Contractor Tips Blog

May
9

Protect Your Roof from Ice Damage

Posted in Roofing

Winters can be rough on your roof. Colder temperatures can bring ice and snow that can cause damage to your roof. Ice dams and heavy snow can put stress on the roof, leading to leaks and other serious roof problems. When winter brings those freezing temperatures, make sure to protect your roof from ice damage that can result in costly repairs or replacement.

Preventing Roof Ice Damage

The key to protecting roofs from cold weather damage is not to allow snow or ice buildup. Snow accumulation can put hundreds of pounds of stress on a roof; it can collapse under the weight of snow. Snow melting and re-freezing can cause ice to form, which can occur under shingles and flashing, as well as create ice dams. Some prevention tips to minimize risks from snow and ice to your roof include:

  • Shovel or remove snow after each heavy snowfall
  • Keep attic well insulated and cool – warmth escaping can melt snow and create ice
  • Clear ice dams, icicles and ice in gutters
  • Watch for evidence of leaks to avoid more serious damage
  • Clean roof and gutters before the cold weather arrives

Ice and snow can cause extensive damage to shingles and flashing, allowing leaks to occur. This can cause thousands of dollars of damage to your home, as well as put your home at risk for mold. Preventing roof damage from cold weather is crucial and repairing any issues quickly should also be a priority.

If there are any concerns about damage to your roof from snow or ice, make sure to schedule a professional inspection with a roofing expert. It is best to catch winter damage early and make any repairs needed to protect your roof and your home.

Posted on behalf of:
Atwood Home Builders
227 W 8
th Ave
Homestead, PA 15120
(412) 638-1262

Nov
8

How to Get Bug-Free Soffits

Posted in Insect Control

Are insects finding their way into your home through your soffits? If you have soffits that are older, they may become rotted or damaged, allowing bugs and other pests into your home. Plus, old soffits may not have proper screens on the vents, allowing bugs an open door into your walls and attic. To get bug-free soffits and close the gaps into your home for pests, water and other issues, it may be time to undergo a soffit replacement.

Benefits of New Soffits

The soffits on a home often get little attention, but they are a vital component of your roofing system and impact the appearance of your home. They also provide placement for vents needed for ventilation. When they become damaged from weather or begin rotting away, they leave your home open to bugs, water, mold and other issues. Here are a few benefits of adding new soffits to your home.

  • Stop insect infestations with solid soffits and new screening on vents
  • Improve the beauty of your home
  • Add needed ventilation when needed
  • Control moisture and mold in the home
  • Keep out other critters like mice, rats and squirrels

When replacing soffits, it may also be prudent to replace fascia boards. They are often in similar repair and work intricately together. A new solid surface for your eaves can protect your home and improve the appearance, making it a worthwhile investment.

If you want to stop bugs from using your soffits as a gateway to your home, contact your local roofing specialist that offers soffit and fascia repairs and replacement. You can add beauty and protection for your home with updated soffits, fascia and vents, installed professionally for the best results.

Posted on behalf of:
Atwood Home Builders
227 W 8
th Ave
Homestead, PA 15120
(412) 638-1262

Mar
31

What Home Repairs Do You Need After Storm Damage?

Posted in Roofing

After a severe storm, your home could need repair. Hail, high winds, falling limbs and other elements can cause damage to your home. While roof damage is usually the biggest concern, this is not the only component on your home that may need repair or replacement. When you call to have a post-storm inspection done on your home, here are areas to have your contractor check for damage:

  • Even if the roof looks like it is intact, damage to shingles or seams in metal roofing can be affected. Have a qualified roof contractor do a thorough inspection of your roof to avoid problems down the road.
  • Have any siding panels sustained damage due to hail or falling limbs? Even a small crack or loose panel should be repaired, especially when you are submitting an insurance claim for other damage.
  • Fascia and soffit. Make sure that every component of your roofing structure is inspected for possible issues, including fascia and soffit.
  • Windows. Obviously if a window is broken, it will need to be replaced. Also, check the trim, shutters and other components around the windows for any damage.

To make it simpler for repair and insurance purposes, hire a contractor to complete your inspection that offers repair on all these major components. It will save time and frustration to have one contractor that can fix all your exterior issues at one time. This eliminates needing several bids from roofing, siding and window contractors, simplifying the process.

Storm damage to your home is almost always covered under most homeowner’s insurance policies. Make sure you get a complete and detailed inspection to cover every repair caused by the latest storm to get the most out of your insurance policy.

Posted on behalf of:
Atwood Home Builders
227 W 8th Ave
Homestead, PA 15120
(412) 638-1262

Nov
29

Does Your Homes Soffit or Fascia Need Repair?

The roof system of your home is more complicated than it might seem. To the novice, it can seem that the two main components are the roof and gutters. While this may be true, there are other elements that play an important role in the function of your roof system. Two of these items are the soffit and fascia that are incorporated into the eaves of your roof.

What Is a Soffit?

The soffit is the surface that is under the eave or overhang on your home’s roof. This small “ceiling” is used to help keep moisture away from the home and can be part of the ventilation of your attic. Many soffits contain ventilation holes that allow moisture to escape that can cause mold or damage inside the home.

What Is Fascia?

The boards that edge the roof facing out are fascia. These can connect to the soffit, rafters and trusses in your roof and protect the roof’s edge from exposure. They are also important for the aesthetic appeal of your home, giving the roof outline a smooth, even exterior.

Both the soffit and fascia play important roles in protecting your roof and home from moisture and the elements. Because they are the first line of defense, they can also become damaged or rotted. Damage to your soffit can entice insects and rodents into your attic and home; fascia boards that are damaged can lead to expensive roof rot.

If you notice that the soffit or fascia on your home looks damaged, have it repaired immediately. These small elements are essential to protect your roof and home from expensive damage from moisture and pest invasion.

Posted on behalf of:
Atwood Home Builders
227 W 8th Ave
Homestead, PA 15120
(412) 638-1262

Oct
26

Beware of Storm Chasers After a Hail Storm

Posted in Roofing

There are always criminals that are looking to take advantage of a bad situation to make money for themselves. Whether it is someone pretending to be collecting money for a charity or offering to fix damage on your home after a storm, you need to be aware of those trying to steal your money. One of the recent issues has been ‘storm chasers’ that come into towns after a big hail storm and offer fast, cheap repairs on homes with roof damage.

The problem with these ‘storm chasers’ is they rarely give homeowners what they pay for. They either do a poor job fixing the roof, then leave town, or worse, take a down payment and never do any work at all. If you have roof damage due to a hail storm, be careful who you hire to fix your roof. Here are a few tips to avoid being taken advantage of by a storm chaser.

  • Choose a local company. Don’t hire a contractor from out of town. Make sure the roofing company is locally owned and operated.
  • Check their license and insurance information. Contractors must be licensed to work in the city where you live. This should be public record.
  • Look at the permits. Pull the permits needed to do the job and make sure the company name on the permit matches the company you have working for you.
  • Never pay cash for your down payment. If possible, use a credit or debit card for your down payment. This can be easier tracked and is often protected through your bank for fraud.

The golden rule to avoid criminals is that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. So when someone comes knocking on your door offering to repair your roof for a low price or right away after a hail storm, there is a good chance they are storm chasers. Hire a legit, local company that will do the job right and stand behind their work.

Posted on behalf of:
Atwood Home Builders
227 W 8th Ave
Homestead, PA 15120
(412) 638-1262

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