Roofing Contractors for Residential in Alberta

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Paul

Consumers living in residential Alberta towns and cities will need roofing contractors to replace the roof on their homes for a variety of reasons. Most roof replacement and repairs will be because the roof has reached an age where it needs to be replaced. The existing shingles will begin to curl up, some will break and be blown off of the roof by the wind and in serious situations, and entire sections of the roof may exhibit signs of age. A shingle roof will age due to the sun, the tough weather conditions in Alberta brought on by wind, snow and thawing conditions that can change overnight. The age at when shingles begin to deteriorate will vary greatly based on the original quality of the shingles as well.  If the original owner installed 20 year shingles, then the current owners will likely need to replace the roof within that 20 year timeframe. Continue reading →

Posted in Roofing Contractors | Tagged Calgary Roofing Contractors, Roofing Contractors for Residential, Roofing Contractors for Residential in Alberta | Leave a comment

Cedar Shake Roofing in Calgary

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Paul

A cedar shake roof looks really great and adds a lot of character to a home that the average asphalt shingles just cannot beat. In addition a properly installed cedar shake roof can last up to 40 years. There are lots of advantages to a roof of this type, but at the same time it is a specialized roof that needs to be installed by experts who know what they are doing, otherwise your beautiful cedar shake roof could need to be replaced or undergo major repair in as little as ten years. We review some of the major issues that need to be considered when looking at a roof of this type for your home; however you should really think of this post as an overview. Evaluate the experts, read up on how to install a cedar shake roof step by step and then make your decision regarding this type of roof.

Installing a roof of this type takes a specialized set of knowledge and skill. In the following we outline some of the basic steps that a roofer must take into account when they are installing a roof of this type. In addition, there are the standard requirements of a well insulated and well ventilated attic to prevent ice dams forming on your roof.

General Guidelines for Installation of a Cedar Shake Roof

  • First row should hang at least 1 inch over the roof edge to allow for rain and snow runoff
  • Thicker end of the cedar shake should face downward towards the ground
  • Space between shakes side by side should be ¼ inch to allow for expansion
  • Stagger shakes over each other so that the joints do not line up
  • Use galvanized roofing nails
  • Place nails 2 inches up from the were the next shake will overlap
  • Edge of the next overlapping shake should be 1/3 of the way up the shake
  • Use a snap line to make sure that the shakes are in the right position
  • Valleys should be covered by galvanized flashing first before you begin installing the cedar shakes
  • Ridges can be either galvanized flashing or special cedar shakes made for this purpose.
  • Follow the instructions of the manufacturer for best results.

What Can Go Wrong With a Cedar Shake Roof

All roofs will age over time and there are ways to determine of a roof of this type is beginning to deteriorate:

  • Shakes are curling
  • Shakes are splitting or cracking
  • Wood is crumbling

If a roof is beginning to leak then there is something obviously wrong with shakes on the roof. Anytime water can get between or under a layer of a shingle they will stay damp and will begin to deteriorate. If the installation is not completed properly, water may somehow get in behind a cedar shake. Poor nailing or poor overlap of the shingles can also contribute to future problems with this kind of roof in terms of the wood disintegrating or the nails becoming loose. Disintegration of the cedar is often also caused by poor ventilation in the attic allowing moisture and heat to cause ice to form on the roof trapping water under it or above it leading to very humid conditions on the roof.

Quality is another issue that should be considered when making your decision to install a cedar shake roof in Calgary or anywhere else and how long the roof will last. For example, there are:

  • Taper sawn cedar shakes,
  • Medium sawn cedar shakes,
  • Heavy sawn cedar shakes,
  • Jumbo heavy  sawn cedar shakes,
  • Regular grade, Premium grade,
  • No. 1 grade,
  • No. 2 grade red label ,
  • No label cedar shake ,
  • CCA treated cedar shingles,
  • Blue label shakes,
  • etc.

They all have various warranties and applications. Your roofing specialist will be able to assist you with all of these decisions and more regarding your new roof or repairs to an existing roof.

Are There Other Alternatives to Using Cedar

There are now products on the market that resemble a cedar shake roof. Some asphalt shingles and also fiberglass shingles are manufactured to provide the high end look as well as even the texture of a cedar roof. There are even light weight concrete roof tiles that have a cedar shake and high end look of the real thing.

