Tag Archives: Roofer

Pitched Roof Facts Compared To Flat Roofs


A pitched roof has sloping surfaces at an angle of more than 20 degrees. On the other hand, a pitched roof may refer to two slopes of a roof meting at a central ridge. Generally, pitch refers to the vertical raise of a roof to the horizontal extension. A pitched roof is regarded as an effective and reliable way of making a building weather proof. Nowadays, pitched roofs are constructed using pre-fabricated frames known as trusses/rafters. The trussed rafters are designed and manufactured according to the precise loading requirements of a building. The loading requirements take into consideration the roof pitch, span and the weight of the slates and tiles to be used. Trussed roofs are not suitable for conversion since changing r removing any component would out rightly weaken the whole structure. This is unlike the traditional roofs where much of the roof’s load was centered on the purlins. There are several pitched roof styles including gabled, hipped and mansard pitch roofs.

Factors to consider for pitched roofing,

The greater the roof’s pitch, the more costly and difficult the roofing work is. Due to the added regulations and safety hazards, if the roof is too steep to access or stand on, then ensure that you hire a licensed contractor for the roofing job. This is mainly because such a contractor is bound to have the necessary equipment and specialized knowledge to provide workers with the necessary protection against falls. In order to ensure that federal guidelines are not violated and that the employees are well protected, it is vital that the contractor understands and uses fall arrest systems, guard rails, and safety nets that help prevent serious injuries.

The slope of pitched roofs makes them more difficult to work on during maintenance. Despite their good drainage, pitched roofs require regular inspection and frequent maintenance. On the other hand, failure to often inspect drains and gutters may leave them to be clogged and therefore, they will be damaged quicker.

The pitch you select plays a vital role in determining the roofing material for your roof. For example, shingle roofing is unfit for low-pitched roofs where moisture can easily accumulate. On the other hand, a steep-pitched roof is unsuitable for most roofing products that are single-ply. Asphalt shingles may be best suited for steep-pitched roofs.

Pitched roofs are a bit expensive as compared to flat roofs. However, this may not make up for the subsequent long-term benefits in terms of costs incurred during maintenance. Due to their reduced susceptibility to moisture, pitched roofs are best suited for wet climates.

Over the years, homeowners have taken the advantage of the extra space provided by pitched roofs to increase thee living space. Most commonly, the attic space is converted into extra bedrooms.
All these factors play important roles in determining the type of roof you settle for. Therefore, it is vital to know the facts surrounding the decision you make. Your choice should not only fit your budget but also all your needs and preferences if possible since style is bound to have an influence on the decision you make. It would help to have a professional contractor advise you on the type and style of roof you settle for

That Time Of Year To Inspect Your Roof Ottawa


Roofs of Antananarivo, Madagascar
Roofs of Antananarivo, Madagascar (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: New Orleans, LA 10-12-05 -- A team of...
English: New Orleans, LA 10-12-05 — A team of workers install a temporary blue roof on a house damaged by Hurricane Katrina to protect it from futher water damage as part of the Blue Roof program. The Blue Roof program was designed as a way to quickly put temparary coverings on roofs till the roof can be repaired by conventional methods. MARVIN NAUMAN/FEMA photo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Some may think that curls on shingles are a design but unfortunately its a sign of water damage and potential small leak working its way thru. Small leaks can take some time to show results. Avoiding basic home maintenance can cost you bottom line.
Identifying the problem ahead of time is a simple homework for homeowners. If there are multiple issues with your roof during winter and summer, repairing it is not the right solution. Entire roof must be inspected for signs of age, wear and tare. Problems experienced during winter can be a result of unprotected roof deck. Ice and water shield is designed to protect underneath the metal valleys, along the gutters at least 3 or 6 feet high. Rest of the roof should be covered with #15 felt paper. Only a roofing specialist can inspect your roof and present you with all the details. At the end of the day you will decide how to protect your investment. Everything has a cost and there is demand for everything.

Millions of houses are being sold every year from him to her to him. Buying and selling requires appraisals, inspections, and an agent that talk too much and a bank. Most important parts of your home is the foundation and the roof. Buy and sale wisely, hire a local roofing company to inspect your roof a to z. Request a free roofing estimate and understand the value of it.
 

DIY roof replacement materials and how to install it.


English: This image exhibits the different pit...
English: This image exhibits the different pitches (rise/run) for roofs, and the number corresponding to that pitch is displayed below the roof line. The number is spoken as “1 in 12” (for the first pitch provided). This means that for every 1 unit of rise, the roof has 12 units of run. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last time i was here i blabbed about how to get on the roof safely and now we’ll talk about how to remove the existing roof and prep for the new roof that requires smooth and nail free deck.
When installing a new roof, capping the ridges are the last thing to do but since we are installing a new roof, we start removing the capping first. Pry all the roofing nails with RED ripper and remove all the caps. Hold on a second; did you tie yourself down? Gravity and height are very dangerous to mess with. Hook your lanyard to the rope-grab or some call it choker and adjust your rope length as you work. Normally i would rip 2 sheets at a time and make myself a pile to grab with my ripper and launch it in the trailer if trailer is just there. If not the wheel barrow has to make few trips. Once all the shingles are cleared off the roof, broom the dirt and dust of the deck as much as possible. Its time to check for any nails left behind and pry it all out. Check for any lose, bowed, spongy and rotten plywood and if any replace. Now we have a solid and clean roof deck to prep for the new roof.

