All Roofing Solutions

Tag: roof leak

Protecting Roof & Gutters From Ice & Snow Damage

There’s no doubt that winters can be really hard on a roof, especially asphalt shingle roof. The buildup of ice and snow, added weight, ice dams and the freeze/thaw cycle all threaten to damage your Delaware roof. Through all of this, your roof is still the first line of defense against harsh winter weather.

Protecting Your Roof From Ice & Snow Damage

There are preventitive steps you can take now, as well as during the winter months, to help your roof perform at peak efficiency.

Ice dams

Ice dams form when snow from the upper areas of your roof melts, flows down to lower areas of the roof, and refreezes to create a dam. Water can then “pool” behind the ice dam, seeping through small cracks and into the interior of your home. The best way to prevent ice dams is to keep your attic well insulated and ventilated.

Gutter ice

Ice can build up in your gutters as well, creating big headaches. If too much ice builds up, gutters can become too heavy and rip away from the home, leaving you with damage and hefty gutter repair bills. If ice does build up in your gutters, you can use a hammer and chisel to carefully chip away the ice. You’ll be better off contacting your local roofing contractor as it’s easy to make matters worse very fast.

Downspouts

Keep the areas around your downspouts clear of obstructions and debris, making it easier for snowmelt to drain away from your home.

Snow build up

Occasionally, damage can even occur when the weight of snow and ice exceeds the load-bearing capacity of your roof. This is more likely to happen on homes with flat roofs, or older homes whose roof structures may already be weakened. You may be able to use a specialized tool, called a roof rake, to remove accumulated snow and ice.

Call Your Local Roofer

For a thorough winter roof inspection and expert, affordable roofing services, contact All Roofing Solutions. We are a family-owned & operated Delaware & Pennsylvania roofing contractor with over 15 years of local experience in residential & commercial roofing.

Call 302-725-ROOF (7663) in DE or 610-551-ROOF (7663) in PA to schedule your inspection or for free repair estimate!

December 4, 2014
Residential Roofing: 5 Tips for a Leak-Free Winter
There’s nothing like prevention, when it comes to roofing. Any roof leaks or other problems you experience with your roof during the winter can be doubly difficult to deal with, since snowfall and cold temperatures make repairing roof issues even more complex than usual. Therefore, it’s important to address potential problems in the fall, before the winter weather wrecks havoc.

Residential Roofing: 5 Tips for a Leak-Free Winter

The old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure definitely applies when it comes to wintertime roof leaks.

With that in mind, here are five tips to follow to ensure you enjoy a leak-free winter:
1. Keep your roof clean. Debris is one of the leading causes of roof damage and leaks. Ensure that it is free of dead leaves, wayward branches, garbage and other waste.
2. Trim overhanging tree branches. If you have trees with branches that hang over your roof, have the branches trimmed. This will greatly reduce the amount of organic debris that ends up on your roof in the first place, making the need for roofing repairs less likely.
3. Clean your gutters. Clogged gutters lead to ice dams, which can cause major problems in your attic and the upper floor of your home. Be sure your gutters are free of leaves and other debris before the temperature starts to drop below freezing on a regular basis.
4. Upgrade your attic insulation. A well-insulated attic can prevent a lot of roof leaks, since many winter leaks are caused by snow which melts because too much heat escapes through the roof you’re your home. Insulation inhibits heat transfer, making this scenario less likely to occur.
5. Use a roof rake. These handy products are ideal for removing excess snow accumulation from your roof, which is another excellent way to prevent roof leaks & ice dams. Just take care not to snag the rake on your gutters as you draw it back down.
Should you need any further advice on winter roof maintenance, or help with roofing repairs for your home, contact the roofing professionals at All Roofing Solutions. We provide affordable, professional roofing repair and maintenance services to both residential and commercial clients throughout Delaware and southeast Pennsylvania.

Call our DE office at 302-725-ROOF (7663) or our PA location at 610-551-ROOF (7663) for your free estimate today!
October 16, 2014
Fall Roofing Maintenance: 3 Steps to Inspecting Your Asphalt Shingles
If your home is covered with an asphalt shingle roof, autumn is a great time to inspect your shingles. Better to find and address small roof leaks now, before they become big, expensive problems over the winter requiring significant repairs down the road.

For many homeowners, the roof is a case of “out of sight, out of mind.” However, your roof’s ability to protect your home, as well as its durability and lifespan, depends on regular inspection, maintenance and repair.

Fall Roofing Maintenance: 3 Steps to Inspecting Your Asphalt Shingles

Step 1 – Evaluate the exterior roofing shingles

To a great extend you can inspect the asphalt shingle roof surface from the ground. While this won’t give you a complete picture of the shingle’s health, it’s a good way to spot problem areas before getting up on the roof.

Look for:
- Missing, displaced, or cracked shingles
- Curling edges on the shingles
- Nails penetrating the shingle surface
- Areas with significant sagging or buckling, leaving an uneven surface
- Shingle surfaces experiencing excessive loss of granules
- Discoloration of the roof surface
- Debris accumulating on surface
Depending on your roof’s elevation and pitch, it may not be possible to perform a good evaluation from the ground, even with binoculars. Additionally, not all roofing problems are obvious, and the absence of drafts or leaks doesn’t necessarily mean your roof is structurally sound. Whether you’re having specific roofing issues or just want to know your roof is in good shape, it’s worth the modest investment to find a reliable contractor to perform a thorough inspection.

