Roofing FAQ Part 1

August 24, 2020roofingRIslate15

Every homeowner knows that your roof is one of the most important aspects of your home’s exterior. It provides your home with so many benefits, including protection from the elements, curb appeal & resale value, insulation, & more! Considering how important your home’s roof is to the health of your home, it is important to ensure that it is well-maintained. However, your roof is also a complex piece of engineering, with many individual aspects that need to be accounted for. Considering how complicated it is, it should come as no surprise that many homeowners have questions about their roofs! Our team is here to assist! Take a look at our FAQ for answers to some of your questions!

Should I Repair or Replace My Roof

Our team receives this question perhaps more than any other. Obviously a roof is a major investment, and many homeowners would prefer not to replace the entire system if they can avoid it. So this often begs the question; can I get away with repairing my roof or do I need to replace the entire system.

The answer to that question is entirely dependent on how severe the damage to the roof is. If the damage is localized to a particular area of your roof you can likely just repair the damage. You will still need to have a professional assess the roof deck to ensure that the damage hasn’t spread under your shingles.

However, if the damage has occurred in more than one area of the roof, you will likely need to assess the entirety of the system in order to properly answer that question. Generally, if damage has occurred in more than one place its a sign that the system is getting older and failing, so you may need to have it replaced, but it’s still possible that repairs may fix the issue.

If My Shingles Are Losing Granules, Do I Need To Replace Them?

If your home’s shingles are losing their granules, this can always be read as a sign that the system is on the verge of failing. Your granules help to keep the shingles protected from UV rays, so even if there is an external factor besides age that’s causing the granules to fall off, it can still be read as a sign that your shingles will be failing in the near future. Be sure to keep an eye on them, but you may be able to get away with another year or two before needing a full replacement if your system is losing granules left & right.

Contact Us Today

If you’re interested in learning more about our team’s shingle replacement services, reach out today to get started! Our team can be contacted over the phone 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!

Check back in soon for more installments of our roofing FAQ!

Most Popular Roofing Materials

July 29, 2020roofing, slate roofingRIslate15

When it comes to roofing materials, there are so many on the market it can sometimes be difficult to decide which option is right for your home. Depending on your aesthetic tastes, durabilty requirments, and budget, there are a variety of options to choose from but which one is truly right for your home? If you’re interested in learning more about some of North America’s most popular roofing options, take a look below for more information!

Asphalt Shingles

To begin, lets start with what is North America’s most popular roofing material by far; asphalt shingles. They have enjoyed a long run as the most commonly installed roofing material in the country, and for good reason. They offer a incredible amount of durability, ensuring that your home will be protected for decades to come. They are also manufacturered by an enormous amount of companies, which means they are extremely accessible, and are available in a wide array of color & style options. If you have a particular aesthetic in mind for your home’s exterior, asphalt shingles are one of the best options for achieving your vision. Furthermore, they are economical due to their widespread manufacturing which has helped to drive the cost of the shingles down. If you’re in search of a roofing option that is durable, beautiful, and inexpensive, you could do far worse than asphalt shingles.

Rubber Roofing

Another popular option among home and business owners is flat, rubber roofing. It is used on buildings without traditionally pitched roofs, making it a bit more of a niche option, but still popular enough to be one of the most widely installed materials. Used more in commercial applications, it is durable, and long-lasting, but not particularly beautiful. This particular option is far more concerned with keeping a building protected than improving it’s curb appeal, which brings us to our next option…

Slate Roofing

If you’re looking for a roofing material that looks beautiful and offers unparalleled durability and longevity, slate roofing is the best option on the market. Slate roofing is the longest lasting roofing material on the market, with a lifespan of well over a century if well-maintained along the way. Furthermore, it is available in an array of natural colors, which some homowners choose to take advantage of by installing a multi-colored slate roof. Slate roofing is capable of withstand nearly anything Mother Nature has to offer, and no material will keep your home protected for longer while maintaining plenty of curb appeal along the way. If you’re looking for one of the best roofing materials on the market, slate roofing is a fantastic choice!