Depending on the pitch of the roof we will determine how many feet of ice and water shield is needed. Are there any metal valleys? If there is any, i would install  3 feet of ice folded in to 1.5 from bottom of the valley to the top before the valley. Once the metal valleys are in and chalked lined 4 inches at the bottom and 2 inches at the top we will install 3 feet of ice and water shield on both sides of the valley to sandwich the metal for a life lasting seal. I always sandwich my valleys doesn’t matter what the pitch is. If this is a typical one story bungalow with 3/12 pitch, we need 9 feet of ice and water shield. If it was 6/12 slope six feet of ice and water shield would be more than enough but 3 or 4 twelve pitch needs to be sealed very carefully. Ice dams are more likely to back in to the house if this is a low slope home and there is not enough ice and water shield. It’s very easy to install. Overlap lines are printed on the roll. Drive 3 roofing nails and unroll the length you need and cut with a straight blade. Hook knife works too but you have to be quick. Align the ice&water with the drip-edge if there is any, if not install drip-edge. Peel the bottom film and stick, peel the top film and stick. Re-align if needed and nail the top line with hand nails. Repeat the same step any times as you like 3, 6 and 9 feet. Cover the rest of the exposed deck with #15 or #30 felt paper with hand nails or staples but i personally hand nail it. Once the entire roof is prepped it should be water tight.

Installing the shingles does take time but not as much as removal and prepping. I only install step at a time. I’ll build myself a staircase along the edge or a valley and work myself up. Some like to install it straight up but that would be incorrect. Manufacturer will void your warranty if it is not installed according to manufacturer guidelines. Every bundle has the installation details printed on the wrapper. If using an air gun be sure to adjust the debt of the nail. If nails are going thru the shingle, adjust the compressor and the gun for a smooth landing. Once nails are flush with the shingle than we are in business. 4 nails per shingle if it’s a 25 years 3-tap shingle, 5 to 6 nails per architectural high wind shingles.
When capping the ridges, use chalk line for a straight finish. Minimum 2 nails per cap. Caulk any exposed finishing nails, around the vents and plumber boots. Good clean up around the house will complete the projects.

We are a local roofing company in Ottawa Ontario offering quality roofing, siding, foundation repairs and snow removal services with pride.

Line art drawing of a shingle roof
Line art drawing of a shingle roof (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Stepping

Ottawa Master Roofer Or Joe’s RenoZ And +


There are specialty tradesman and jack of all trades. I consider myself as an master roofer who is specialized in residential and commercial pitched/flat roofing services. Joe in the other hand he can do everything, this guy is unstoppable.   It is always up to the customers to decide whether to hire a professional tradesman or a jack of all trades. There are so many renovation and construction companies out there that offers A to Z home renovations and repairs. It is kind of scary if you ask me. I would never bid on a flooring job because it’s not my specialty. I would bid on a snow removal, roofing or siding job because that is part of my trade. How does a flooring contractor bid on a roofing job? When there is problems in the future with that roof, only the roofing companies look bad or get fingers pointing towards them not the flooring companies.
We are a local roofing company in Ottawa Ontario specializing in roofing, siding, waterproofing and snow removal services. We don’t install hardwood floors or service furnaces, we only do what we do best.
Always hire a master tradesman who specializes and knows the details not a jack of all trades.

 

Ottawa And The Valley Roofing Warranties


 

There is a big difference between being a roofer and a roofing company. A roofer is an individual who is employed by a roofing company that gets paid per hour to perform such task. A roofing company is the one who provides solutions, quality workmanship and offers workmanship and manufacturer warranties.

In Ottawa Ontario there are two types of warranties available. First one is what i call it “tail-light warranty” offered by an individual that whom you’ll never see again, in other words; once the tail-light is disappeared so is your warranty. Second one is an official manufacturer warranty that is filled out by a company with all the contact, price, product and even an address with a valid phone number signed and dated right in front of the customer when the job is completed.

A well established roofing company will not request any money up front as long as the contract is signed and all the terms are understood by the homeowner. A start date will be determined after the color is chosen by the homeowner.

To be honest this season i sold jobs by email and never even met the homeowners until  i was actually on site with my crew. If i cant trust my customer why should the customer trust me? That is one of the reasons i refuse to ask for deposit from any of my customers. Especially getting all the referrals, it is a guaranteed sale.

We offer residential and commercial roofing, siding, foundation repairs, snow removal, snow plowing and roof-top snow and ice removal, emergency roof repairs, emergency siding repairs and offer free quotes and estimates in Ottawa and Ottawa Valley.