There’s just no doubt about it, but that your roof can really take a beating in the wintertime. This especially holds true if you live in an area that’s subject to extreme winter climate conditions with high winds, and hail. So what this means, is that now is the time to get ready before harsh winter conditions arrive.

Also the last thing you need, is to find out that your roof has sprung a leak right in the middle of your first heavy winter storm. Rather, the time to get up there and do some quick preventative patch work, is when the sun is shining and your roof is nice, and dry. It’s just a heck of a lot easier that way.

Now the first thing you need to do, is clean your rain gutters because chances are they have at least some leaves in them. Next take a hose and run some water through them to make sure that the drains all work and that there are no leaks in the seams. If you spot a leak, use “gutter patch” to do the repairs.

Next you need to climb up on your roof and clean out the valleys if you have any. Also if your valleys are metal, you need to check them well for any holes that may have rusted though. If you find any, to repair them simply sand the area clean and use JB Weld from your local hardware store to patch them.

Wood and asphalt shingle roofs need an annual inspection once they’ve passed their ten year mark. Look for missing shingles that may have blown off, or worn areas that water can seep through in. Tin shingles that you simply shove up in place are the quick fix here. They’re small pieces of sheet metal that you can buy, or cut yourself.

Don’t make the mistake of ignoring your fireplace chimney until your home starts filling with smoke, or even worse. Definitely make sure that it has a functioning spark screen that’s isn’t going to blow off in the wind. Also make sure that neither the screen or the chimney itself is clogged up with soot, and in need of cleaning.

You want close any vents that can be closed. Also you may want to consider wrapping any turbo roof vents with plastic if you have any up there as well. Make sure that you tie it on well with a piece of rope and while you’re at it, see if you can get up into your attic to close of any wall vents that you may have in there. Remember that in the winter, you want to store warmth.

Lastly, what ever you do, particularly if you have a tile roof, make sue that you don’t cause any type of damage as you’re walking around on it. Keep in mind that a pair of binoculars works great for getting a close up look from the ground. Also if the pitch on it is greater than six and twelve, then stay off it because you can easily fall off.

Learn more about roofing materials. Stop by Sandi Feris’s site where you can find out all about metal roof and what it can do for you.

If you’re like an increasing number of folks today then you for sure continually have your eyes, and ears open for new ways to shave down your carbon footprint. Just the same, if you’re like most people today it’s also only in recent years that you have begun to take more critical look at the materials that go into building, and maintaining a home.

Of course it takes a heck of a lot of energy to keep a home comfortable inside, so things like insulation are definitely important. However, you would be amazed to learn just how much energy goes into the actual making of the things that your home is built from, and because a roof can be torn off many times over the life of a building it only makes sense that they would be the first place to focus.

Sadly, each and every time that a roof that’s not made from recyclable materials is torn off, and hauled away to the dump all the energy that went into created the raw materials goes to waste. Today however, thanks to the development of these new technologies, roofing shingles and tiles made from rubber products can be recycled many times over.

Now my all time personal favorite out of all the new green roofing systems and products, are the tiles, and shingles that are made from used car, and truck tires. These new eco-friendly shingles, and tiles look absolutely amazing and they’re all just one more solution to the problem that used tires have been for far too long. It’s about time too!

Faux wood shingles from recycled tires are manufactured by actually cutting the tires into separate sections. Then each separate section is than actually cut and formed into the exact same shape as a natural wood shingle, including a “rough-sawn texture” and linear wood grin. These amazing rubber shingles are then colored, packed, and sent off to be installed on homes.

What many homeowners find so surprising is that rubber shingles actually have a Class A fire rating which makes them far safer than wood. Still yet, these amazing shingles last years, and even decades longer than a standard wood shingle that “atmosphere cleaning” trees have to be cut down for. Also because they last longer, they tend to not leak, or require the level of maintenance of a wood shingle roof.

Now slate tile roofs have always been incredibly costly and in fact they’re seen as by far one of the most expensive roofs you can buy, with perhaps the exception of copper. Ironically though, one of the best “knock-offs” that are done with recycled rubber roofing is faux slate tiles that mimic the real thing right down to the last detail, and rubber slate tiles can be had for a fraction of the cost.

Another thing worth noting, is that rubber is a heck of a lot lighter than stone or concrete, so virtually all of the tiles and that also included classic colored faux concrete tiles that are made from it are also lighter. So what that fact alone boils down to, is that homes that were designed and engineered for lighter products like composition shingles can now “sport the look” of these heavier tiles.

