All Roofing Solutions

Category: Roof Maintenance

Fall Roofing Maintenance: 8-Point Attic Ventilation Checklist
Attic ventilation offers year-round benefits that help homeowners save energy & prevent problems.

Attic ventilation check is a critical part of fall roofing maintenance. Proper attic ventilation is critical in controlling moisture/heat buildup in an attic space – and preventing winter roofing issues such as ice dams and structural damage due to pooling water and ice build up.

During the summer, adequate ventilation can help prevent heat from building up inside the home’s upper reaches, where warm air tends to collect and stagnate. In the winter, attic ventilation helps prevent excessive indoor moisture and humidity, helping guard against potential problems like mildew and mold.

Specific to roofing, it’s also important to remember that some shingle manufacturers list suitable attic ventilation as a warranty requirement, so it’s especially important to perform a thorough check in advance of any roof upgrades.

An Attic Ventilation Checklist Used by Home Inspectors

Professional home inspectors use the following 8-point checklist when evaluating the suitability of a home’s attic ventilation strategy:
1. Does the system follow the principles of balance? Exhaust vents, located near roof ridges, and the intake vents near the soffits need to be balanced one-for-one. Many homes have inadequate intake venting, a problem best relieved by adding continuous intake vents.
2. Are the vent holes properly sized? It isn’t enough to simply balance the number of vents; they also need to have holes that facilitate adequate airflow relative to the size of the space being ventilated.
3. Does the system feature insulation baffles? Baffles prevent soffit vents from getting blocked off, which essentially renders them inoperable.
4. Is there any evidence of moisture problems? Warped or degraded wooden framing and the presence of mold and/or mildew indicate problems with excess humidity, which itself is a sign that the ventilation system isn’t performing the way it should.
5. Are the vents free of obstructions? Over time, leaves, dirt and other debris can clog vents, limiting or even eliminating their efficiency. They also get painted over sometimes, a problem that should be remedied immediately if detected.
6. Do all vents use the same system? There are various attic ventilation systems, including gable louvers, power vents and others. These systems can’t be mixed and matched in a single home; all vents should use a single system to ensure operational viability.
7. Are there cathedral ceilings? If so, you’ll need to take a different approach to inspection, physically checking for signs of moisture penetration like cracked or chipped paint, stains and evidence of condensation, mildew and/or mold.
8. Does the vent meet code standards? There are two main types of code requirements: 1/300 and 1/150. Consult the International Building Code (2000) for specifics on how to calculate the standards to achieve specific airflow rates, guided by the principle that 1/150 ventilation is needed if the attic has no vapor inhibitor or has an uncorrectable imbalance, and 1/300 ventilation is needed if it does, or if the system is already balanced.
Have Your Attic Ventilation Checked

If you’re unsure whether or not you have adequate attic ventilation, consult a professional roofing contractor. Achieving proper ventilation can be a technical undertaking, so you’ll need to eliminate any possible guesswork from the equation to achieve optimal results. A small investment today can save you thousands of dollars down the road in unnecessary repairs, not to mention hours of inconvenience.

If you want a healthy and efficient roof system, you need to find a quality installer who won’t cut corners.

Contact All Roofing Solutions, a local Delaware roofing contractor with a team of skilled, loyal and hardworking crewmen. We serve customers throughout Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania, and are happy to check the integrity of your attic ventilation or handle any other roofing issues.

Call 302-725-ROOF (7663) in Delaware or 610-551-ROOF (7663) in Pennsylvania to request your FREE ESTIMATE.
September 11, 2018
Residential Rain Gutters: 5 Fall Maintenance & Repair Tips
Rain gutters represent an important piece of your home’s defense against the elements. During a rainstorm, your home’s gutters handle the runoff from the entire roofing surface and drain it away from the home – a significant job indeed.

Gutter maintenance is critical to the longevity of the roof. The gutter system, in coordination with your roofing, protects your home’s siding, windows, doors, and foundation from water damage, and helps keep your basement from flooding.

