Let’s start with the things you will be sure to hear from a roofer bidding on your re-roofing project:
“Of course we’re reliable. We never take shortcuts. We only use the best materials. Sure we’ll be around in five years. We clean up real well. You will be happy you hired us.”
I could go on but I suspect you got the point after the first promise. The difficult part is that a reputable company in the Portland area could easily tell you any one of those things and for them and it would be true. Ultimately, a lot of it gets back to what your instinct tells you. Some folks are better than others at hearing what their instinct is telling them. Hopefully, all of us are in that group.
So, back to the topic at hand.
Here is one thing I’ll bet you will rarely hear from a Portland roofing company.
Your roofing material warranty – you know, the big, impressive number of years that the manufacturer proudly prints everywhere and that the overly eager roofer keeps spitting out every minute, terms such as 30 year, 40 year, 50 year and, my oh my, LIFETIME warranties – they are only as good as the roofer who installs them.
How can that be and what does that really mean, you may ask. Well, close examination of many of these warranties (I can’t honestly claim to have read all of them) show that they become void if the nailing pattern is not adhered to. OK, that is somewhat understandable. But what it means in its fullest, real world sense is that if even one nail in one area of the roof is installed outside of the correct installation zone by 1/8 of an inch, the manufacturers warranty for the entire roof is VOID!
Not a very popular issue to bring up when trying to sell the homeowner a new roof.
Most roofers want you, the homeowner, to put on the coat of security such warranty terms provide, get comfy and safe feeling and immediately hire them. This revelation would tend to short circuit the needed enthusiasm to proceed with a new roof installation, or so it would seem. Additionally, the warranties are virtually always prorated, so twenty years down the road, especially after adjusting for inflation, there is not going to be much value left. Therefore, no one ever mentions it.
However, our perspective is considerably different. If the reality of the situation minimizes the ability to heavily depend on the roof manufacturer to stand by you, it increases the need of the roofing contractor to do so. Don’t get me wrong, the most of the manufacturers are quality, reputable companies and they have excellent products. My point is that it is going to be the roofing company that you choose to install your new roof that you have to place your trust in. It will be them that you call if there are ever any problems or concerns. It should be them who you contact for periodic inspection and roof maintenance.
Therefore, it should be the roof installer that you scrutinize the most in this process. Being one of the most reputable, full service roofing company in Portland, we gladly welcome the responsibility of being your ongoing service provider.
If you are considering replacing your roof, please give us a call today.
Some elements of roofing are the same everywhere, including Portland.
Regardless of what part of the country you are in, there are some elements in quality roofing that are universal. Installing a new roof is dangerous regardless of where you live, whether it is Miami or Portland. Roofers who plan on being around in ten years (that’s how long All Surface Roofing and Construction warrants our roof replacements) need to use the practices established by OSHA.
Quality materials, similarly, will distinguish themselves over the long run. You might not be able to immediately tell the difference between low grade OSB for the sheathing versus quality, higher layer count plywood, but in just a few years it might be evident. The same goes for the flashing and vents – look for a thick gauge (26) and pre-painted, baked enamel metal. Roofing skill and experience, of course, will make a difference. A strong commitment to following the various requirements of the specific roofing manufacturer will ensure that your new roof has a valid warranty.
Roofing in Portland Oregon does have its own unique challenges.
Parts of the Portland Metro Area, most notably East Multnomah County, face considerable wind forces. Attention to proper shingle type and nailing patterns becomes critical.
Moss, algae, lichens are additional roof enemies that much of the country does not need to worry about. Our climate in Portland is idea for the rapid growth of these pests. While some roofs offer a built in treatment for algae, do not confuse this with a guarantee against moss. It just won’t happen. The force of nature is to strong on Oregon and Washington and moss will eventually come to almost every roof, requiring period roof cleaning. See our related website www.allsurfacecleaning.com for more guidance on this subject.
Finally, from more of a design standpoint, a good percentage of homes in the Portland area are built with steep roofs. In other parts of the country, mild pitch ranch style homes are predominant. But here, with our steady rainfall and often heavy amounts of tree debris, steep roof pitches help with the runoff and keep the roofs in better condition longer. Plus, it is currently just a popular style.
Choosing the best roofer in Portland
Much of it has little to do with roofing and more to do with integrity. A professional roofer will not be willing to ignore what needs to be done just to have the lowest bid. Any roofer who creates a false sense of urgency to hire his roofing company immediately is also suspect. So is asking for large down payments prior to starting your roof replacement. Anyone who asks for 30% to 50% is basically telling you that they are undercapitalized and need you to front the material expenses. Does that really instill confidence? No reputable roofing contractor in the Portland area should ever need more than 10% down. The down payment, if any, is more of a function of verifying and solidifying homeowner commitment to the roofing replacement than funding the project’s start.
Trust your gut – professionalism can’t be faked and it usually is not a standalone trait. Professionalism is almost always a companion to integrity, excellent workmanship and top class customer service. It certainly is at All Surface Roofing and Construction!
During of the last weeks of this past December, we received more calls requesting “snow removal from roofs” than in all the other years we’ve been in business combined!
With Some leaks there is not much “repair to be done.” Typical roof leaks are commonly a result of loose or missing flashing, missing shingles/shakes/tiles exposing the underlayment or some blatant damage from falling branches. What usually occurs with snow or ice related leaks, however, is none of these but rather an ice dam causing water to be pushed upward under the outer roofing layers or over a flashing. This most often happens near the gutter line, one of the easiest areas for water to enter under the roof.
If it is a flat roof that is in danger of collapse, then some type of attempt should be considered if the roof is sound enough to be walked on and if appropriate safety measures can be followed (if hiring a contractor, make sure they are able to follow OSHA safety requirements while performing the work.) Most roofs, short of employing a hi-lift, cannot be safely accessed if any snow or ice is accumulated on it.
Often, but not always, a leak that occurs from ice damming will not reoccur under normal rain conditions. Our instinct is to take immediate action, but much of the time, the best thing to do is simply grab a bucket and wait it out. Once the snow or ice is gone, you or a roofer may want to check whether there was a contributing factor to helping create the ice dam, such as a large moss build up. There are still those occurrences where there wasn’t much of a cause beyond how the snow or ice randomly built up during an uncharacteristically harsh storm.
Roofs are not the only area susceptible to severe winter damage. Gutters can be damaged or destroyed when either the weight of frozen water trapped inside of them or sheets of ice sliding off the roof tear them off. Fortunately, gutters do avail themselves more readily to preventative maintenance that will help avert some types of such damage. Clean, flowing gutters will always weigh less that full gutters. Less water will be in clean gutters at the freeze point, which reduces the frozen weight. Some types of gutter protection, namely cover or cap systems, can be susceptible to being torn off by icing just like the gutters they are supposed to protect. Systems that are polyethylene inserts, since they sit inside of the gutter, are not subject to such damage and also help keep the weight of the gutter lower.
Similar safety considerations need to be assessed with mid storm gutter maintenance – a ladder that is footed on a snowy or icy base, even if it is flat, is not a safe proposition. Interior house damage is never a happy occurrence but just remember: Damage to your own body’s interior is much worse. Always error on the side of your personal safety regardless of how frustrating it is to see your property damaged.