How Long Will a Cedar Shingle Roof Last

There are a lot of variables that come into play while trying to answer this question. Some manufacturers quote from 25 to 40 years for their materials, however it depends on the following variables:

  • Quality level of the original material
  • Roof ventilation
  • Installation methods
  • Grade of the cedar shake
  • Thickness of the cedar shake
  • Quality of the installation

For more information about cedar shake roofing in Calgary, materials and installation call the team at Flat Roofing Calgary. Their team of experts will be able to assist you will all of your questions about

Posted in Cedar Shake Roofing | Tagged Calgary Cedar Shake Roofing, Cedar Shake Roofing, Cedar Shake Roofing in Calgary | Leave a comment

Insurance Job Roofing Companies in Calgary

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Paul

From time to time, there are storms that role though the Calgary area bringing high winds, sometimes hail or lot’s of ice in the winter.  Hail can damage shingle type roofs for example, fascia, flashing, eaves through, siding etc . Large hail will hit so hard that it can remove the granular material from the asphalt or even punch a hole right through the shingle leaving the roof exposed to water leaks and even more potential damage to areas inside the home. Hail can also damage fascia and flashing leaving unsightly dents in these areas.

Wind can also be a huge problem, lifting loose shingles on older roofs off the roof and sometimes causing tress to fall onto homes, punching holes in the roof like the one shown in the picture. With damage like this, it is imperative to have repairs completed ASAP to prevent further damage from all of the water that can enter the attic and damage the inside of the home. Sometimes temporary repairs will be sufficient to limit the damage until insurance companies can be called and arrangements made for a permanent solution. Water damage inside the home can sometimes be more extensive and cost more to repair than the cost of repairing the roof.

What Steps Should Homeowners Take if Your Roof is Damaged

There are a number of steps to be taken if you have damage to your roof. Depending on the severity, you may want to alter the order of these steps to limit the damage that will be caused by additional water damage.

  • Call your insurance company to report the claim and arrange for an insurance adjuster to visit.
  • Take pictures of the damage
  • If necessary arrange for temporary repairs to prevent additional damage
  • Arrange for quotes for repairs from Insurance Company approved roofing companies
  • Make decisions on details such as additional vents, shingle quality, ice barriers etc (Note: you may have to pay for some costs out of your own budget, if you decide to upgrade from the current roof quality, i.e. 30 year shingles vs. 20 year shingles)
  • Arrange for work to begin with approved roofing company once you have the go ahead from your insurance company

The team at Flat Roofing Calgary is very experienced in preparing quotes for insurance claims for hail damage and wind damage to roofs, fascia and flashing. They can be available on an emergency basis to complete temporary repairs as well to limit further damage to your home.

Minimal Damage from Hail

In some situations after a hail storm for example, homeowners may look at their roof and decide that there was so little damage to the roof that it is not worth reporting it or having someone look at the damage. Even with seemingly light impact on the roof shingles, the life of the shingles can be significantly impacted and only an expert can really make that kind of assessment.

The last thing you want to see is all of your neighbors having their roofs replaced 6 months after a hail storm and your roof beginning to noticeably deteriorate two years later from this same hail storm. If you have any doubts about your roof and possible damage to your shingles give us a call to arrange for an assessment of the current condition of your roof and damage that may have been done to your roof.

Damage to More than the Roof

We have discussed damage to the roof from hail and wind. Wind and even hail can do a lot more damage to other parts of your home as well. Siding can be dented or cracked by large hail and wind can actually tear siding from the side of your home. Eaves trough can also be torn from the roof by wind or falling tree limbs due to high wind. Leaking roofs can damage the insulation in your attic and need to be replaced. Soffits, fascia and flashing can also be damaged by either hail or wind.

It is important to provide a full and complete assessment of all of the damage after a storm to your insurance company so that all of the costs for repairs will be included. Taking pictures to provide a reference for later is always a great idea. Make sure that the pictures you take will show sufficient detail to demonstrate all of the damage. As a roofing company in Calgary, we are quite prepared to work closely with you and the insurance company adjuster to identify all repairs that are needed and to develop the quotes needed to provide the documentation that is required to support your insurance claim. We understand what is needed in terms of paperwork and we understand how important it is to return your home to its original state as quickly as possible.

