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!

Signs That Your Home’s Gutters Need To Be Replaced

March 30, 2020roofingRIslate15

Your home’s gutters are one of the most important pieces of your home’s exterior & roof, offering a number of benefits despite the fact that most homeowners overlook their utility. Your gutters serve the extremely important purpose of helping to direct water away from your home and safely onto the ground, without causing damage to your home’s foundation or roofing system. Additionally, they also provide curb appeal & resale value, making it important to ensure that your home’s gutter system is kept in good repair! If you’re interested in learning more about how to tell if your home’s gutter system needs to be replaced, keep reading below for a few of the signs you should be on the lookout for.

The Gutters Are Pulling Away From Your Home

One of the most obvious signs that you’ll need to replace, or at least repair your gutters is when they begin to pull away from your home. If you don’t replace the entire gutter system, you will at least need to repair the fasteners that attach your gutters to your fascia boards, which help keep your home’s gutter system intact.

Cracks, Holes, or Rust Spots

Another thing that you will need to keep a lookout for is any damage to the gutter system itself. Obviously, if your gutters aren’t sealed, water will pour out of the cracks and cause damage to your home as it leaks out.

Separated Gutter Systems

If your gutter systems are operating, water can leak out of the system just as it would if your gutter system was rusting or otherwise breaking. If you find that your gutter panels are separating from one another, have the system replaced as soon as possible.

Landscaping Issues

Have you noticed that your flower beds are looking a bit worse for wear? It could be because your gutter system is spilling water over the sides or out of the cracks and leaking down the sides of your home. Replace or repair them as soon as possible in order to keep your home protected.

Nails or Screws on the Ground

Another sign that you will need to have your gutters replaced or repaired is when you begin finding nails or screws on the ground underneath the system. This is likely either because the system is losing its shape and pulling on the screws, of the fascia boards are rotted out and losing their integrity. Either way, you will need to replace your home’s gutter system as soon as possible to keep your home properly protected.

Contact Us Today

If you’re 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 roofing needs!

How Weather Effects Your Roof

March 29, 2020roofingRIslate15

Your roof is your home’s most important line of defense against the elements. It functions as your home’s umbrella, protecting the top of your residence from inclement weather, among other benefits it provides. Considering it is exposed to so much weather, it is no surprise that it wears down over time. However, most homeowners are unaware of how different weather conditions can damage their roof and impact its quality. If you’re interested in learning more about how weather can impact your home’s roof, keep reading below for more information!

Wind

One of the most common causes of roof damage is extreme wind. High winds often cause your shingles to loosen from your roof, if not blow off completely. In fact, most asphalt shingles have sections for the edges of your roof called starter shingles which are fitted with extra adhesives in order to protect your shingles from blowing off of your roof. If you only had a shingle or two blow off of your roof you can easily repair the damaged section, but it depends how severe the damage was.

Rain

There’s another kind of weather that, in combination with wind, causes the majority of roofing damage, and that is rain. Rain can cause so much damage because one small leak that is left unattended over months can end up rotting a significant portion of your roof deck and seriously damaging the structural integrity of your home’s roof. If you live in a rainy climate, you should have your roof inspected regularly to ensure that the roof’s integrity is still intact.

Snow

Homeowners in the North-East are well aware of how damaging snow can be to their roofs. Snow can cause the same issues as rain, melting on your roof and causing water damage to your roof deck. However, it can also cause ice dams which can be just as destructive to your home’s roof. Ice dams are formed when the snow on your roof melts and runs down your shingles, reaching the eaves of your roof. When it reaches the eaves, it refreeze, and it causes the snow melting off your roof to pool up behind the ice. It is held in liquid form on the roof, which quickly causes it to sink into your roof deck, causing significant damage. If you see ice dams forming on your roof, you will want to have them removed as soon as possible.

Contact Us Today

If you’re 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 by calling us at (401) 255-2003 or by filling out our team’s online contact form!

Most Common Roofing Issues

February 29, 2020roof repair, roof replacement, roofingRIslate15

Your home’s roof is a complex system that helps to keep your home protected from the elements, improve your home’s curb appeal & resale value, and provides valuable insulation to your home. With so much to gain from having a well installed and maintained roof, it is important to ensure yours is kept in good repair. However, because your roof is a complex system made up of many pieces working in conjunction, it can often be easy to overlook issues that aren’t causing immediate failure of your roof. If you’re interested in learning about a few of the most common roofing issues, take a look at our blog for more information!

