Find Local Contractors

Winters can be rough on your roof. Colder temperatures can bring ice and snow that can cause damage to your roof. Ice dams and heavy snow can put stress on the roof, leading to leaks and other serious roof problems. When winter brings those freezing temperatures, make sure to protect your roof from ice damage that can result in costly repairs or replacement.

Preventing Roof Ice Damage

The key to protecting roofs from cold weather damage is not to allow snow or ice buildup. Snow accumulation can put hundreds of pounds of stress on a roof; it can collapse under the weight of snow. Snow melting and re-freezing can cause ice to form, which can occur under shingles and flashing, as well as create ice dams. Some prevention tips to minimize risks from snow and ice to your roof include:

• Shovel or remove snow after each heavy snowfall
• Keep attic well insulated and cool – warmth escaping can melt snow and create ice
• Clear ice dams, icicles and ice in gutters
• Watch for evidence of leaks to avoid more serious damage
• Clean roof and gutters before the cold weather arrives

Ice and snow can cause extensive damage to shingles and flashing, allowing leaks to occur. This can cause thousands of dollars of damage to your home, as well as put your home at risk for mold. Preventing roof damage from cold weather is crucial and repairing any issues quickly should also be a priority.

If there are any concerns about damage to your roof from snow or ice, make sure to schedule a professional inspection with a roofing expert. It is best to catch winter damage early and make any repairs needed to protect your roof and your home.

Posted on behalf of:
Atwood Home Builders
227 W 8^th Ave
Homestead, PA 15120
(412) 638-1262

After a severe storm, your home could need repair. Hail, high winds, falling limbs and other elements can cause damage to your home. While roof damage is usually the biggest concern, this is not the only component on your home that may need repair or replacement. When you call to have a post-storm inspection done on your home, here are areas to have your contractor check for damage:

• Even if the roof looks like it is intact, damage to shingles or seams in metal roofing can be affected. Have a qualified roof contractor do a thorough inspection of your roof to avoid problems down the road.
• Have any siding panels sustained damage due to hail or falling limbs? Even a small crack or loose panel should be repaired, especially when you are submitting an insurance claim for other damage.
• Fascia and soffit. Make sure that every component of your roofing structure is inspected for possible issues, including fascia and soffit.
• Windows. Obviously if a window is broken, it will need to be replaced. Also, check the trim, shutters and other components around the windows for any damage.

To make it simpler for repair and insurance purposes, hire a contractor to complete your inspection that offers repair on all these major components. It will save time and frustration to have one contractor that can fix all your exterior issues at one time. This eliminates needing several bids from roofing, siding and window contractors, simplifying the process.

Storm damage to your home is almost always covered under most homeowner’s insurance policies. Make sure you get a complete and detailed inspection to cover every repair caused by the latest storm to get the most out of your insurance policy.

Posted on behalf of:
Atwood Home Builders
227 W 8^th Ave
Homestead, PA 15120
(412) 638-1262

There are always criminals that are looking to take advantage of a bad situation to make money for themselves. Whether it is someone pretending to be collecting money for a charity or offering to fix damage on your home after a storm, you need to be aware of those trying to steal your money. One of the recent issues has been ‘storm chasers’ that come into towns after a big hail storm and offer fast, cheap repairs on homes with roof damage.

The problem with these ‘storm chasers’ is they rarely give homeowners what they pay for. They either do a poor job fixing the roof, then leave town, or worse, take a down payment and never do any work at all. If you have roof damage due to a hail storm, be careful who you hire to fix your roof. Here are a few tips to avoid being taken advantage of by a storm chaser.

• Choose a local company. Don’t hire a contractor from out of town. Make sure the roofing company is locally owned and operated.
• Check their license and insurance information. Contractors must be licensed to work in the city where you live. This should be public record.
• Look at the permits. Pull the permits needed to do the job and make sure the company name on the permit matches the company you have working for you.
• Never pay cash for your down payment. If possible, use a credit or debit card for your down payment. This can be easier tracked and is often protected through your bank for fraud.

The golden rule to avoid criminals is that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. So when someone comes knocking on your door offering to repair your roof for a low price or right away after a hail storm, there is a good chance they are storm chasers. Hire a legit, local company that will do the job right and stand behind their work.

Posted on behalf of:
Atwood Home Builders
227 W 8^th Ave
Homestead, PA 15120
(412) 638-1262