How Severe Heat Can Damage Your Roof

roof repair

On the Rhode Island Slate Roofing blog we’ve talked a lot in the past of how the winter can cause damage to your roof.  When people think about the seasons of the year and their roof, they usually thing of winter. However if you live in an area where heat waves happen, your roof can take on some serious damage. With the years first 100 plus degree day, we’ll take a look at how the summer time heat can hurt your roof!

Heat: Prolonged exposure to high temperatures is one way roofs can become damaged. This is especially true if you have a home that is exposed to the sun for more hours of the day. High heat can cause a roofs shingles to start to curl or deteriorate. Of course with this, you face further damage during rain storms. As always, the most important thing to do is be cognizant of the condition of your shingles around severe weather.

Humidity: Humidity is the presence of water in the air. Times of prolonged humidity is a cause concern for the health of your roof. If the temperature of your roof is cooler than the surrounding air, condensation can start to incur on your roof. The excess moisture can cause water damage and weaken the overall health of your roof.

Rain: In the summertime, we can experience times of prolonged heat followed by severe rain.  As we learned above, your roof can be “weaker” after a long heat wave. If this is followed by rain you roof could suffer from a multiple different issues, including leaks, cracks, moisture buildup and more.

As always, if your home has suffered from roof damage this summer in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, contact Rhode Island Slate Roofing today!

Providence, Rhode Island Roofing Job

Roofing Jobs

As we enter the second half of May, Rhode Island Slate Roofing has been busy working on projects this Spring. Below, we have pictures from a beautiful house that recruited the use of our services recently. Click through the pictures to see some of the craftsmanship the Rhode Island Slate Roofing crew displayed on this job. Notice the tight flashing work that will be sure to prevent leaks and dripage from any storms Providence endures.

This is a unique slate roofing job due to the type of slate used. First, we removed the old slate (Pennsylvania Black Slate) then decided to go with a mixture of different slates to complete the project. We used Strata Grey and Vermont Black. This was combined with 10% purple slate which gives the project a great finish.

With every roofing job, its’s also important to make that other elements of the roof, not just the slate, are done perfectly. Which is why we pay particular attention to the installation of the flashing while doing a new roof.

 

Do you think it’s time to repair or replace your roof? Wondering if slate roofing is a good option for your home? For any questions related to roofing projects you are ready to undergo, get in touch with Rhode Island Slate Roofing Today.

More Common Roofing Problems

roof repair

You roof is a critical layer of protection to the outdoor elements. It plays a major role in your utilities bill,  and is expensive to replace and repair. Hopefully you hardly ever have any problems with your roof, and if it was properly installed, you should be in the clear most of the time.

However, due to constant outdoor exposure, if you live in your house long enough, you will run into common roofing problems. Here is what to keep a look out for:

Improperly Installed Flashing: If you area new to the roofing world, you may not know what flashing is. Flashing is an area of the roof that is sealed, usually with copper or metal, to prevent leaks and cracks. Sometimes, if your roofer isn’t being careful, they can not properly install the flashing. View this recent project from Rhode Island Slate where we replaced old flashing.

Leaks or Moisture:  Leaks in moisture are incredibly dangerous to the integrity of a solid roof. Especially in New England you should be checking your roof and attic after each storm. Leaks leads to moisture inside your attic and roof. Moisture leads to mold. And mold leads to rotting roofs. An unexpected roof that gathers mold is a dangerous situation.

Critters:  A little thought about issue that can cause problems in your attic and roof are critters. Small animals, insects, & any creature that starts to call your roof or attic home can cause damage that lead to further damage. If you hear any sounds in your attic, go inspect the area with a flashlight.

Overall, the most important thing you can do to prevent these common roofing problems is to make sure you hire a credible roofing contractor.  If you are looking for a professional roofing contractor with thousands of successfully completed projects in Rhode Island and Southeastern, Massachusetts reach out to Rhode Island Slate Roofing. 

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Do you think your roof may be suffering from any of these common roofing problems? No worries. Get in touch with the professionals at Rhode Island Slate Roofing today. We will properly diagnosis the issue, identify the root cause, and offer the best solution.

Spring Cleaning Check List for Your Roof

Best Practices

It’s that time of year in New England! The Red Sox are about to open up the season, patios will begin to open, and Spring time will be here in full force soon enough. While Spring is a time to start new every year, its also a popular time for Spring cleaning around your house. This year, don’t forget Spring cleaning when it comes to your roof as well!

Gutters

As we covered in the past on the Rhode Island Slate Roofing blog, it’s important to declutter your gutters a couple times of year. If you don’t do this, the weight will begin to drag on your roof and damage your shingles. With the recent high wind storms across the region, your gutters could be particularly weighed down this year. Take the time to clean them out completely.