Contact Us Today

If you would like to install any of these roofing materials on your home this summer, 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 all of your roofing replacement needs!

Signs Your Slate Roof Needs To Be Replaced

July 29, 2020slate roofingRIslate15

Slate roofing is known for it’s truly exceptional and nearly unmatached durability. It is capable of lasting over a century with proper maintenance and care, which makes it arguably the best roofing option on the market. It is also a beautiful option, helping to boost your home’s curb appeal and resale value, making it a material that provides numerous benefits for your home. If your home has a slate roof that you’re fearing is nearing the end of it’s lifespan but you’re not quite sure how to tell, our team has put together a list of the signs your slate roof is in need of replacing. Take a look below to learn more!

Rot or Moisture Damage

The first sign that your roof will need to be replaced is moisture damage. The easiest way to identify this is to take a look inside your attic for signs of rot. Slate roofing is heavy, and if your roof deck is rotting, it will need to be replaced for the health of your home.

Rusted Flashing

An issue that can plague any style of roofing is rusting flashing. Installed in the valleys of your roof, flashing is used to protect the most vulnerable areas of your roof. However, because it protects your roof from water damage, it is constantly suscepted to it, causing rust over time. If you find rust on your flashing, you’ll want to replace it as soon as possible in order to keep your home protected from inclement weather.

Broken Shingles

While slate roofing is incredibly durable, it is also susceptible to damage just like any other roofinng material. When your shingles are exposed to blunt force damage, they can often break because slate can be brittle. You’ll need to replace any shingles that have been broken, as they will expose your roof to further damage.

While you’re looking for shingle damage you’ll also want to assess whether your roofing system is damaged. Is the shingle damage localized to a particular portion of your roof? Perhaps your roof has structural damage below the surface. Have a roofing professional come and assess the roofing system!

How Extensive Is The Damage

To determine whether the whole roof needs to be replaced, you’ll want to assess how extensive the roofing damage is. If the damage is only to a few shingles in a specific area of the roof that was damaged, you can very likely replace the shingles and get plenty of additional time from the roof. However, if the damage is spread out across the roof in no particular pattern, it simply means that the shingles are aging out and the roof will need to be replaced sooner than later.

Contact Us Today

Interested in learning more about our team’s slate roofing installation services? Our team at Rhode Island Slate Roofing is ready to assist! You can contact us 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 slate roof replacement needs!

Carriage House Revival

July 16, 2020UncategorizedRIslate15

Our team recently replaced the roof on a homeowner’s carriage house. They reached out to us after they noticed their flashing was deteriorating on their roof. Our team was happy to assist the homeowner, and we went out to the property to take a look at the home. Here’s a look at the home’s old flashing:

Old Carriage House Flashing — Old Rusted Flashing

We took a look at the home’s flashing it was clear that it needed to be replaced. Our team was up for the task! We visited the property and discussed our flashing options with the homeowner. They wanted a beautiful flashing option to compliment the slate roofing on their carriage house. After discussing our options with the homeowners, we got to work on replacing their flashing.

Interested in seeing photos of the finished product? Take a look below:

Slate Roofing with New Flashing — Slate Roof & Copper Flashing On Front of Home

And here’s a close up of the new flashing:

The new flashing looks fantastic, and the homeowners were thrilled with the finished product!

Contact Us Today

If you’re interested in learning more about our team’s roofing services, reach out to us today. Give 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 roofing needs!

Should I Repair or Replace My Roof?

July 10, 2020roof repair, roof replacement, roofingRIslate15

Your home’s roof is an essential piece of your home’s exterior shell. It serves a number of essential functions for your home’s exterior, including most importantly keeping your home protected from the elements and pests, but also providing your home with curb appeal & resale value, as well as insulating your home and increasing it’s curb appeal and subsequently resale value. Considering how much you have to gain from having a well-maintained roof, it is essential to ensure that your home’s roof is well-maintained. However, because it protects your home from the elements, it ends up taking a beating, and over time it will begin to wear down and deteriorate. If your home’s roof has been damaged and you’re trying to decide between repairing and replacing your the roof, take a look at our guide for more information on making the decision!