Step 2 – Inspect the roof decking, house ceiling and attic

From inside your home, look for any evidence of roof leaks or moisture on your ceilings or walls. Check your attic for proper ventilation and signs of moisture as well. Soggy insulation, condensation on the ceiling, rust around the vents, and moldy odors in the attic are often the result of poor ventilation, which can shorten the life of your shingles.

Step 3 – Asphalt shingles roof repairs and replacement

If you notice potential issues, further evaluation is best left to a professional roofing contractor.

Here at All Roofing Solutions, we offer affordable, expert roof repair, replacement and installation services to customers throughout Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania. We’re a family-owned business with 15 years of experience in residential and commercial roofing. We are passionate about providing great service and excellent workmanship!

To schedule your free consultation, call 302-725-ROOF (7663) in Delaware or 610-551-ROOF (7663) in Pennsylvania. Don’t forget to ask about our discount of 15% off any roofing repair job!
August 28, 2014
Post Winter Inspection of Your Shingle Roofing
Now that winter’s coming to an end, it’s a good time to perform an inspection of your roof. As the snow and ice have disappear, any damage or other roof issues are easier to identify and repair.

Whether you live in Delaware or other area that typically receives a generous amount of snow over the winter months, now is a great time to contact a professional roofer to schedule a roof inspection!

Post Winter Inspection of Your Shingle Roofing

There are few important things to remember when it comes to post winter inspection of your shingle roofing.
1. During the winter season, ice dams, freezing temperatures, and the weight of snow and ice can damage your roof and even the interior of your home. Damage to residential roofing can include cracking, bruising and blistering of the shingle surface material. Strong winter storms may even result in the loss of whole shingles from your roof. You’ll want to address this type of damage ASAP in order to maintain the integrity of your shingle roofing structure.
2. If you’ve noticed water spots on your ceiling, it could be from a roof leak. In addition, heavy snow loads on roofs may also be responsible for cracks in your home’s ceilings and walls.
3. Your inspection should encompass a thorough check of your entire roof. Your roofer will look at loose tiles, curled shingles and detached flashing. In order to weather upcoming spring and summer storms, you’ll need to repair flashing gaps and replace damaged roof tiles & shingles. You’ll also want to determine if the winter weather has worn away too many granules from your shingle roofing. If so, these roof tiles may need to be replaced.
4. Now is also a good time to clear debris, leaves, and tree branches from your gutters so they’ll do their job during heavy rains or a spring snowstorm. You might also have the gutters and downspouts completely cleared with a hose or pressure washer and of course have any gutter repairs handles as needed.
5. If moss or lichen is present on your roof, have it swept off or apply a moss-removal chemical and sweep it off after it has been killed.
Roofing Safety!

If you decide to perform your own inspection, remember that step number one is safety! Climbing onto a roof can be dangerous, and walking on your roof has the potential to make any existing problem even worse. If you’re going to climb on your roof, be sure the roof is completely dry. Wear shoes with good traction, and make sure someone else is home. A warm day is best, because you are more likely to damage your shingle roofing on a hot day.

Hiring a roofing contractor to handle your inspection is highly recommended, though.

Contact All Roofing Solutions for a thorough inspection and you’ll not only get professional service but also a piece of mind that nothing was overlooked. We can evaluate winter damage, recommend maintenance steps—and provide you with a solution to all of your residential roofing needs!

Call our DE office at 302-725-ROOF (7663) or our PA location at 610-551-ROOF (7663) for your free estimate today!
March 20, 2014
Common Winter Roofing Problems: Ice Dam Damage

In Delaware, like in many other places, ice dams can be a fairly common residential roofing problem. Ice dams can be an irritating and expensive source of leaking roofs and damaged homes, requiring the help of experts in roof leak repair.

Ice Dams 101

There are three “ingredients” necessary for an ice dam to form: snow, heat to melt the snow, and cold temperatures to refreeze the melted snow into solid ice.

Ice dams are created as snow on the upper part of a roof melts. The melted snow water runs down the roof slope under the blanket of snow, then refreezes into bands of ice at the roof’s edge to create a dam. Once the dam forms, additional melting snow continues to build up and form pools behind the dam, eventually leaking into the home through the roof or roof trim.

The reason ice dams form along the roof’s lower edge, usually above the overhang, is fairly simple. Heat lost from the home warms the upper roof surface, toward the ridgeline. However, the lower part of the roof surface, along the uninsulated eaves and gutters, is below freezing.

Although ice dams can form when as little as one or two inches of snow accumulates on a roof, deeper snow and cold temperatures increase the likelihood and size of ice dams. Every inch of snow accumulating on the roof adds insulation to the roof deck, trapping more indoor heat beneath the roof deck and warming the roof sheathing.

Ice Dam Damage & Prevention

Damage from ice dams includes shingle damage as well as mildew, both on the exterior and interior of your home—and water leakage within the walls of your house. Ice dam damage can be significant but there are some preventative steps you can take to try to avoid them. We’ll discuss ice dam damage prevention next week.

Meanwhile, if you suspect your roof is improperly ventilated or has already succumbed to ice dam damage, call All Roofing Solutions at 302-725-ROOF (7663). We offer thorough roof inspections which allow us to uncover even most hidden roofing problems and offer repair options. We also offer emergency roof repairs in case the damage requires immediate attention.

January 16, 2014