Give us a call today for a quote regarding insurance claims for repairs due to wind damage. We can also repair and or replace roofs that have reached the end of their life. A written quote will be prepared which will document all costs associated with the work.

Posted in Roof Damage Insurance Claims | Tagged Calgary Insurance Job Roofing Companies, Insurance Job Roofing Companies, Insurance Job Roofing Companies in Calgary | Leave a comment

Shingle Roofing in Calgary

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Paul

It really pays to hire a roofer who knows what they are doing if you need some shingle roofing work done in Calgary. The picture on the left shows the construction of a typical roof for a new home or an existing one for that matter without any ice dam barrier installed. (More on that later). All homes with asphalt shingles will have rafters, then plywood sheathing to nail into, a felt barrier and finally the asphalt shingles. At the end of the roof a fascia is installed to protect the end of the rafters and to seal this area from birds and squirrels entering your roof from this area. On the sides, flashing is installed to protect the rafter and to cover up any openings that may be in this area, although there are usually not too many.

In this post we will discuss some of the issues to be aware of when you are looking for a shingle roofing contractor in the Calgary area. Most people never look at their roof until there is some kind of problem and then they call a contractor to replace the shingles on their roof.

How Do I know I need my Roof Shingles Replaced

Basically if your roof leaks or if the shingles on your roof are beginning to curl upwards and / or break off, then it is time to consider replacing your shingles and make any necessary repairs. You can request several different quotes to compare the best prices.

The contractor you hire should provide a quote to you that include the following:

  • Removal of the existing shingles, felt etc and clean up of material on the ground around your home
  • Repair and / or replacement of any plywood sheathing that may have rotted due to water penetration
  • Repair of any rafters that may have been compromised due to water leakage and rot.
  • Installation of the new roofing felt
  • Installation of an ice dam barrier
  • Installation of the new shingles at the stated life span you have requested, which is typically 15,20,25 or 30 year shingles.

Prices vary a great deal for this type of work. The pricing will depend on:

  • The size of the roof
  • The quality of the roof shingles
  • Access to the roof
  • Slope of the roof
  • Removal of existing shingles
  • Repairs needed to rafters and / or plywood sheathing, fascia and flashing
  • Installation of additional vents
  • Replacement of existing vents to increase air flow
  • Demand for shingle roofing contractors in Calgary

There is a lot more to shingle roofing in Calgary than many people expect and the folks at Flat roofing Calgary will be please to discuss your needs with you and prepare a quote to either repair your roof or replace the existing roof with new shingles. Give them a call today for a quote. Consumers also may want to discuss the need for an ice dam barrier if they suspect that they have problems in the winter with ice buildup on their roof.

Ice Dam Barrier

Ice dams on your roof can cause a lot of problems, including water leaking into your attic and then into the living area of your home. Ice dams can also cause your shingles to lift and crack, which in turn causes the roof to leak and may require premature replacement of the roof as well. There are several ways to prevent ice dams and also if you have one to prevent the water on your roof from backing up under your shingles and causing further damage. Ice Dams are usually caused by snow on your roof melting due to warm air from underneath the roof in your attic. Once the snow melts, the water runs down your roof to a cooler area and then freezes. As this area of frozen water builds up you end up with an ice dam that traps water on your roof providing an opportunity for water to leak into your roof.

Preventing Ice Dams

Basically the attic needs to be kept cold so that snow on your roof does not melt in the first place. First confirm that you have sufficient insulation in your attic to stop heat from home leaking into the attic from inside your home. Secondly confirm that you have adequate air circulation in the attic from a combination of vents in the roof and also from under the eaves through the soffit to keep your attic area cool. Your roof contractor should be able to help in this area and install additional roof vents if they are needed. Finally, in many cold climates, roofing contractors will recommend that a rubber membrane be installed between the shingles and the roofing felt along the bottom 4 to 6 feet of the roof which is typically were ice dams from. This rubber membrane also acts as an additional seal to stop water from entering your attic. Rubber membranes may also be installed around and below skylights that are on your roof for the same reasons.

If you would like to discuss shingle roofing in Calgary, ice dams and repairs to your roof, give them a call today to set up an appointment and preparation of a quote to replace your roof.

Posted in Shingle Roofing | Tagged Calgary Shingle Roofing, Shingle Roofing, Shingle Roofing in Calgary | Leave a comment