To Repair…

If the damage feels relatively minor, most homeowner’s first instinct is going to be to repair the issues rather than replacing the roof. This is often the right decision but you need to assess the damage to ensure that it is worth the repair. Ask yourself a few questions as you examine your roof. Is the roof relatively new and would last for many more years with proper maintenance? Is the damage extensive or is it simply a few broken shingles here and there. If your roof is only a few years old and otherwise in good condition, it is often better to simply repair the damage. However, one concern of repairing roof issues is that the replacement shingles won’t match your existing shingles. This can damage your home’s resale value, but it is often still the better option than repairing a roof that is in otherwise good repair.

…Or To Replace

If you have extensive damage, such as an entire side of your home’s roof being damaged, or if the roof is beginning to age, you will often be better off replacing the roof as a whole. When you notice that the roof has been damaged, the first thing you will need to do is inspect the roof and consider it’s age. Are you going to replace a section of shingles and need to replace the rest of the roof in just a few years? You’re certainly better of replacing the entire roof now so it’s matching and secure. Consider your home’s climate, the age of the shingles, and the likelihood for additional damage. In general, if your roof is getting older when it’s damaged, you’re better off simply replacing the roof as a whole. You will simply need to assess the roof to determine the best course of action!

Contact Us Today

Interested in learning more about our team’s roof installation services? Reach out to us today to get started! Our team can be reached over the phone 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!

Why Roof Ventilation Is So Important For Your Home

July 10, 2020Best Practices, roofingRIslate15

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!

Slate Roofing vs Asphalt Shingles

June 5, 2020news, roofing, slate roofingRIslate15

When it comes to replacing your home’s roof, there is a number of different roofing options to choose from, all of which offer their own benefits and drawbacks. When it comes to roofing in North America, asphalt shingles have long reigned as the standard of the industry. However, there have always been niche options that many homeowners trust to keep their home’s protected. One such option that our team regularly installs for homeowners in need, is slate roofing. If you’ve been trying to decide which material you should be using for your home’s roof replacement, our team has compared the pros & cons of each roofing material to help inform your decision!

Aesthetics

When it comes to choosing a roofing material that will help boost your home’s curb appeal, there is no better option than a beautiful, slate roof. While asphalt shingles are widely manufactured, and thus available in a wide array of colors, slate roofing offers a classic, sleek, design that will help your home stand out in the neighborhood. If you’re looking for a roofing option that will provide your home with superior curb appeal, slate roofing is one of the best options you can choose!

Cost

If you’re interested in replacing your roof on a budget, asphalt shingles will be the more economical option. Asphalt shingles cost less than slate, partially due to the fact that slate is much more difficult to process and needs to be carefully sourced. That being said, it cost is a concern, asphalt shingles are going to be the less expensive roofing option.

Longevity

If you’re interested in installing a roofing option that will keep your home protected for decades to come, there is no better roofing option on the market than slate. While asphalt shingles are durable and can last for two or three decades if well-maintained, they simply don’t hold a candle to the durability that slate roofing offers. No roofing material is less susceptible to moisture damage than slate, making it a fantastic roofing option for any climate. Well-maintained slate roofing has been known to last for over a century in the right conditions, making it a truly elite roofing option when it comes to longevity.

Environmental Impact

If you’re interested in installing a greener roofing option, slate roofing is much more environmentally friendly than asphalt shingles. Asphalt shingles are manufactured with the use of fossil fuels, making them an unsustainable roofing option long-term. Slate roofing, however, it simply mined and cut with minimal processing, making it one of the most environmentally friendly roofing options on the market, along with cedar shingles. If you’re looking for a roofing material that will help reduce your home’s environmental impact, slate roofing is a fantastic choice!

Contact Us Today

If you’re interested in learning more about our team’s roofing options, including asphalt shingles and slate roofing, 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 home’s roof replacement needs!