Broken/Cracked/Missing Shingles

Of course, the most obvious issue that homeowners see when their roof is damaged is that they are missing shingles, or they are otherwise damaged. If you notice that your home’s shingles have become broken, or fallen off of your roof, it is a good idea to have the roof inspected as soon as possible.

Damaged Flashing

Another common issue that homeowners often see with their home’s roof is that the flashing around your home’s chimney often begins to rust and that can cause serious damage to your home’s roof. If your flashing is rusting, water will be able to seep in and cause serious damage to your home’s roof deck.

Loss of Granules

Another common roofing issue that many homeowners have run into is that old shingles tend to lose their granules, which can cause the shingles to degrade and deteriorate off of your roof. If you’re finding that your gutters, or even the ground around your property, is full of granules, your roof is nearing the end of its lifespan.

Water Damage

Another very common issue that many homeowners run into with their roofs is that water finds its way into the roof deck where it causes significant damage. If your home’s roof deck becomes waterlogged, it will begin to sag under the weight of your shingles, and could eventually fail. However, most water damage isn’t that major, and it’s as simple as finding the spot that’s leaking and fixing the shingles around it. You’ll likely need to enlist a roofing professional to be able to discover these issues, but if you suspect that your home is acruing water damage, you will want to have your roof examined as soon as possibe!

Contact Us Today

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 home’s roof replacement needs!

Benefits of Installing A Skylight In Your Home

February 27, 2020Roofing Jobs, UncategorizedRIslate15

Skylights are one of the most polarizing home improvements one can make. There are some people who love the way they look and laud the benefits that a well-installed skylight can provide. On the other hand, there are many homeowners who are convinced that skylights simply lead to leaks and other maintenance issues and simply aren’t worth the benefits that they provide. However, there are many benefits of installing a skylight that homeowners simply overlook. Take a look at our blog to learn about a few of those benefits!

Curb Appeal

One of the greatest benefits of skylights that most homeowners acknowledge is that they are a great way to boost your home’s curb appeal. A well-installed skylight looks beautiful, and they certainly help your home stand out in the neighborhood. If you’re looking to make home improvements that will help boost your home’s resale value, installing a skylight is a fantastic choice!

Better Ventilation

Another benefit of skylights that many homeowners don’t realize is that if you get a unit that opens and closes, it can considerably improve your home’s ventilation. Particularly during the summer-time, opening your skylight can help to regulate your home’s temperature and make the entire house more temperate. If you’re looking for a way to get rid of excessive heat during the summer months, a skylight might be the solution you’ve been searching for.

Natural Light

Perhaps the greatest benefit of installing a skylight is that it helps provide natural light to your home in rooms where it’s otherwise hard to come by. If you have a home that is surrounded by trees, natural light can be tough to come by during the day if trees are intercepting the light. Installing a skylight makes it far easier for the light to find its way into your home.

Another benefit of all of the natural light is that it helps make your home feel larger. Even though they don’t add any additional space, having an opening up the ceiling that is full of natural light helps make a room feel more expansive.

Solar Heat Gain

Finally, a benefit that many homeowners overlook is that a well-installed skylight can help improve your home’s energy efficiency. A skylight can help your home accumulate natural solar heat gain by allowing the sun’s rays into rooms that wouldn’t normally be exposed to the rays!

Contact Us Today

If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of installing a skylight in your home, or you’re in need of roofing services, 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!

Getting Your Roof Ready for Spring

January 29, 2020roof replacement, roofingRIslate15

With spring just around the corner, it is important to ensure that your home’s roof is ready for the warm weather! As the snow melts off of your home, you should take a look around your home’s roof to ensure that it is prepared for the spring season! If you’re interested in learning more about how to get your home ready for the warmth, keep reading below for more information!

Remove Debris

The first thing you should do to prepare your roof for the springtime is to ensure you remove all of the debris off of your roof. Over the course of the winter, a great deal of debris will end up on your roof, from pine needles, to leaves, to broken branches. Remove the debris off of your roof to help keep moisture away. If you’re trying to ensure your roof will be around for years to come, removing debris in the spring is one of the best things you can do for your roof!

Examine Your Shingle System

The next thing you should do after removing any debris from your shingle system is to check your shingles themselves. Your shingles comprise the bulk of your home’s roofing system, and they are the first line of defense against the elements. That means it’s important to ensure that your shingles are still in good repair when spring rolls around!

