Category Archives: Roofing

What Does A Typical Roof Replacement Cost?

An important role in the construction or renovation of a house is the choice of a roof system that will prove its long-term efficiency. Each component of the roof requires special attention so that it is fully functional, watertight and durable – from the resistance structure, the thermo and waterproofing membranes, to the cover materials and the installation of the drainage system.

Obviously, a roof replacement is a complex project, which will cost you a significant sum of money, depending on the type of the roof, the materials you choose and the contractor your hire. In 2019, on average, roofing contractors charged between $3.50 and $5.50 per square foot (which means $350 to $550 per square) for replacing asphalt shingle roofs (the most common and popular roofing material). For the roof on a typical single-family house, the owner can expect to pay $4.50 per sq. ft. ($450 per square).

However, in order to be able to plan to the smallest detail the budget for the replacement of your roof, you will need to consider a number of factors that can help you estimate correctly the total price of the work.

The type of roofing materials

First of all, the total cost of the replacement project depends on the type of materials you will choose: metal or ceramic tiles, bituminous shingles, wood shakes etc. – they all have different prices.

The surface and geometry of the roof

Before contacting a manufacturer or distributor, it is best to measure your roof`s surface. This way, you can get an accurate estimated price, although keep in mind that it will be substantially influenced by the type and quantity of fasteners that you will need. Never make a decision only considering the price per square meter of a particular material, if you do not want to have unpleasant surprises! A visit from a Gaithersburg roofing specialist is what you need for a complete and correct quote.

The pluvial system

The price of purchasing and installing gutters and downspouts (or drainage holes, in the case of flat roofs) must also be considered. The pluvial system aims to protect the building from water ponding and infiltrations. The quality of a pluvial system resides in the materials used that should be resistant to corrosion, even in quasi-permanent humid conditions, UV radiation and temperature fluctuations.

Roof accessories

Each roof needs accessories to ensure its proper installation as well as the aesthetic and functional design. The best thing is to opt for accessories made or recommended by the manufacturer of the cover system.

Gaithersburg roofing

Workmanship

Another factor with a significant influence on the final cost of roof replacement is the team of Gaithersburg roofing specialists you hire to install the roof. You will have to carefully choose the contractor because an improperly installed roof system will automatically result in additional expenses caused by incorrect measurements faulty installation or, even worse, the loss of warranty on purchased products. Besides, each roofing company has different prices for the provided services, so you should be able to determine the best match for your budget, by comparing prices and services.

The Benefits of Spray Foam on Roofs – When to consider Spray Foam Roofing?

Why Consider Spray Foam Roofing

Spray foam is a relatively new material used for roofing purposes, but also one that is quickly gaining popularity for the great features and benefits it offers, such as energy-efficiency,

durability, resistance to the elements, easy application and low maintenance needs. Here are some of the benefits provided by spray foam roofs by flat roof repair Chicago – if you think you can use them, too, you should definitely consider getting a spray foam roof.

Seamless Construction for Improved Resistance to Water

Roofing seams – the area where two roofing components or sections are joined – are more prone to developing leaks, which also means that the more seams a roof has, the more sensitive it becomes to water penetration. Spray foam roofs are seamless, so they reduce the risk of developing leaks to the minimum.

No Leaks Around Flashing

The flashing used around chimneys, in roof valleys or around other types of openings, such as skylights are also components around which leaks can develop more easily. Spray foam conforms perfectly to the roofing substrate, forming an impermeable layer that eliminates the risk of flashing leaks.

No Ponding Water on the Roof

Spray foam can be used to create a perfectly smooth surface, without any lower areas as well as to correct the sloping angle of the existing roof to make roof draining more efficient and to eliminate ponding water.

Reduced Roof Weight

Spray foam is a very lightweight material – it weighs only around 3 pounds per cubic foot. This feature makes spray foam the perfect solution for re-roofing projects that involve buildings unable to hold too much added weight.

Excellent Thermal Protection

Spray foam is a material with excellent insulation qualities, with R-values usually in the 6.2-6.5 range, higher than in the case of many other roofing and insulation materials. A spray foam roof can be the solution you need to reduce your heating and cooling-related energy bills – the seamless construction and the outstanding heat insulation properties of the material will maintain the temperature inside the building stable and will reduce the energy necessary for cooling and heating the building, thus reducing energy bills as well.

Spray foam is also a very strong and flexible material, able to withstand the contraction and expansion caused by temperature changes, so it can be applied on roofs in areas with wide temperature variations.

Durability and Resistance to the Elements

The coating applied on spray foam roofs can protect the roof for about 15-20 years. Spray foam is resistant to water, punctures and the right type of coating makes it UV-stable as well. Spray foam is odourless and not attractive to pests, thus helping building owners eliminate one more risk.

Easy Application and Low Maintenance Requirements

Spray foam roof can be applied easily and quickly and the curing process takes only a couple of days, so the installation process causes only minimum disturbance in life of the building’s users. Spray foam is also very easy to maintain – it does require regular, six-monthly inspections and cleaning, but the issues detected on the roof will be minor and easy to correct in most cases.

