• Risk of falling. If a tree is damaged or unstable, it may fall on your roof during a windstorm.
• Low-hanging branches. If you don’t prune your tree, its branches may hang over the roof and scratch the shingle’s outer protective layer.
• Falling branches. Even small tree branches can damage your property, particularly the windows and shingles. Allowing them to pile up on your roof can also lead to dents and scratches.
• Falling leaves, nuts, and fruits. When you allow the leaves and twigs to accumulate on your rooftop and rain gutters, the additional weight can spell disaster to their structural integrity. In addition, the debris may encourage moss and algae growth that can discolor your roof and shorten its lifespan.
• Animal access. Squirrels and other small animals may jump from the tree branch and onto your roof.
• Excessive shade. While mature trees can moderate summer temperature in your home, too much shade may lead to algae and mold growth. To combat this problem, you may want to consider algae-resistant shingles.

Ideal Distance Between Your Roof and Tree Branches

A good rule of thumb is to have at least a 6-feet distance between the branches and the rooftop. Thus, when you plant large trees make sure they are 20-30 feet away from your home.

You may also want to check with your homeowner’s insurance provider if they have specific requirements about tree distance. While insurers typically cover roof damage from trees, they may refuse to cover it if they find you were negligent, i.e., you allowed the tree to grow too close to your property, you did not conduct regular pruning, and you failed to treat or remove a diseased tree.

Tips on How to Prevent Roof Damage from Trees

1. Prune the branches that are too close to the roof, or better yet, hire a professional arborist to remove them as they have the equipment to prevent damage during the trimming process.But if the trimming involves more than 25% of the tree size, you may want to remove it altogether because extreme pruning may cause it to die and fall over.
2. Cut down unstable trees. But first, check with your arborist and local city bylaws because some species are protected, while some trees with certain trunk diameter cannot be cut down.

3. Correct issues when a tree is still young. Minor pruning does less damage than large cuts and also encourages the young trees to develop stronger crotches, which are the junction between the trunk and branches.

4. Clean up debris. Removing tree branches, dried leaves, needles, and nuts from the rooftop and rain gutter can prevent structural issues, mold, mildew, and discoloration on the shingles.

The post How Trees Damage Your Roof and Ways to Prevent It! appeared first on Ralph Carpenter Roofing Inc..

A “storm chaser” refers to a fraudulent roofer who takes advantage of distressed homeowners. They appear after an extreme weather event hits an area to sell their shoddy services to make a quick profit. In this post, our certified roofing experts share tips on how to spot and avoid storm chasers.

How to Spot a Storm Chaser

An effective way to spot potential storm chasers is to evaluate them by asking the following questions:

1. Where is the business based? 

Your best option is to hire a roofing professional from the local area. Storm chasers usually hop from town to town in order to capitalize on the distraught that most homeowners feel after a particularly severe storm hits their community. If the roofer happens to be from out-of-town, treat it as a red flag.

2. Is the offer too good to be true?

When it comes to detecting storm chasers, the old saying, “if something seems too good to be true, it probably is,” holds true. For instance, a storm chaser may provide a cashback incentive or offer to pay your insurance deductible. Know that these practices are illegal and are most often used to get homeowners to sign with them on the spot.

3. Do you feel pressured to sign something?

A reputable roofer will never use cheap, high-pressure tactics to sell a product or service. If a roofer pressures you to sign a document right there and then, it may be best to take a step back and decline the offer.

How to Avoid a Storm Chaser

Here are essential tips to help you avoid falling victim to storm chasers.

1. Make sure you contact them first.

Avoid roofers who come knocking on your door. Conduct thorough research and compare all available options before making a decision.

2. Check their qualifications.

A qualified roofing contractor will provide proof of their qualifications. Your best bet is to hire a roofer who is licensed, insured, and familiar with local regulations.

3. Talk to your insurance company.

After confirming that your roof did sustain damage from a storm, your first step should be to contact your insurance provider. They will evaluate the extent of damage, estimate the total cost of repairs, and help you begin with the claims process.

The post Spot and Avoid Storm Chasers When Hiring a Roofer appeared first on Ralph Carpenter Roofing Inc..

Most homeowners know that roof replacement can be a pricey proposition, and they also are aware that adding gutters to the mix will make the whole process even more expensive. If the roof is in bad shape, it stands to reason that the gutters may have to be replaced along with the roof covering, but there are ways to determine if gutters really need to be replaced.

Ineffective Gutter System

When gutters are defective, damaged, or non-functioning, water that drains from a roof will leak into the ground and migrate towards the outer part of the foundation of a house and even under it. This action can cause leakage into a basement and eventually result in damage to the structural aspects of a home.

Assessing Gutter Dependability

If roof replacement becomes necessary, it is a good idea to survey the gutter situation before arranging for their replacement. It is as simple as walking around the perimeter of a house and inspecting the gutters. If gutters are cracking, sagging, leaking, separating, creating water flow, or are displaying major dents or creating water damage, it just may be time to replace them.

Moisture Damage

Water damage caused by faulty gutters is usually visible beneath the eaves of a house, and signs of peeling paint and rust deposits can also indicate water damage. Standing water, water overflow or puddles at a gutter’s exit point as well as the water around the foundation of a house can also be strong indicators of faulty gutters.

Related Damage

Other related damage from natural disasters, strong winds, hail, lightning strikes, falling tree debris, and any other type of projectile could also damage gutters and make them unusable.

Inspection

If you don’t want to inspect gutters yourself, then find a reliable and trustworthy roofing expert to examine them. Walk around with him or her and take a look at what they point out to you and if there is gutter damage, ask them if they can be repaired without a lot of expense, and whether repair work will help the gutters last for a number of years. In addition, if your gutters are continually clogged, ask the roofing contractor about the cost of installing shields for gutters.

Benefits of Replacement

There are advantages to replacing gutters at the same time as replacing a roof as budgeting for two different installations can be more easily handled through homeowner loans, financing with a roofing company, or through personal savings or other means. Completing both roof and gutter replacement at the same time can save on the costs of labor as well.

Is Gutter Replacement Always A Must?

Gutter replacement isn’t a necessity with every new roof, but if the decision is made to install gutters at the same time as the roof, a higher-level gutter system should be used along with superior roofing materials. Also, you don’t want a gutter system installed that is of lesser quality than the one that is being replaced, particularly if your current gutter system is in good shape. Don’t allow a roofing contractor to talk you into something you don’t need but do take advice from honest and reputable roofing experts when gutters truly are in disrepair and need major upkeep or replacement.

When it comes to making a decision about replacing gutters at the same time as replacing a roof, making a final choice usually hinges on a number of factors that can include affordability and financing as well as actual gutter failure and deterioration, or the desire to simply complete a two-pronged project at the same time to save on overall costs. Whatever factors are involved in your case, if you need help in determining whether to replace your gutters, contact us and we will get back to you with the information you need to make a decision about both your gutters and roof.

The post Do I Replace My Gutters When My Roof Is Replaced? appeared first on Ralph Carpenter Roofing Inc..