Concise Roofing Basics in Oahu, Hawaii

You’ve decided you have to get a new roof. It won’t wait another season. If you’re not doing it yourself, you need to get several quotes from a Roofing Company. More than one quote would be wise. Professional Roofing Companies don’t necessarily need to work in the traditional spring to fall season. These roofers are professional and if working in a crew may finish a moderate sized home in 3 to 4 days. They can work in small stretches of decent weather and work right up until the snowflakes fall.

Replacing a roof in Oahu.

If you decide to do it yourself with the help of friends, you have to make some decisions first. What materials will you need? If you have an asphalt roof and want to replace your roof with asphalt, a lot of the questions are answered. Asphalt shingles are by far the most popular but also the less attractive.

Metal Roofing

Metal roofing is currently becoming more popular. It comes in aluminum and steel. It has the advantage of being fire proof and lasts forever A drawback is that most metal roofs required a professional roofer.

Slate or Stone Roofing

Usually fireproof it is high end roofing. It is also very heavy. Slate and stone are quite petty roofing and will enhance the looks and maybe the quality of your home. A second form of slate roofing now exists of 95% recyclable material. It is also heavy but lighter than regular slate or stone. It is cheaper and lasts a long time. Real slate stone also lasts a long time. Slate is more difficult and more expensive to repair.

Clay or Ceramic Roofing

These tiles, especially the orange colored Spanish looking tiles or half barrel tiles, so named because they are a circle sliced in half by shape, are predominant in southern California and Florida. Ceramics have taken a huge step in strength of the material in the last years. These tiles are fire retardant and are lighter than slate or rock. But they are still heavy.

Begin Roofing

Weight is a very important aspect of roofing. It is important that you don’t select shingles that are too heavy for the under laying structure. It is important here to determine whether the present shingles will be left in place and the new roof set over it or whether the present roofing will be removed. Roofs are weighty. Two or three roofs layered with a new roof may be too much weight. Another concern is any damage or irregularities of the existing roof. Roof Repair must be accomplished before the new roof is laid over the damage making them larger by putting new materiel on top. This will not be too difficult but will take time.

If you are going to remove the existing roofing it will take you some time. Here a Roofing Contractor will be valuable. Doing it yourself takes time, perhaps several days, and is labor intensive. Having Roofers doing it requires only a morning on a medium sized home.

When removing the roofing, flashing and drip edging must also come off. Next replace rotted or damaged wood with plywood sheeting or sheathing boards.

Ready for Additions

Your roof may need ice dams if your region has snowy temperatures and plenty of snow. It is a guard against snow and ice backing up penetrating shingles and causing leaks and damage.

Next comes asphalt felt roofing paper which is overlapped and worked upwards, starting at the roofs edge. It should be flung over the hip. This can be stapled or tacked.

Add metal drip edging around the edge of roof. Valley flashing should be placed where two planes of the roof meet. Try to apply in one strip. Also apply flashing anywhere the roof might leak, like at chimneys. 

Lastly, you are ready for the shingles. Snap a line from the middle of the roof down to your starting point. From this line begin to go one way on one side and the other way on the other side. Starting at the edge of the house, flaps will hang over in front and back which must be cut off. Start 3 inches in from flashing. Leave overhang at either end and cut these off with a hook blade attached to a utility knife.

Roof vents or vents at the hip of roof allow ventilation, relieving heat and cold from the attic. These can be installed as you go. Older houses may not have vents and new ones must be added.…

Pros and Cons For Your Roof Selection in Oahu

Flat roofs

Flat roofs are flat, but they have a slight pitch, allowing water to run off.

Pros,

 The most liked and well-known benefit of having a flat roof is the extra space that they provide. You can do many different things on the flat roof, including, but not limited to, making a garden, a patio; you could even put a grill up there and cookout. Flat roofs make it less challenging to install solar-powered areas.

Cons

 Even though flat roofs are quite affordable, they can cost you more in the long run for maintenance. With a flat roof, the rainwater sits on them, creating moisture problems, which would require roofers to be hired to fo your roof repairs.

Butterfly Roof

 The Butterfly roof gets its name because it resembles a butterfly that is in flying mode. Butterfly roofs are trendy in tropical areas.

Cons

 The Butterfly roof is costly because its design is very complicated to install, and maintenance is also more expensive.

The draining systems on a butterfly roof tend to get clogged quite often, which later on can cause your roof to completely collapse, making it necessary to find a roofing contractor who works on this style of a roof.

Bonnet Roof

 Bonnet roofs have two slopes. One hangs over the side view of the house, making an excellent porch top covering.

Pros

 The top slope accommodates extra living space while the overhang protects the doors and covers the walls and doors.

Cons

 This type of roof design is very complicated and therefore is much more expensive than other rooftops. The two slopes meet, water becomes easily formed in that area, causing the water to stand in that area.

Sawtooth Roof

 The Sawtooth roof gets its name because it looks just like a saw if you are looking at it from a side view.

Pros

 With the verticle structure, you have the option of many windows, which will give you a lot of natural light, helping to cut energy costs.

Cons

 The Bonnet roof requires very high maintenance, making it more expensive than others. It is not the right choice of a roof if you plan to put very many windows in as it will leak because of the valleys and slopes. 

Pyramid Roof

 A pyramid roof forms a peek at the top with its four sides connecting. This roof style is an excellent choice for small places such as garages, pool houses, storage buildings, etc.

