the most important pieces of your home’s exterior, helping to provide your home with a number of benefits, including protection from inclement weather, but also providing your home with curb appeal and resale value as well. With so much to gain from having well-installed and maintained roofing, it is important to ensure that your home’s roof is kept in good repair. However, many homeowners don’t understand how important it is to know a bit about your roof in order to keep everything properly maintained. If you’re interested in learning more about your roof, take a look at our guide for a few tips!

Schedule An Inspection

One of the most important things any homeowner can do to maintain their roof is ensuring that it is inspected on an annual basis. It can be quite easy for a roof leak to go undetected until it has caused major damage, requiring a replacement of your roof deck, or perhaps your entire roof. That being said, having your roof inspected regularly can help you detect any issues that may arise over the course of the year, particularly the winter.

Keep An Eye on Your Gutters

Another area of your roofing system that will need regular maintenance is your gutter system. If your gutters are full of debris and water is backed up in the system, it can easily overflow and seep under your starter shingles, or into your fascia and soffit boards. Maintaining your gutters is another essential part of roof maintenance.

Clear Debris off of Your Roof

If you want to maximize your roof’s lifespan, another aspect of maintenance that you should be keeping up with is clearing debris off of your roof. If you allow algae, moss, and other debris to stay on your roof, it can cause your roof to age prematurely as they are all capable of holding moisture, causing your roof to decay. If you’re interested in making sure your roof lasts as long as possible, keeping it clear of debris is one of the best practices for keeping everything maintained!

Contact Us Today

Interested in replacing the roof on your Rhode Island home today? Our team at Rhode Island Slate Roofing is ready to assist! Reach out to our team today by calling us at (401) 255-2003 or by filling out our team’s online contact form! We look forward to hearing from you and assisting with your roof maintenance needs!