by siteadmin | May 15, 2020 | Emergency Preparations, Roof Damage, Severe Weather
Summer is approaching, and with it, the severe summer thunderstorms Texas is famous for. Thunderstorms on their own are nothing new and not really cause for alarm. However, late spring and early summer tends to be peak season for tornadoes in the south. Even severe storms that don’t produce tornadoes can damage your house. Are you ready for the upcoming summer storms?
Weather forecasts can tell you when a storm will likely arrive and the speed of its winds, but they can’t accurately predict what severe weather could do to your home. Consequently, it’s always an excellent plan to stay prepared for severe weather throughout the entire summer season. Here’s how to get ready.
Home Maintenance
First things first: is your roof leaking? Are there any weak spots that a thunderstorm might damage even further? Go outside and look for missing or broken shingles, then inspect the roof interior for dark or damp spots that indicate a leak. A leaky roof is the last thing you need in a severe thunderstorm! Schedule an emergency roof repair or cover the leaks temporarily until you can get a professional to patch up the roof.
Emergency Supplies
As the saying goes, hope for the best, plan for the worst. If you’re stuck in your house with flooded streets and no electricity, would you be able to hold out for a while? Make sure you can! Stock up on shelf-stable food, bottled water, basic hygiene supplies, medicine, and more to build an emergency kit for yourself and your family. (Find a more comprehensive list of emergency supplies here.) Determine what your family needs and how much of it to stay safe in your house for a while if necessary.
Backup Plan
Most summer storms are ultimately harmless, causing minimal damage to your home or neighborhood. However, dangerous weather like hurricanes can be truly devastating. Don’t risk it if your home is in the path of a hurricane or tornado. As long as it’s safe to travel, evacuate while you can. Plan ahead on how you’ll leave, when you’ll evacuate, what you’ll take along, where you’ll go, and more with your family ahead of time. Don’t be caught off guard with severe weather.
Pro Tip: Before you evacuate to escape a severe storm, unplug your home’s electricity, water, and gas lines. Any of these rupturing during a storm can cause further damage.
Weathering the Storm
Most summer thunderstorms won’t cause significant damage to your home. Likewise, it’s unlikely you’ll have to evacuate unless a hurricane or tornado forms. But even a mild thunderstorm could temporarily knock out your power or flood the streets enough to make driving unsafe. It’s always an excellent idea to be prepared for anything during the stormy summer season.
Join the conversation for more tips on planning for bad weather.
by siteadmin | Apr 24, 2020 | Roof Damage, Roof Inspection, Roof Repair
A well-built roof is designed to last for decades and to withstand all sorts of bad weather. However, sometimes you’ll notice your roof seems to need some attention. Can you identify which problems can wait for a little and which ones need immediate roof repair?
Inspecting Your Roof
While a professional roofing contractor must make the final decision, you as the homeowner can definitely learn to identify problem areas on your roof. And the less time you have to deal with a faulty or leaky roof, the better! Here are several issues that require immediate, professional roof repair:
- Broken or missing shingles
- Algae growth
- Open seams or leaks
- Rotting structural supports
- Pest infestations
1) Broken or Missing Shingles
The most common and most easily visible problem your roof could have is broken or missing shingles. The issue here is obvious. Any break in the shingle layer can let in rain, causing water damage to the lower layers of your roof and potentially causing the structure itself to falter. If you notice missing shingles on your roof, do your best to temporarily patch the hole and call your local roofing contractor immediately.
Pro Tip: If you suspect your roof is leaking, go into the attic and check the roof interior for dark, damp spots around potentially problematic areas.
2) Algae Growth
Algae or mold forming on your roof is also a bad sign. Not only does this indicate a pretty severe buildup of dirt, but plant growth on your roof can also eat away at your shingles and drastically decrease the lifespan of your roofing materials. Schedule a professional roof cleaning session as soon as possible if you notice algae on the shingles.
3) Open Seams or Leaks
Broken shingles aren’t the only ways leaks can form in your roof. Caulking around your chimney, windows, or air vents can break down with time and allow wind and rain into your house. You may notice dark, damp spots forming around these spots if a leak is occurring. Like broken shingles, this requires fast attention. Cover the leak as best you can and call your roof repair company.
4) Rotting Structural Supports
If you don’t catch a leak in time, you could find that the very structure of your roof is compromised. Support beams might be wet or rotting and the roof deck could be deteriorating. Either is a serious problem that threatens to collapse into your house, damaging your property and driving up repair costs. Let us handle this emergency roof repair and get your house back in shape immediately.
5) Pest Infestations
Bugs, squirrels, or other critters may be making their homes in your roof. While this may seem harmless, pests can make existing holes larger or chew new holes in your roof so they can hide inside. Worst of all, if they make it past the roof and into your home, you’ll have an entirely new set of problems to deal with. Get pests removed before they damage your roof any further.
Identifying Common Roof Problems
Roof damages are nothing to be ignored or put off until it’s too late. A leaky or damaged roof could harm your home’s overall structure. Don’t delay! If you see signs that your roof needs repair, call your local roofing contractor as soon as possible.
Connect with us to learn more about handling roof replacement or repairs as necessary.
by siteadmin | Apr 17, 2020 | GAF Roofing, Roof Replacement
The GAF roofing system is designed to give homeowners security and peace of mind once their roof installation is complete. We aim to provide our clients with beautiful roofs using the best products on the market for a lifetime guarantee. Let’s take a closer look at the GAF process of removing an old roof and installing a new one.