After you’ve ensured your shingles are free of debris, check for any broken, warped, cracked, or curled shingles. Over the course of the winter, your shingle system has likely absorbed some moisture which can cause significant damage to your shingles themselves. If you find that your shingles are damaged in any way, including missing their granules, be sure to replace the shingles in question to help keep your roof in good shape!

Check Your Attic For Damage

In addition to your shingles themselves, you should be checking your roof deck & attic for any additional damage. If your shingle’s integrity was comprised over the course of the winter, moisture may have seeped into your roof where it can cause significant damage to the structure of your home! Look around your attic for evidence of water damage, as it can sometimes be difficult to spot a roof leak for the outside!

Contact Us Today

If you’re interested in replacing your home’s roof this spring, our team at Rhode Island Slate Roofing is ready to assist! 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 remodeling needs!

Benefits of A Roof Inspection

January 29, 2020roofing, UncategorizedRIslate15

Having your roof inspected is very important for the health of your home, but many homeowners overlook their importance and neglect to have them completed on their home with any regularity. If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of having your roof inspected, take a look below to learn more about the benefits of roof inspections.

Discover Water Damage

The greatest benefit of inspecting your roof is that it can help protect your home from leaks & water damage. Spotting a roof leak with an untrained eye is a very difficult task, which means if you’re trying to identify where your leak stemmed from, it will be next to impossible. If you’re interested in truly locating the source of your roof leak, enlist the help of a roofing professional to examine the integrity of your home’s roof.

Safety

Another reason you should have your roof inspected is for safety purposes. First of all, it is important to ensure that if you’re walking around on your roof, you’re not going to fall off of otherwise hurt yourself. If you have any concern for your well-being, it is best to leave it to the professionals.

The other piece of the safety conversation is that inspect your roof to assess whether or not it’s damaged can help keep your home & occupants protected from any damage that may occur to your home due to a faulty roof.

Cost-Effective

While on its surface, conducting an inspection on a roof that’s not visibly leaking may seem like a waste of money, the fact of that matter is that having your roof inspected can help reveal issues that would destroy the integrity of your roof, requiring you to replace the entire roof!

Rather than having to replace your entire roof, having a yearly inspection can help reveal issues that would quickly destroy your roof and cost far more than an annual inspection. If you’re trying to save money on your home maintenance and don’t have a brand new replacement roof, having an inspection is a great decision for the health of your home!

Contact Us Today

If you’re interested in learning more about our team’s roof replacement services, reach out to us today! We 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!

How To Improve The Lifespan Of Your Roof

December 27, 2019roofingRIslate15

Your home’s roof is one of the most important pieces of your home’s exterior, providing your home with a number of benefits. However, it is also one of the most expensive repairs that a homeowner can make, making it an issue that most homeowners hope to avoid. If you’re interested in learning how you can improve the lifespan of your roof and put off your roof replacement for a few extra years, take a look at our blog to learn a few tips & tricks!

Clean Your Gutters

One of the most important things you can do to improve the lifespan of your roof is make sure you regularly clean your gutters. If your gutter system is clogged, it can cause water to back-up under your starter shingles where it can quickly cause significant water damage. An added benefit for the lifespan of your roof is that keeping your gutters cleaned can help prevent ice dams which are a major contributor to roof damage. Ensure your gutter system is kept clear of debris to help improve the lifespan of your home’s roof.

Get A Roof Inspection

If you’re trying to improve the lifespan of your roof, there are few things better than having a regular roof inspection. An inspection will help reveal issues with your roof quickly, allowing you to make the necessary repairs before the issues become irreversible. They will help you identify leaks, broken or missing shingles, damaged vent boots, and more. If you’re trying to improve your roofs lifespan, an inspection is one of the best things you can do!

Remove Debris

Nothing will damage your roof faster than having it covered in debris. From fallen leaves, to broken branches, to moss or mildew growth, there are a variety of issues that can arise. Ensure you can debris off of your roof on a regular basis, and certainly before the first frost of the year. Debris can hold moisture on your roof, which, come winter, will freeze. As it freezes, thaws and refreezes over the course of the winter, it will gradually cause damage to your shingles. If you’re trying to improve the lifespan of your roof, be sure to remove debris off of your roof when you get the chance.

Contact Us Today

If you’re interested in replacing 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 roof replacement needs!