Neglecting your roof is a lot like playing Russian roulette: you’re putting your most valuable asset and your family’s safety and well-being at risk in a potentially devastating game of chance. If you look at the costs of ignoring your roof in those terms, it’s easy to see that it’s better to minimize your risk instead by taking these steps: Keep Your Roof Properly Maintained Extensive, costly roof problems typically start out small and worsen over time. It’s easier for a large section of shingles to get torn off during high winds if you haven’t replaced broken or curled shingles. If there’s a ..read more

What Are Ice Dams? If you live in an area with heavy snowfall, you should be aware of the risks to your roof. Too much snow and ice accumulation could lead to roof damage, leaks, and in the worst cases, roof collapse. Snowfall presents a risk to homeowners primarily because of ice dams, which are big sheets of ice along the roof’s edge. But, there is some good news: ice dams and the damage they cause are preventable. Keep reading to learn the basics about snow load, ice dams, and winter roof protection. How Do Ice Dams Form? You’ve probably seen ice dams on your own or at a neighbor’s home. Th ..read more

Anyone who lives in Michigan knows winter brings a new set of prep work to keep a house comfortable, warm and ready to take on the harsh winter elements. To ensure your home is ready for the cold time of the year, use the following winter maintenance tips. 1 – Clean your gutters Bypass roof repair by cleaning out roof gutters and removing leaves and detritus from the roof prior to snow accumulation. 2 – Protect water pipes from freezing Use heat tape for any exposed water tubing or pipes. Wrap the heat tape as directed in the instructions and keep them on for the cold months to prevent frozen ..read more

Yup, passengers on the Titanic played with ice chunks that fell onto the deck from the fatal iceberg. They clearly did not recognize an emergency, even when it rained down on them. Can you? When is a leaking roof an emergency?  Roof Leak If you find a roof leak, you have to deal with it. Roofs do not heal themselves, and any roof leak only gets worse with time. So, you first have to assess how serious the leak is. You need no fancy tools or skills to do this. Here is what to look for and do: Measure the rate of water entering your living space or attic; a slow drip is not a roofing emerg ..read more

We never argue with a lady, and when Martha Stewart says certain home items should be repaired instead of replaced, we listen. Martha recommends repairing lamps, watches, and window screens, among other things. But can you repair roof shingles?  How It’s Made A typical asphalt shingle from Atlas starts its 20-year expected life span in a factory that combines some simple and not-so-simple ingredients: Asphalt (for water resistance) Cellulose or fiberglass fibers (for tear resistance) Crushed limestone (to form the filler with the asphalt) Some proprietary bonding agents and chemicals (to ..read more

A new residential roof is a big deal. It is the largest possible roofing project for your southeast Michigan home. You probably are scribbling notes to ask your roofer concerning your complete roof replacement. Things like, “Repair instead,” or “What does roof warranty cover?” One sign you have teamed with an excellent roofer: you can get not one but two great warranties.  Basic Manufacturer’s Warranty Almost every manufacturer of residential roofing shingles provides some kind of basic warranty. This roofing warranty covers manufacturing defects, a good bet for the maker of the shingle ..read more

You have the document in your hand: a roof warranty which provides a customized insurance policy for your Michigan home’s roof. But then you start to think about it. What does the roof warranty really mean? What does it cover? And what voids a roof warranty?  Bizarro World If somehow you were trying to deliberately void your home’s roof warranty, you could take seven steps into Bizarro World and do precisely that.  Of course, you should not do it, but the following seven screw-ups could ruin your chances of ever making a claim on your roof warranty.  Roof warranties are provided ..read more

Everybody has advice on picking a contractor for your home’s most valuable feature, the roof. Why is the roof the most valuable part of your home? Every other part of your home is beneath it! A weak or leaky roof leads to ruined furnishings, unhealthy family members and pets, and expensive repairs. Here are 7 key indicators that you can trust your home in the hands of a fantastic roofing company. 1. Are you local to me? The place your roofer chooses for a business hub is important. We all know our neighbors benefit when we shop locally, and we benefit, too. The same is true for roofers — go wi ..read more

Trees, we’ve been told, communicate with each other (according to National Public Radio). This makes us wonder, what other voiceless things are talking behind our backs? What are our lawns saying about us? And what is your roof telling you? As a responsible homeowner, how can you know when to replace your roof? Not-So-Secret Signals Don’t get us wrong; we don’t think your roof is sending out coded messages. But a Michigan home’s roof sends out some small signals long before it fails completely. Knowing how to read these not-so-secret signals takes years of experience. Most homeowners do not ha ..read more

Samuel F.B. Morse invented the telegraph in 1835. We mention that historical tidbit because we will use the word “telegraph” to discuss ways your old roof can ruin your new roof. When we talk about telegraphing, we are not referring to Morse’s clickety-clack device. When you ask, “Can you put a new roof over an old roof,” we would like you to understand why we say No, or dash-dot, dash-dash-dash in Morse’s language.  Outta Here Long before you sign a contract with a roofer, you may be wondering if your old shingle roof will have to be removed before the new roof is put down. Once you begi ..read more