Rain Gutters: 5 Fall Maintenance & Repair Tips

Like any of your home’s many systems, rain gutters require maintenance and occasional repair. And, with fall on the way, now is a great time to make sure your gutters are properly functioning. Here are a few tips to get started:
- Clear leaves & debris. Gutters and downspouts must be clear of leaves and debris to do their job. Clogged, dammed drain outlets lead to overflowing gutters, and may even pull the gutters loose. Avoid clogged gutters from forming in the first place by installing a gutter guard protection system, or grab a ladder and clear your regular gutters from all the accumulated debris, before fall rains start.
- Evaluate the gutter angle, making sloping adjustments as necessary. Properly installed rain gutters are slightly sloped toward the downspout, allowing water to drain efficiently. Improperly sloped gutters will result in pooling, which over time will rot or corrode your gutters. An easy way to test the slope is by spraying water into the rain gutters with a hose (do this only after cleaning your gutters to avoid potentially clogging it and making things worse). The water should flow smoothly toward the downspout – if it doesn’t, you may need to fasten a diverter that will better control the flow. Additionally, improper location of downspouts, or not having enough of them, can lead to standing water and overflows during heavy rains.
- Inspect loose gutters or gutters pulled away from the structure. If water pools in your gutters for any reason, the weight of the water may, over time, loosen the fasteners and allow the gutter to pull away from your structure. Loose gutters can be fixed by installing fascia hanger brackets. To check the integrity of your gutter system, an annual inspection is recommended.
- Check for leaks and holes. Using a garden hose, spray water on your roof to see if your gutters are leaking. If you don’t have seamless gutters, your system may begin to leak at aging seams. Leaks started at those rusty spots may be repaired with silicone sealant. Be sure to seal both the inside and outside of the gutter. Small holes can be easily repaired with roofing cement, applied with a putty knife. Larger issues may require more serious repairs such as replacing the leaky section altogether.
- Inspect downspouts. Inspect your downspouts for any leaks or signs of excessive wear. If your downspouts are joined to fascia boards, ensure that they are firmly attached.
Call Professionals For Help!

For expert advice and an inspection of your home’s gutter system, contact the professionals at All Roofing Solutions. Family owned and operated Delaware and Pennsylvania roofing contractor with 20 years of experience in residential and commercial roofing, we have the experience and expertise to handle your gutter replacement & repair needs. After examining your gutters, we will offer you maintenance tips, quote required repairs or discuss your other needs!

Protect your home by scheduling a roofing & gutters inspection/maintenance today – call 302-725-ROOF (7663) in Delaware or 610-551-ROOF (7663) in Pennsylvania or request a Free Quote online!
August 28, 2018
3 Roofing Maintenance Tips That Will Save You Money
If you’re like most homeowners, you don’t spend too much time thinking about the condition of your roof unless something goes wrong. If it needed a major repair or, even worse, a replacement, you’d probably think about it then!

As we all know, unfortunately, replacing a roof can be a big financial hit – you can expect to pay between $1.50 and $4 per square foot for an asphalt shingle roof. On the other hand, preventative maintenance will cost only your time. So, today we’ll show you simple ways you can put off that replacement for years to come – all with some know-how and little effort!

3 Roofing Maintenance Tips That Will Save You Money

Below are several maintenance steps you can take to extend the life of your roof and save you a lot of money in the long run.

#1. Install proper ventilation and adequate insulation.

This is among the most critical–and often overlooked–steps in extending the life of your roof. Without proper ventilation, a buildup of heat and moisture in your attic can lead to roof rot and diminished insulation efficiency. In winter months, a poorly ventilated attic is a key contributor to the formation of damaging ice dams. In short, properly insulated and ventilated attic space allows your roof to perform well for a longer period of time.
- Attics should be insulated to R-38, which is about eighteen inches of insulation material.
- Most building codes require 1 square foot of venting for each 150 square feet of attic space.
- If there are portions of insulation that have been eroded down, remove it all then install full eighteen inches of new insulation material in its place (instead of simply adding more on top).
- Homeowners should avoid attic fan ventilators with blocked soffit vents, according to Energy Star. Turbine or fan ventilation systems are unreliable, as their moving parts are sure to break down over time. Soffit and ridge venting systems are a much better solution.
- Be aware of all soffit vents around the perimeter of the house and take steps to ensure these vents remain unblocked by debris, insulation, or outside materials.
- Install a thermometer in the attic that can remotely tell you the area’s temperature so you can monitor the situation on an ongoing basis.
#2. Keep gutters and downspouts clear.