Nearby Branches

This follows up with the previous step on the Spring cleaning checklist. In the last couple months, we have had wind storms with winds up to 50-MPH. Take some to inspect the perimeter of your property. See if there are any tree limbs getting too close to your house that weren’t there last year. Take care of them as soon as possible. The last thing any homeowner wants to deal with is a tree damage to their roof.

Roof & Attic Inspections

On our blog we have gone over the ways to properly inspect your roof and attic after storms and any major weather-related events. You should do this periodically through the year regardless of if there have been any recent storms or not. Spring cleaning time is the perfect opportunity to do this. Go inside your attic and inspect for damage. Get a ladder and check your roof for loose shingles, flashing, cracks, or holes.

Contact Rhode Island Slate Roofing

Notice anything wrong with your roof while performing Spring cleaning? Don’t worry. Contact your local roofing experts in Rhode Island at Rhode Island Slate Roofing! We are experts in slate roofing as well as traditional shingle roofing. We perform roof inspections, roof repairs, and new roof installations.

Time To Schedule Your New Roof is Now

news

At the Rhode Island Slate Roofing blog, we have covered many roofing topics over the last few years. We try to educate homeowners to be better homeowners. Mostly in the form of educational topics that cover a wide range of roofing information. With the recent March trio of snow storms, some helpful topics we’ve covered in the past may be helpful for you. Topics such as:

And many other roofing topics that can be found on our blog.

If you’ve read any of these previous posts and realized your roof may not be in the best shape possible, you’ll want to act now. A common occurrence in the roofing industry is homeowners knowing the need to undergo some type of roof repair or complete rebuild but wait too long to act.

Roofing contractors, and more specifically, good roofing contractors are in high demand during the warmer months of the year. Late Winter and Early Spring is the best time to get in touch with your roofing contractor to talk about your plans. Roofing contractors are beginning to book projects now. If you wait too long, you may have to settle for a lesser contractor.

Contact us today to get your project started in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts.

Example of Roof Repair in Rhode Island

roof repair

At Rhode Island Slate Roofing in North Smithfield, Rhode Island, we don’t just install beautifully crafted roofs. We are also in the business of roof repair and maintenance. A properly maintained roof will extend the life of your roof. Repairing damaged roofs in a timely manner will also help in the long run in keeping your roof for decades to come. A common part of a roof that needs to be repaired is the Roof Valley.

What is a Roof Valley?

A roof valley is usually made of copper or another type of metal. It is a piece of material used to seal and open spots where to different angles meet on a house. This is a critical piece of the structure of any roof. As rain and snow will be directed to the valleys.  Here is an example of what a roof valley looks like:

Properly Done Copper Roof Valley

Roof Valley Repair

Rhode Island Slate Roofing recently completed a roof valley repair for a client in Rhode Island.  Here you can see the heavily  damaged roof valley from years of weather damage and neglect:

Example of a Damaged Roof Valley

The damage caused by this roof valley looks like this:

Damage Caused By a Bad Roof Valley                                   

Finally, here is the finished product after Rhode Island Slate Roofing fixed the damaged roof and added in a new valley:

 

If you are looking to have your roof valleys inspected or repaired in Rhode Island or Southeastern Massachusetts, Contact Rhode Island Slate Roofing today!

How To Tell Your Roof is Damaged After an Ice Storm?

winter tips

Every few winters in New England it seems there is a wild ice storm. Most notably in recent memory he had the ice storm of 2008. The damage was in the 2 to 2.5 billions of dollars range in New England and homes lost power for days to weeks in certain areas. A lot of the damage was to personal property. Homeowners themselves experienced devastation, especially around their roofs. We know ice storms and ice build up causes ice dams and other damage. But how should you inspect your roof after an ice storm specially? Lets look at a few steps to see if you need to call an experienced roofing contractor.

Be Careful

First and foremost, if you are going to be inspecting your roof without the help of a roofing contractor, be extremely careful. Obviously, ice is slippery. The ground surface could also be trick as well depending on how much snow and ice is built up. Try to clear the area where your ladder is going to be as much as possible. Have a spotter to hold your ladder as well.

 

Inspect The Metal

The metal on your roof is known as the flashing, vents, or exhaust caps. Depending on the size of the ice in the storm, the flashing could be severely damaged. You want your flashing to be “flush” with the roof to prevent leaking. If your flashing is banged up a bunch, leaving an uneven surface, this is warning sign number 1 your roof needs some repair work. Additionally, while you are up there, look at any HVAC components that may be attached to your roof.  You may need to call 2 contractors depending on the severity of damage.

