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 royalcrownroofing | May 1, 2020 | Roof Damage, Roof Inspection, Roof Repair
As a homeowner, you have a good idea of when something in your house needs work. Broken or missing shingles are easy to spot, for example. But not every problem is so visible. For a closer inspection to find less obvious issues with your roof, it’s best to call in the professionals for a roof inspection.
You may be considering a roof inspection as a precursor to selling your home, or you simply believe your roof needs some work. Whatever the case, we’re here to help you out with a free professional roof inspection! Here’s what you can expect when you schedule a visit from our contractors.
Questions & Concerns from the Homeowner
When the contractor first arrives, they’ll want to know about any questions you have for them. This is your chance to highlight concerns you may have or potential problems you’ve spotted in your roof. This gives the inspector an idea of where to start looking. Additionally, establishing a good rapport with your roof inspector ensures you’ll enjoy good service throughout the whole process.
Interior & Exterior Roof Review
The inspector will examine both the inside and outside of your roof, looking for the problems you’ve noticed before and any other issues that need to be addressed. They’ll check the insulation, sealants around vents, your gutter system, and more to identify any potential problems you may not have noticed. They’ll even check the structure of your roof itself for rotting or damage that could cause a collapse.
Pro Tip: If you notice broken or missing shingles on your roof, don’t walk on the roof to repair them! The leak that has likely formed could have damaged the structure of the roof and you could fall.
Damage Report
Once the inspection is over, the contractor will discuss their findings with you. You’ll have a clear picture of the condition of your roof and any work that it needs. You may even be able to receive an estimated cost of the required repairs. Regardless of the extent of work needed, by the end of the inspection, you’ll have a detailed report of the inspector’s findings.
Your Next Steps
So now your roof has been assessed by a professional and you know the extent of repairs needed. If you’re about to sell your home, send this report to the prospective buyers so they know what they’re getting. Otherwise, why wait for repairs? Give us a call to get an estimate for the work your roof needs.
Connect with us to see what your newly renovated roof could look like.
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 | Sep 27, 2019 | Hurricane Preparation, Roof Damage, Severe Weather
The southeastern United States knows all about hurricane damage and preparations. But in the heat of the moment, as you’re looking at a damaged house, it can be easy to forget a lot of the practical advice you’ve gotten and just start trying to fix things yourself immediately. Rarely, if ever, is this a good idea! Do you know what to actually do for roof damage after a hurricane?
Hurricanes can completely devastate your roof, leaving your home and belongings vulnerable to further damage. But don’t lose your cool as you deal with this new situation. Here are the steps to take immediately after you discover a damaged roof.
Get Temporary Repairs Done ASAP
Your first order of business should be keeping the damage from spreading any further. Perform a little temporary roof repair. If you can find the leak on the interior of your roof and it’s a manageable size, cover it with a tarp or other waterproof material temporarily. Don’t let any more water get into your house.
Unfortunately, hurricane damage can frequently result in leaks large enough that a simple tarp cover isn’t going to do much good. Call your local roofing contractor and see how quickly they can patch your roof to keep damage from spreading further. While actual repairs may have to wait, they can at least provide a temporary solution.
File Your Insurance Claim Immediately
Don’t wait to file an insurance claim! After a disaster, your insurance company will be flooded with requests and claims. Get yours in quickly to avoid waiting too long for professional repairs. The sooner you file your claim, the sooner your life can go back to normal.
Pro Tip: Your roofing contractors will work with your insurance company and be your advocate to make sure you get the most value from your claim. Let the professionals handle the insurance negotiations.
Choose a Trustworthy Houston Roofing Company
After a natural disaster, out-of-town companies known as storm chasers will show up and offer free or allegedly discounted inspection and repair services. Don’t let them near your roof! These companies will vanish once the job is done, leaving you to deal with any problems that may arise later. These contractors tend to charge exorbitant prices for subpar work and leave before dealing with any fallout. Don’t let this happen to you! Stick with a local, trustworthy company with an incentive to give you the best job possible.
Dealing with Roof Damage After a Hurricane
Hurricane season isn’t over until the end of November 2019. With just over a month to go, it’s still possible that an unexpected storm could cause extensive damage to your roof. Don’t let it take you by surprise! If you stay on top of things and have your roof inspected and repaired quickly, life can get back to normal soon.
Connect with us for more insights on maintaining your roof and dealing with hurricane damage.
by siteadmin | Sep 13, 2019 | Emergency Preparations, Roof Damage, Severe Weather
Hurricane season isn’t over until the end of November. As the National Weather Service tracks storms and keeps everyone updated, make sure that you and your family are ready to wait out any severe weather. If you decide not to evacuate or can’t evacuate, these emergency supplies may be all you have to go on for a while.