Leaves, twigs and other debris can clog your gutter system, causing expensive water leaks in your attic and interior living spaces. If they are clogged, gutters and downspouts can’t channel water and snowmelt away from your home. While you’re cleaning out the gunk, inspect your gutters for signs of damage:
- Evaluate the gutter angle, making sloping adjustments as necessary. Properly installed rain gutters are slightly sloped toward the downspout, allowing water to drain efficiently. Improperly sloped gutters will result in pooling, which over time will rot or corrode your gutters.
- Inspect for gutters pulled away from the home. If water pools in your gutters for any reason, the weight of the water may, over time, loosen the fasteners and allow the gutter to pull away from your structure.
- Check for leaks and holes using a garden hose.
- Inspect your downspouts for any leaks or signs of excessive wear.
- Install gutter guards – we recommend and install Leaf Relief^®.
#3. Inspect your roofing.

It’s a good idea to perform a routine inspection on a regular basis. Look for signs of damage on the roof surfaces, as well as in the attic and interior of your home. Small leaks or minor damage can often be repaired for little cost. Ignoring them, and allowing them to become major problems, can be a very expensive mistake.
- Check flashings for holes, corrosion, cracks, or other signs of damage or deterioration. These metal strips installed where the main body of the roof meets up with the home’s siding, chimneys or skylights create connections that are especially prone to roof leaks.
- Check for broken, cracked, curled, or missing shingles, and any signs of a loss of granulation. Loose or damaged shingles is a common problem. Over time, high winds, hail, tree branches and other debris can take a toll. Often, a little roofing cement may be all that’s needed to repair a loose shingle tab. If the shingle is damaged, you’ll want to have it replaced.
- Check for blisters, cracks, and tears around the edges of the roof
- Inspect damaged chimney bricks and buckled or torn flashing, cracked or worn caps and joints. Check caulking/sealants around the roof for cracking or other damage. Old, worn sealants should be replaced before water seepage causes problems.
- Assess the condition of exhaust pipes, valleys, outer edges or angles where the roof meets the walls.
Need A Roofing Contractor?

A family owned & operated DE/PA roofing contractor, All Roofing Solutions has been serving Delaware and Pennsylvania for nearly 20 years! Whether you need help with inspection, maintenance or repairs, we’re ready to assist you!

To schedule your free consultation, call 302-725-ROOF (7663) in Delaware or 610-551-ROOF (7663) in Pennsylvania. Contact us today and receive a discount of 15% off any roofing repair job.
July 12, 2018
Roof Leak Prevention: 6 Tips For Proper Attic Ventilation
Attic ventilation is an important part of home construction, yet most homes have either no ventilation or not enough of it. Inadequate attic ventilation can lead to a host of problems, with roof leaks being among the most common.

In order to prevent these issues and extend the life of your roof, you need an attic that literally “breathes.”

The Importance of Attic Ventilation

With proper attic ventilation, you allow for warm, moist air – which naturally rises – to safely escape your home rather than building up in the form of condensation. This helps you keep humidity levels under control, which not only helps maintain the health of your roof, but also helps to keep home heating and cooling costs more manageable.

Without proper attic ventilation, warm and moist air has nowhere to go, creating potentially dangerous attic conditions in the form of condensation, mold and mildew. This, in turn, can make your paint blister and peel, compromise the structural integrity of your attic, create weaknesses in your roof and reduce the efficiency of your insulation.

Another problem that can result from improper attic ventilation is specific to the winter months: ice damming. A lack of attic ventilation can cause ice to build up in your eaves and gutters, which can buckle or fall off under the weight, causing serious and expensive damage to your home.

Bottom line: a well-ventilated attic offers many benefits
1. It prevents mildew growth and rot on your roof’s framing and sheathing by reducing moisture buildup.
2. It helps prevent ice dams in winter by keeping your roof colder.
3. It extends the life of your shingles by keeping the roof cooler in hot weather.
4. It reduces cooling costs in the warm season.
Improving Attic Ventilation

There are many different options available to provide adequate ventilation to your attic space. The most common are:
- ridge vents – installed at the peak of a sloped roof, the ridge vent allows damp, warm air to escape from the attic,
- soffit vents – a vent installed into the underside of your home’s eaves that permits fresh outside air to be drawn up into the attic,
- gable vents – usually installed on the exterior wall of your attic, gable vents are cheap, easy to maintain, save money, and maximize the area in your roof since you won’t have to waste space and money running a whole-house fan,
- powered attic fans – most controversial of all vent systems, they’re intended to cool hot attics by drawing in cooler outside air from attic vents (soffit and gable) and pushing hot air to the outside, but don’t always work as well as intended.
Your roofing contractor will be able to help you select the right option for your home. Remember: more is not necessarily better.