 

 

 

 

A Short Guide to Picking the Best Windows for Hot Climates

Short Guide Of Helpful Tips

Window replacement is a costly project and if your home is in an area where temperatures reach very high values, the process requires lots of careful consideration – if you are currently looking at frame and glass types that can protect the thermal comfort of your home and also match the style of your building, here are a few tips about how to pick the best windows for hot climates.

Choosing the Best Frame

The frame type that you choose for your windows will directly influence the thermal balance inside your home. The most common materials used in window frames today are wood, vinyl, fiberglass and aluminium. Out of the four material, aluminium is the most affordable and the most widespread, but it transfers the heat coming from outside, rather than blocking it out, so it is not the best type for hot climate areas. Fiberglass comes in next in terms of both cost and energy-efficiency, while wood and vinyl provide the best insulation, with vinyl being the more affordable, but wood being the more attractive solution.

Choosing the Best Glass

Single-glaze windows are a thing of the past, modern windows usually consist of two or three glass panes, separated by air or by some type of inert gas to reduce heat conductivity even further. All glass panels come with ratings that you should know about:

  • The visible transmission (VT) rating indicates the amount of sunlight that is transmitted through the panes – glasses with VT values between 60-80 let more light into the house;
  • The solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) indicates the amount of heat that the glass lets through – glass types that come with an SHCG value around 0.40 or lower allow less heat to penetrate the room, so they are better suited for hot climates;
  • The U-value measures the efficiency of the material as an insulator – look for the glass with the lowest U-value that you can afford.

There is a special glass category that is more and more popular these days: low-emissive glass. The inner side of the outermost pane of multi-pane glasses has a special coating made from a combination of metal oxides to prevent the transfer of heat between the panes, therefore these glass types work best in hot climates.

Multi-pane Glass Types

The best windows for hot climates use not only multiple panes, but some type of gas to separate the panes and to increase the energy-efficiency of the assembly. Windows that use air between the panes are the most common and the most affordable, but solutions that make use of the superior insulation properties of noble gases are more efficient and therefore more suitable for hot climates.

The most affordable and therefore the most common inert gas used for windows is argon, followed in the line by krypton, a gas that is much more expensive and used only for special windows that need to have very thin panes and by xenon that is very efficient in terms of thermal insulation, but very expensive as well.

If you still feel that choosing the best solution for your home is too difficult, turn to a seller in your town or city for more advice – the Austin roofing companies experts in the store will tell you more about best windows for hot climates and they will help make the best decision.

Methods for Protecting Roofs from Hail – The Best Way to Prevent Damage

Summer is not only a period of the year when we all enjoy the nice weather and we go on vacation – it is also a period when storms and hail become more frequent and a period when responsible homeowners must figure out the best way for protecting roofs from hail. If you have experienced hail before, you are surely familiar with the devastating force of the strong winds and of the balls of ice that come with hail and you are surely trying to figure out how to hail-proof your home right now, so here are a few ideas to help you.

hail damage roof repair

Prevention with Regular Inspections and Repairs

It is not possible to completely hail-proof your roof, but a strong and impact-resistant roof can endure much more than a weak, leaky roof. Hire a professional roofer to inspect your roof and to address common problems, such as leaks, damaged or missing ridge caps, shingles and tiles, clogged gutters or damaged roof flashing. Get the entire roof surface checked and inspected by roof Manhattan contractors. They should be looking at the flashing around the openings, the ridge caps and other areas where the roofing structure is weakened by joints. These minor repairs don’t cost much, but they are the best way to fortify your roof and to prepare it for facing hail.

Consider Roof Replacement

If your roof is old and the area where you live is likely to get really strong hail this year, too, it might be a good idea to start considering roof replacement with impact resistant materials.

Impact resistant roofing solutions use modern materials that have undergone extensive testing, including resistance tests with steel balls dropped on them to simulate how a hail storm would affect them. The most common impact-resistant materials are special shingles that are more flexible than conventional shingles and bounce back into shape after coming into contact with hail stones. Given the high resistance to very strong impact, hail resistant roofing materials provide enhanced protection not only against hail stones, but also against high winds not accompanied by ice balls as well as against sleet, heavy rain and snow.

When selecting impact resistant roofing materials, check the product specifications and look for products that make reference to impact resistance in their name and check for the product’s impact-resistance classification – currently, roofing materials are categorized into four classes of resistance, the higher the class of the material you choose, the better.

Replacing your existing roof with impact resistant roofing comes with other benefits as well. The initial investment into the special materials and the professional installation is not small, but many insurance companies offer significant discounts for homes that have impact resistant roofing systems. To know exactly how these discounts work, check with your insurer to find out about the materials that they offer discounted premiums for and about the process of participating in such an incentive program.

Protecting roofs from hail is an excellent way for homeowners to improve the overall safety of their homes – whether it is roof Manhattan preventive maintenance and repair that you choose or complete replacement, any action improves the hail-resistance of your roof.