While you should always maintain a kit of emergency supplies, it’s particularly important to double-check that kit this time of year and replace items as necessary. Don’t let yourself get caught by surprise with an expired kit. Use this checklist to make sure you have everything you need and a plan for staying safe this hurricane season.
Food and Drink
Your disaster kit should contain a three-day supply of nonperishable food for each person in your home. Make sure it’s easy to open and prepare as well–for instance, opt for pull-tab tops on canned foods so you don’t have to worry about a can opener. Along with the food, make sure each family member has a three-day supply of clean water with at least one gallon per person per day set aside. Don’t substitute the water for other drinks like fruit juice or soda. While these drinks may taste better sometimes and last a while, because of their less beneficial nutritional content and the potential to increase thirst through high sugar content, they should be saved as a last resort.
Non-Edible Essentials
Of course, there are plenty of non-edible supplies you should include in your emergency kit. These include:
Medical Supplies
- 7-day supply of any prescription medicine your family needs
- Bandages
- Sanitary wipes
- First aid kit
- Sunscreen and bug spray
Evacuation Supplies
- Extra cash
- Copies of personal records: passports, proof of address, medical papers, etc.
- Family members’ contact info
- A full tank of gas
- Flashlights
- Hand-crank or battery-powered radio to monitor the weather
- Extra batteries
- Extra sets of keys for your house and car
- Cell phones and extra chargers and/or battery packs
- Spare clothes
Specialized Supplies
- Baby supplies: diapers, wipes, formula, etc.
- Pet supplies: food, carrier, leash, etc.
Pro Tip: Take before and after photos of your house to document any damage that may occur. Your insurance will appreciate it.
Before the Storm Hits
Keep your gas tank full and go down the checklist to see what supplies you may need. Keep an eye on the weather in the meantime. Prepare your home for severe weather by covering the windows, moving valuables inside, and any other steps you deem necessary. Most importantly, make sure your family knows the evacuation plan if it comes to that. Protect what’s really valuable.
Be Ready for Anything
Even the most advanced weather equipment is occasionally wrong. Sometimes, a hurricane projected to die at sea causes severe damage on land. We can never be completely sure what the weather might bring. The best we can do is make sure we’re ready to weather the storm.
Join the conversation for more ideas for your hurricane preparedness checklist.
by siteadmin | Aug 9, 2019 | Roof Damage, Temporary Roof Repair
For many homeowners, DIY repairs offer a quick, inexpensive way to improve your house. There’s certainly plenty of housework that DIY can easily handle. However, for more important home repairs or maintenance, you may not be able to fix the problem yourself. Roof repairs fall into this category.
The safety and efficiency of DIY roof care depend on a number of factors, but fixing the roof yourself is generally not advised. Aside from immediate safety concerns, there is also the possibility that you might only worsen the problem. Consider a few key components before you start your DIY roof project.
Safety Concerns
Roof maintenance does require you to spend a fair amount of time on top of your house. Aside from the possibility of falling over the edge, the damage to your roof could be severe enough that putting additional weight on the roof is not safe. The roof itself could break. Not only does this add more costly repairs to your project, but you could also find yourself falling through a hole in your own roof. You open yourself up to potential risks with DIY roof maintenance.
Thorough Repair Work
Unfortunately, the average homeowner doesn’t always recognize the signs of subtle roof damage. Whether it’s from wear and tear or a particular weather disaster, your roof takes quite a beating with time. Not knowing what roof damage looks like means that you can easily overlook necessary repairs in your DIY project. Hire a professional to perform a thorough roof inspection to make sure you get the best repair possible.
Pro Tip: While it’s best to leave a thorough inspection to the experts, keep an eye on your roof. Check for water damage after heavy storms and call a repair service if anything seems wrong.
When is DIY Appropriate?
For a simple repair, taking care of the problem yourself will cost you less time and money. A few cases where DIY is appropriate include:
- Caulking leaks
- Replacing a couple of shingles
- Cleaning the gutters
- Removing leaves and other small debris
These small projects require little effort or precision to get exactly right, so the risks involved in performing these repairs yourself is minimal. However, don’t overestimate your abilities. If your roof is badly damaged or needs more extensive repairs, save yourself a headache and call a professional.
Extend the Life of Your Woodlands Roof with Professional Maintenance
Roof care may not be a major concern for you unless you’re dealing with severe leaks or damage. But if you regularly have your roof inspected by a professional and perform small DIY maintenance yourself, you can extend the life of your roof and by extension, the rest of your house. Keep your home in good shape with periodic inspections and repairs.
Ready to schedule your free roof inspection? Connect with us and start talking with our roofing experts!