6 Tips For Proper Attic Ventilation & Insulation
- Attics should be insulated to R-38, which is about eighteen inches of insulation material.
- Most building codes require 1 square foot of venting for each 150 square feet of attic space.
- If there are portions of insulation that have been eroded down, remove it all then install full eighteen inches of new insulation material in its place (instead of simply adding more on top).
- Homeowners should avoid attic fan ventilators with blocked soffit vents, according to Energy Star. Turbine or fan ventilation systems are unreliable, as their moving parts are sure to break down over time. Soffit and ridge venting systems are a much better solution.
- Be aware of all soffit vents around the perimeter of the house and take steps to ensure these vents remain unblocked by debris, insulation, or outside materials.
- Install a thermometer in the attic that can remotely tell you the area’s temperature so you can monitor the situation on an ongoing basis.
Have Your Attic Ventilation Checked

A small investment today can save you thousands of dollars down the road, not to mention hours of inconvenience.

If you’re unsure whether or not you have adequate attic ventilation, or if your attic is not ventilated altogether, contact All Roofing Solutions. We are a reliable, honest and skilled roofing contractor with nearly 20 years of experience in the industry. Family owned and operated, we serve customers throughout Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania, and are happy to solve all your roofing problems, large and small.

Call 302-725-ROOF (7663) in Delaware or 610-551-ROOF (7663) in Pennsylvania for your FREE ESTIMATE today!
June 28, 2018
Leak-Free Skylight Installation Tips From a Roofing Contractor
Skylights are designed to be both functional and attractive. Essentially a window installed in the roof of your home, a skylight provides the interior room with natural light and heat.

As beautiful and functional as they are, skylights are behind many common roof leaks. A poorly installed skylight can allow moisture into your home and can cost you thousands of dollars in roof repairs later. Additionally, diagnosing & repairing skylight leaks can be tricky.

Many homeowners attempt to install skylights on their own only to find out how difficult the task can be. Skylight installation is a serious business and should be left to professionals. However, for those brave (and handy) enough, the tips below should offer some basic guidance, when it comes to proper skylight installation.

Leak-Free Skylight Installation Tips From a Roofing Contractor

The following tips from your Delaware roofing contractor can help you avoid costly mistakes when considering the installation of a new skylight.
1. Follow directions exactly as specified. If you are installing your own skylight, follow the manufacturer’s directions to a T. You may be tempted to cut corners to save time or money, but resist the urge. Product installation per the instructions optimizes the skylight’s performance, leak-free. Consult a professional contractor if you do not feel confident about your installation abilities or if you have questions.
2. Proper mounting. Skylights should be mounted above the roof’s surface to ensure they remain leak-free. Mounting a skylight flush with the roof or recessed under the roof’s surface can compromise its watertight seal. Be sure to seal all joints thoroughly to prevent water from seeping through the cracks. Water damage can cause premature deterioration of shingles, leading to roof repairs or replacement.
3. Install extra protection. Consider adding a raised lip –called a curb—around the skylight in addition to flashing. The curb acts as drainage system, directing water away from the skylight.
Again, skylight installation can be tricky and requires extensive knowledge & experience to be handled correctly. We strongly encourage all homeowners to contact a local roofing contractor for help with any skylight installations & repairs.

An experienced roofing contractors will have the skills necessary to handle such projects and guarantee leak-free system for years to come. Additionally, your local roofer will help you choose a skylight that is compatible with the slope of your roof and the type of roofing materials.

Only Hire Local Reputable Contractors

Invest in your home, and your community, by hiring local contractors!

If you need a contractor with solid experience and reputation, All Roofing Solutions is your roofer. We’re a family owned & operated reputable local roofing contractor with nearly two decades of experience in roofing inspections, repairs & installation in Delaware & Southeastern Pennsylvania. Contact us today to learn more about our products and services, or to request a Free estimate for your skylight installation.

Call 302-725-ROOF (7663) in Delaware or 610-551-ROOF (7663) in Pennsylvania today!
February 8, 2018