Want to find out more about reroofing, then visit Sandi Feris’s site on how to choose the best home improvement for your needs.

Making the decision to have the slate roofing you’ve been dreaming about can really be very exciting. Slate simultaneously boosts the beauty of your home while making it more secure against the elements. Nevertheless, locating a contractor that will do a good job can be a touch daunting.

If you’re like most, you probably have no idea whatsoever where to start. You don’t want to get scammed or waste your money, nor do you want to be stuck with a roof that develops costly leaks or flaws down the line. The key to sidestepping all of these obstacles lies in simply knowing where to look for the information you need to make a wise decision.

1. Know anyone with slate roofing? Ask them about their experience with their contractor.

One of the best places to get information is straight from the horse’s mouth and one of the most effective ways to locate local roofers who do great work at great prices is to simply ask around. Ask acquaintances and neighbors who have slate roofing how their experiences were. Would they use the same contractor again or do they desperately wish they’d made a different decision?

Don’t simply settle for the first company that sounds like what you’re looking for though. Make a list of local roofers that sound promising and continue to research each one further to make sure you’re getting the best possible slate roofing services for your money.

2. Go directly to the slate roofing contractors themselves and ask questions.

The next step is to call up each of the contractors you’re considering and arrange a time to meet with them in person. Don’t be afraid to write down a list of questions and points you’d like to discuss to bring to your appointment. Find out what each particular contractor can give you for your money, how many slate roofing jobs they have done in the past, and where you can reach a few references who can tell you more about their work.

Don’t forget to gather information on credentials, too. Then take your time extensively following up on everything to make sure the contractor is on the up and up. Also pay attention to how the contractor you met with treated you during your appointment. Did they rise to occasion and address your concerns eagerly or did they seem irritated, put out, or otherwise uninterested in your business?

3. Take to the internet and dig up information on local slate roofing contractors.

These days, it seems as if there is a website dedicated to just about everything and the finding of Sussex roofers who specialize in slate roofing is no exception. Scour the internet in search of reviews and resources concerning local roofers and use it to help you make your final decision. You might even want to think about contacting the people who actually wrote the reviews and asking for further information. Show up in person to check out past work each roofer has done in the past as well.

I’ve compiled a website designed especially to help local Sussex area people figure out which Sussex roofers are the right ones for their slate roofing project. Learn more about roofing, local options and much more.

It’s the last thing you want to face — a leaky roof. But unlike most things that go wrong around the house, this one cannot be put on the back burner. So, you have to get to it. This is the first in a series of Austin roofing articles that will help you get the job done right and choose the right Austin roofing contractor.

We’ll kick the Austin roofing series of articles off with the topic of fixing a leaking flat roof. A flat roof that has given up on you needs to be repaired ASAP to prevent further damage.

To get started, you’ll need to have the right tools for the job. And these include a hammer, asphalt roof cement, clean rags, 6d galvanized roofing nails, goggles, trowel and a propane torch with flame-spreader.

Got the right tools for the job? Good. Let’s proceed. Our first priority is simple to guess. We have to find out where the leak is coming from. With the Austin roofing jobs we undertake, the source of the leak is typically a cracked or blistered surface. And this simply means that the roof is tuckered out.

Different layers of felt and tar paper make up the construction of a flat roof. And it is usually the case that the leak is created when the felt has a tear in it. Usually easy to see, the first thing you’ll want to do is to wipe the area dry using one of the clean rags and then get rid of any loose dirt or gravel. You’ll want to next look to see if the paper has any faults or blisters.

Step one in repairing the damaged are is to take the knife, open up the blistered spot and go down as far as you can go without damaging remaining good felt.

On our jobs at Austin roofing, the next thing we do is to take the spot that is blistered, open it up and make sure that it is completely dry. Make sure to remove every last water drop in this process.

Step 3. Take the roof cement and apply a liberal amount under the area of the roof that has the blister. Then press across the corners of the blistered layer.

Last step. Grab your roofing nails and nail down the edges of the blistered paper. Then, you’ll want to provide a coating of roof cement to make sure exposed nail heads don’t become your next roofing problem.

That’s it. A job well done. We hope this Austin roofing article is helpful in tackling your next roofing job.

Want to find out more about Austin roofing, then visit Charles Richards’s site on how to choose the best Austin roofing for your needs.