Prior to Installation
The first part of the roofing process is, of course, removing your old roofing materials. Our GAF Master Elite contractors remove all your shingles, insulation, and nails, down to the roof deck itself. An inspector then checks over your roof’s structure for any damages or potential problem areas. Our team performs any repairs needed to get your roof in good shape for the next step.
Pro Tip: You can save time on your roof installation by scheduling a free inspection ahead of time! Get in touch with us today to find out how.
Shielding Your Roof Deck
Roof decks are typically made of wood, meaning they require additional protection against rain and leaks. We install leak barriers on the corners and folds of your roof, where leaks are most common, and then cover the entire roof in GAF deck armor for further waterproofing. Finally, the entire leak protection system is sealed with a single layer of shingles around the edges of the room, held on by a powerful GAF-approved adhesive. With your roof deck fully protected, our contractors will install the rest of the shingles in the color and style you choose.
The Finishing Touches
Shingles aren’t the last thing your roof needs, however. Our team adds additional waterproof layers at each peak of the roof to seal heat and moisture out of your attack, preventing damage. Finally, a row of shingles is installed on top of each protective layer to match the rest of your roof and provide further waterproofing. And with that, your new roof is complete! Our lifetime guarantee ensures that your roof will last for many years to come.
Enjoy Your New Roof!
At Royal Crown Roofing, we work hard to provide you with not only an excellent roof, but also the assurance that your new roof will last a lifetime. We’re confident in our abilities and hope to provide you with the best service and new roof possible.
Connect with us to learn more about the GAF roof repair system and how we apply it to our Houston-area clients.
by siteadmin | Apr 10, 2020 | Gutters, Roof Cleaning, Roof Maintenance
Gutters are arguably the least interesting and certainly the least glamorous parts of a roofing project. However, they are among the most important parts. By removing rainwater from the roof and diverting it safely elsewhere, gutters provide a valuable service and give your roof a longer lifespan.
The problem with gutters arises when it’s time to perform maintenance. How do you clean gutters? More importantly, how do you clean gutters safely? Here’s a closer look at your home’s rain gutters and how you can take care of them.
Why Do You Need Gutters in Houston?
Homeowners in arid climates with little rain may not have as much of a need for rain gutters. But Houstonians do not fit the bill. Houston summers are especially well known for bringing heavy thunderstorms and downpours. It’s definitely in your best interest to install quality gutters to deflect the rain and prolong your roof’s lifespan!
Cleaning Your Gutters
Without proper gutter guards in place, your rain gutters can become clogged with leaves and other organic debris over time. Clogged gutters are unable to do their job of diverting water and thus require a thorough cleaning. If your gutters need a quick wash, find a sturdy ladder and wear protective gear like gloves and goggles to protect yourself. You never know what critters may be hiding in the gutter debris, after all. Use a special spray attachment on your garden hose and flush out as much of the gunk as possible.
Pro Tip: Try not to use a scraping tool to remove dead leaves from your gutters. You could accidentally scratch the finish and encourage rust to form, further damaging your gutters and roof.
When to Call a Professional
For many homeowners, calling in a professional to clean their gutters is a better choice than attempting to do so themselves. Experts will naturally have all the right equipment to do an excellent job and keep your gutters clean for longer. Additionally, professional roof contractors understand proper safety measures and can do their job without putting themselves or the homeowner in danger. If your rain gutters need significant work and especially if you live in a two-story home, call your local Houston roofing company for help instead of trying to take care of them yourself.
Keeping Your Gutters in Good Shape
Gutter maintenance is a tricky job and not one you should always tackle on your own. But whether you choose to go DIY or hire a professional for gutter cleaning, it’s an important job that must be handled with care to keep your roof in good shape.
Connect with us for more information on roof maintenance and repairs.
by siteadmin | Apr 3, 2020 | Gutters, Roof Maintenance, Roof Repair
Gutters are an important addition to most roofs, especially in rain-prone environments. However, any homeowner knows gutters can easily become clogged and dirty if not properly covered or cared for. Gutter cleaning is an unfortunate part of roof maintenance. But is it really a good idea to do by yourself?
Like most types of roof maintenance or repair, it’s best to call in a professional to clean your gutters. They’re trained to know what to do and to do a good job. There’s no need to expose yourself to risk when professionals will handle the job for you.
Safety
It goes without saying that gutters are very high up, especially on a two-story home. And since walking on the roof is never a good idea, the safest way to access the gutters is via standing on a ladder. This can quickly become unsafe as you try to balance on the ladder while simultaneously scooping out leaves into a trash bag. Without the proper equipment, you can easily injure yourself. Hiring a professional removes the risk from you and ensures that the cleaner brings the right equipment to protect themselves as well.
Pro Tip: Once your gutters are clean, talk to your roof contractor about installing gutter guards to prevent them from clogging again.
Professional Treatment from Conroe Roofing Experts
Gutters are surprisingly easy to damage. A scratch in the paint or finish could allow rust to develop, turning an already messy situation into a very difficult one as the gutters rot. Fortunately, professional cleaners know exactly what tools to use and how to use them to avoid further damaging your roof. Let them handle the cleaning so you can stay confident your roof is still in good shape.
Avoid Clogged Gutters on Your Woodlands Home
Cleaning your own gutters is possible, but it does present risks that most homeowners may not be prepared to deal with. Why deal with that alone? Call a professional to take care of your gutters for you and rest assured that your roof will be in good condition for a long time.
Join the conversation to learn more about our professional gutter cleaning services in the Houston area.
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