A Roofing Guide For Homeowners

June 5, 2020Best Practices, roofingRIslate15

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!

How To Tell If Your Home’ Slate Roof Needs To Be Replaced

April 30, 2020roofingRIslate15

While slate roofing is one of the most durable roofing materials on the market, it is still damaged over time, as any material is, due to damage from the elements and other factors. If you’re interested in learning more about how to tell if your home’s roof needs to be replaced, keep reading below for more information!

Check Your Attic

The first thing you should do to determine whether your home’s roof needs to be replaced is to take a look within your attic. If there are any leaks in the roof, evidence of their damage will be visible within the roof deck. Go into your home’s attic and look for evidence of waterlogged roof decking. It is also possible that if your roof deck has absorbed moisture that your shingles have as well, as old slate tiles can absorb moisture and rot. If there is any evidence of moisture visible in the attic, have the slate replaced as soon as possible.

Take a Look at Your Flashing

Another area that you should examine when assessing whether your roof needs to be replaced is the flashing. There are multiple areas where you might need to replace your roof’s flashing, including around your chimney, as well as around any vent openings in your home’s roof, as well as valleys in your roof.

Have a roofing professional take a look at your home’s roof to assess the extent of the damage to your flashing. If your flashing has been damaged for a long period of time, it has likely led to water damage within your roofing system, which, as noted earlier, is often cause for a roofing replacement.

Examine the Shingles Themselves

Another area of your roofing system that should be examined is your shingles themselves! Considering they are your home’s main line of defense against inclement weather, it is no surprise that they often wear down over time. Each spring, you should take a pair of binoculars and take a look at your roof from a good vantage point. Look out for missing shingles of course, but also smaller issues, such as hairline cracks & chips, and other damage.

Contact Us Today

If you’re interested in learning more about our team’s roof replacement services, we’re 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!

Why Your Roof Needs Proper Ventilation

April 23, 2020Best Practices, roofing, winter tipsRIslate15

Your home’s roof is one of the single most important pieces of the exterior of your home. It functions as an umbrella, helping to keep your home protected from the elements and improving the curb appeal & resale value of your home. With so much to gain from having a well-maintained roof, it is important to ensure that your home’s roof is kept in good repair! One of the most important factors to consider when trying to maintain your home’s roof is proper ventilation. Let’s explore why ventilation is important below!

Roof Ventilation

First of all, let’s discuss what proper ventilation actually entails. Having proper ventilation in your attic is important, because if it is not ventilated, it can end up causing significant moisture problems. Particulary during the summer months when your roof absorbs a lot of heat from the sun, your attic can run into a lot of moisture issues if it isn’t properly ventilated.

You’ll want to be sure that you have vents installed on the sides of your home’s roof, as well as soffit ventilation. You want there to be enough airflow to have a constant stream of fresh air into the attic. This is also very important for home’s in New England, particularly during the winter months. Let’s explore why below:

Ventilation & Ice Dams

As any long-time New England resident knows, ice dams can be one of the most damaging roofing issues that homeowners need to deal with. Ice dams form when the heat from your home rises into your attic, and heats the roof. The snow on your roof then gradually melts, and runs down to the eaves of your roof and into your gutter system. Eventually, as that process continues to occur, the ice builds up along your gutter system, and begins to back up onto your roof. The ice dam begins to do damage when it is so large that the melting snow is held over your attic and continuously heated, which stops it from refreezing and allows it to permeate its way into your roof deck.

That being said, with proper attic ventilation, you can avoid this issue. The main reason ice dams occur is that your attic is significantly warmer than your roof, and the warm air rising out of the attic causes the snow to melt and later refreeze when it reaches the eaves. With proper attic ventilation, you can ensure that your home’s attic is no warmer than the outside air, which will stop the snow from melting in the first place. If you’re trying to save your home from expensive repairs, proper ventilation can go a long way!

Contact Us Today

Interested in replacing your home’s roof this spring? 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 & ventilation needs!