Shingle Inspections & Bruises

Shingle bruises are a sign of ice damage. These bruises can create cracks that will allow water to seep in your roof and attic.  Any easy way to spot this is displaced shingles. If the storm wasn’t as severe, take a close look at many shingles. See cracks in them? Sign number 2 your need a roof repair.

Windows

Lastly, if you have any sky windows in your house, you’ll need to carefully inspect these too. Check for broken panes, vinyl trim, or window glazing. If you see any cracks or warping, you’ll want to get this taken care of ASAP. This is an especially vulnerable area that could lead to a puddle in your living room!

Remember, Rhode Island Slate Roofing are the experts at everything roofing. Serving Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts.

 

More About Historic Roof Repair

historic roofing

In Rhode Island and New England we are blessed to live in an area filled with history. Part of that history is historic homes. And part of historic homes, are historic roofs. Rhode Island Slate Roofing is one of the few roofing contractors in the state that has the knowledge and know-how to safely repair historic roofs.

About Historic Roofs

Historic Roofs can be made out of a few different materials. Materials such as shingles, slate, metal, or even clay tile. In New England, the most common place to see historic roofs are on old churches, barns, and farmhouses. Historic roofs give any building a distinguished  look. The most common form of historic roofing is slate, especially in this geographic region, because of the abundance of slate in the North East.

Historic Slate Roof Repair

If you own or are in charge of an building that has a historic slate roof, its important to make sure you are dealing with a roofing contractor who is experienced in this particular area of roof repair. When making the decision to repair or replace a historic roof, the experience of the contractor will be a great asset to any homeowner. For example, if your roof has major flashing issues, it will require the remove of large amounts of slate. Depending on other factors it may make sense to do a complete replacement. Your roofing contractor can help you with this decision making process.

If you have a troublesome historic roof in Rhode Island or Massachusetts, contact Rhode Island Slate Roofing today with any questions.

Questions To Ask a Roofing Contractor

roof replacement

Are you thinking this winter may be the last for your roof? Maybe you’ve been considering getting a roof for a few years now and you are ready to make the decision come Spring time. Before you take the next step of looking up roofing contractors, make sure your prepared with these questions when you call them:

Experience: This is an important one. Now days, with the right paper work anybody can appear to be a real roofing contractor. You’ll want to confirm with the company how long they have been in business and how many projects they’ve completed.  You don’t want to invest money into a company that has only completed a few roofing jobs.

Insurance: Don’t just take their word for it. Verify that they hold the insurance they have and make sure they have personal and property insurance.

Testimonials/ Recent Projects:  Any reputable company should have a working website you can visit and inspect their work. Make sure to Google their company name and see what people have to say about their work. Check sites like Home Adviser, Google Business, and Yelp!

Scope of Work: This one may seem obvious, but its important to go over. You should make sure that the roofing contractor you are considering includes clean up after construction is complete. The last thing you want to deal with after a new roofing project is debris flying all over your shrubbery and yard.

Warranty Information: Any roofing contractor that is worth it should have some type of warranty offered on their work. Shop around a few contractors to see what type of warranties are typical in your area.

Locality: Now days there are many contractor companies floating around.  We recommend going with a local contractor who knows the climate in your area and can best advise you on your project. Make sure the company you are dealing with is truly local, and they aren’t sending your project to a subcontractor.

If you are looking for a reputable roofing contractor in the Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts are, look no further than Rhode Island Slate Roofing. A fully ensured roofing contractor who works with both traditional roof shingling as well as slate roofing.

Another Example of a Poor Roofing Job

news

The above video was taken by a roofing company in California. It highlights why it is crucial to hire a professional, vouched for roofing company. One that uses its own employees and follows through will the full scope of the job duties. This couple spent $20,000 on a brand new roof (with great GAF Grand Sequio Shingles).

The couple hired a reputable roofing company to provide a roofing inspection on their roof. You can see in the video they improperly did almost the whole job. The didn’t install flashing correctly. They left holes in the roof. They left many parts of the roof vulnerable to leakage. Even more this roofing company completely left parts of the roof undone, with materials laying around the roof.

As we further watch the video we can see that the ridge caps were not properly installed. Many parts of the roof are hardly even hanging on, they will probably fly off during the first big wind storm. Trash was left on the roof, parts of the old shingles and roofing were even left

As a homeowner, unless you are getting on a latter and inspecting your roof and a roofing company comes, you would never get to see how poorly of a job was done. This job is essentially $20,000 wasted. This couple will have to go to court to recoup their losses and will have to re-do the entire roof.

If you are looking for a reputable roofing contractor in Rhode Island, get in touch with us today.