Pros

 The pyramid roof is very sturdy and can withstand some real heavy winds. It is an excellent style of roof for anyone who lives in Hurricane weather conditions and or where there are frequent heavy wind s with storms.

Cons

 Because the design of the pyramid roof is so complicating, it is much more costly than most. It is also more complicated to find a roofing contractor that will allow his roofers to work on this roof due to the rooftop’s height and steepness.

Gambrel Roof

 Gambrel roofs are almost always on old farmhouses and old log cabins, but they have become quite famous for Georgian and colonial-style homes.

Pros

 The upper peeks allow for extra living space and or storage space. The shape and style of the gambrel roof give you extra space without taking up a large area.

Cons

 The Gambrel style roof is not as strong as most rooftops are, so if you live in an area where you get a lot of high damaging winds, this would not be a good selection for you.

Gable Roof

 Gable roofs are known to be of the most famous rooftops in the United States. Gable roofs are prevalent due to their precise triangle shape.

Pros

 The simplicity of the Gable roof makes it much cheaper than most roofs. They are much easier to build and cost much less for any roof repairs necessary for the future.

Cons

 This roof is not ideal for anyone who lives in a high wind area. If the frames do not have adequate support frames, it can collapse.

Heavy winds can also lift the entire roof and tear it off if the overhang is too big.

Curved Roof

 The curved roofs are real are mostly seen in sheds. 

The angeling of the curve on the roof can vary, depending on how one prefers it. It can be just a little bit angled, or it can be a complete arch.

Pros

 Curved roofs are unique and make your house stand out. Curved roofs enhance the interior of your home as well. You can choose to have your complete home done in a curved rooftop or decide to have a selected section of your roof curved.

It is always wise to keep your roofing company phone number at hand in case you need any roof repair.

Replace or Repair Your Roof in Oahu

Replacing a roof is a very expensive undertaking. However, sometimes it may be better to do so than to do a roof repair, especially if the damage is extensive. Many roofing companies offer consultation for free and it’s usually better to go that route, if you lack roofing knowledge. Preventative measures are available for, like roof treatment, but if the situation is all ready out of hand, replacing or repairing are the only options.

REPAIR OR REPLACE YOUR ROOF?

There are many questions to ask, therefore your best bet is to find a highly rated roofing company that will thoroughly analyze the roof and find additional damage if there is any. It’s especially important to go the professional route with some roofers if you plan to sell the house in the near future.

Look at every aspect of your roof for signs of damage because a minor repair now can be a headache later. Check the attic for water spots or visible holes. See if the shingles have begun to crumple. Paying for a new roof will be valuable if it means staving off expensive damage later. 

ROOFING REPAIR COST

There are a myriad of things to contemplate when a roofer is preparing the estimate for repairing a roof or replacing it. Some of these variables are: the style roof and ability to obtain the material, permit cost, how vast the damage is, is there water damage, and if the roof has skylights and a chimney. The more variables, the greater the cost.

LEAKS AND URGENT REPAIRS

Leaks can prove to be quite tricky, because you may see water dripping from one spot, but it’s cause may be from another section of the roof. Sometimes there are multiple leaks. If you have a skylight, the chance of a leak increases exponentially. A gap in the siding or an attic window leak can also make you think the roof is leaking. Leaks must be dealt with as a matter of urgency in order to prevent mold and further water damage inside your home. Be aware that having water in your attic can lead to a fire hazard. It causes energy cost to increase due to insulation damage. The longer you take to address the water leaks, the more likely it is that your house can end up with major structural damage. Just always view a leak as an emergency and save yourself some hefty costs later down the road.

The best time to check for a leak, even if you do not see water dripping, is immediately after a storm. If your roof sustained damage, you’re likely to see water spots on the ceiling. As a matter of fact, if it’s safe, you should check the attic in the midst of the storm to see if water is seeping in. 

If a leak is noticed, react quickly and contact a roofing expert. Every leak is an emergency and many companies are available around the clock.

STORM DAMAGE

If you live in an area where it hails or you have frequent windy conditions, they might be wreaking havoc on your roof. Immediate after the hail stops, or the wind dissipates, you should look if there are missing shingles, wood panel and the roof overall. Don’t forget to check the attic again. If you have no expertise, you may miss important details so call a professional would be ideal.

You may not always notice the dents caused by hail, but they can definitely compromise your roof over time.

If there is damage caused by a tree or if the tree is resting on your roof, it is wise to leave the premises immediately. The compromised roof could collapse or the entire house structure could have been weakened.

This is the right time to check with your homeowners insurance company. You do not want the manufacturer’s warranty on your roof to become void; which can happen if you delay reporting a damage. When there is extensive damage to your roof, many people will come knocking with a wide array of offers. Be sure to do your research before choosing a contractor. 

HIRING A ROOFING CONTRACTOR

Ask all the tough questions upfront. Find out about there proving structure and compare. Don’t try to go cheap and shortchange yourself. However, negotiating is a good idea, especially if it’s a competitive area. Also, checking their license and insurance, depending on the rules in your area is important. 

Roofing During Pandemic

Earlier this year the whole world went under quarantine to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In times of insecurity and instability, people freak out and go back to their instinctive survival roots. It became so absurd that they started hoarding toilet papers and other stupid non-essential stuff. I don’t know why I am referring to mankind as they like I am some kind of alien, but if you want to do some great constructions like those in Egypt, contact our roofing company.