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Leaks & Service Repairs

757-399-3066 ext 3 (Leaks & Service Repairs)

Reroof Estimates & Inspections

757-399-3066 ext 1 (Reroof Estimates & Inspections)

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Category: Andrews Roofing, Roofing Information

Understanding the Surface of Your Roof

Many people don’t realize how harsh of an environment the surface of a roof can be.  In the heat of summer, temperatures can climb up to 150° or more.  Some materials, such as slate, can actually become too hot to even touch.  Likewise, in the brutally cold winter, a roof surface temperature can drop below freezing.  Significant weather variations can be tough on your roof!

Summer_Winter_Roof surface_072414

In addition to the extreme temperatures in a given season, the surface must also withstand all forms of precipitation, including wind, rain, ice, snow, sleet and hail.  During hurricane season especially, sometimes a combination of these elements can cause significant damage.

Under such conditions, any given roof may be subject to failure if it is not receiving the proper maintenance on a regular basis.

For roofers, working on a roof can also be highly dependent on the weather.  If the temperature is too hot, certain repairs such as coatings, slate and shingle repairs cannot effectively be performed because the roof surface will not respond well under the high temperatures.    Likewise, some roofing materials can be extremely brittle and easily damaged when cold.

Imagine if you never cleaned or maintained the surface of your counter-tops or floors in your home.  What would they look like today?  The same goes for your roof, only your roof is designed to withstand much more extreme conditions.  Regular maintenance to your roof will help you maximize your investment until it is due for replacement.

Jeri Eley/Operations Coordinator/757-399-3066/jeri@andrewsroofing.com

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Category: Andrews Roofing

Why is Proper Roof Ventilation So Important?

What is the purpose of roof ventilation?

CT Ventilation_Black & White

The simple answer is to let the heat out of your attic, but that’s not the whole story.  An effective ventilation system (notice I said system there.  I’ll explain later…) reduces the amount of heat in the summer and moisture in the winter in your attic space.  It helps to make your heating and cooling systems more efficient.  This, in effect, helps increase the life of your roof too.

Now let’s talk about the “system”.  Roof vents, (exhaust), let the air out of your attic, but that air has to be replaced.  You want it to be replaced with cooler air, but where does that air come from?  In addition to exhaust vents, you need intake vents.  The coolest air anywhere around your house is usually under the overhangs, because it is always shaded.  That’s why the best place for intake ventilation is the soffit.  Vented vinyl or aluminum soffit is an easy way to allow cooler air into your attic to replace the hot air exiting through the roof vents.

Generally, you should have at least the same amount of intake as you have exhaust.  A good rule of thumb is to have 1 square foot of ventilation for every 150 square feet of attic space; half should be intake and half exhaust.

Following these guidelines is important to the life of your roof and for your wallet in the long run.  A few indicators that you may not be getting adequate ventilation are if you notice the following:

  • Excessive heat in the attic during the summer months
  • Mold growth
  • Frost on sheathing, rafters or other items in the attic
  • Water dripping from tips of nails (not necessarily due to a roof leak)

If you are experiencing any of these issues, you may have a ventilation issue and should have your roof evaluated by a qualified roofing company.  Also, feel free to contact Jeri Eley in our main office at 757-399-3066 should you have need of our services.

Joseph Wicker

Service Manager/Estimator

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Category: Roofing Information, Types of Roofing Systems

Asphalt Architectural Shingles / Why They Are The Roofing Industry “Work Horse”

Landmark CertainTeed Logo

Most of us know what an asphalt shingle roof is. It is an asphalt steep slope residential and commercial roof covering. You see them on most homes and on many commercial buildings. They have always been popular because they are cost effective, perform well, and they last 20 plus years. Because of these reasons they are right now the steep slope roof work horse. In other words, they are driving the market in Hampton Roads and The Outer Banks of North Carolina.

I am talking about architectural or “dimensional ” asphalt shingles. The price gap has closed much between them and 3 – tab shingles , which are a lesser product in every way so architectural shingles are really coming on strong. In fact , we don’t do nearly as many 3 – tab shingle roofs as we used to. The architectural shingle looks better, performs better, lasts longer, is heavier, and has a much higher wind warranty.

We prefer CertainTeed Landmark architectural shingles. They have a limited life time warranty.See photo. Andrews Roofing is a Certainteed “Select Shingle Master” contactor which is their highest designation. Because we install these shingles as per CertainTeed specifications and building code, they come with a 130 mile per hour wind warranty from CertainTeed! They honor it too. In Hurricane Irene in 2011, we lost 2 shingles off a house in Rodanthe , North Carolina and CT paid us to fix it. We had installed the roof 2 years earlier. I have the CertainTeed Landmark architectural shingle on my home and I own a roofing company!

landmark certainteed colors

Please contact me with questions or comments.
Thanks, Robert Andrews

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Category: Types of Roofing Systems

About EPDM Rubber Roofing

EPDM rubber Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer rubber is better known as EPDM rubber, and for many years it has been a leading type of single-ply roofing membrane. It is also used in many other applications. The appropriate use for EPDM rubber is on flat or low-slope roofs.

Most rubber roofs are black, but it does come in white to reflect the sun. White EPDM rubber membrane roofing costs a little more than black. This roof system can be mechanically attached or fully adhered and comes in reinforced and non-reinforced. There is also a less common ballasted roof system. Reinforced is used for mechanically attached, and non-reinforced is used for fully-adhered systems. Ask your roofer which one makes the most sense for your roof.

The EPDM rubber sheets come in rolls from five feet up to 50 feet wide. The sheets wider than 10 feet are for fully-adhering only, in most cases. Because covering a roof requires more than one sheet, there are seams in a rubber roof. These seams are primed and an inseam tape is installed to make them water tight. A roofer must be skilled and take extra care in properly seaming the sheets and installing rubber roof flashings.

EPDM rubber 23

Rubber roofs should last from 15 to 30 years, and manufacturers like Firestone and Carlisle guarantee them, labor and material or just the membrane. Your roofer should provide a workmanship warranty too. These membranes range in thickness from 45 to 60 to 80 and 90 mils. A mil is one one-thousandth of an inch. The most common thicknesses are 45 and 60 mil.

Contact me with questions anytime at Andrews Roofing, 757-286-7400, or at robert@andrewsroofing.com.

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Category: Andrews Roofing

Our People: Joe Wicker, “The Detail Man”

Joe Wicker is definitely a valuable asset to us at Andrews Roofing. I would say that he is “the engineer type.”

He was born in 1963 in Dover, Delaware, but because his dad was in the Air Force he was moved around a little and ended up in Virginia Beach at age 5. He graduated with honors from Kempsville HS and went to work at his grand father’s roofing company that had been started in 1913.

He is an expert in various types of roofing because he has been in the business since then at every level from laborer, to roofer, to supervisor, to estimator and project manager. He is very familiar with roof types including shingles, slate, tile, and commercial flat and low – slope systems like built – up TPO, modified bitumen, and E.P.D.M. White TPO membrane and E.P.D.M. are examples of single – ply roofing membrane systems.

Here at Andrews, he is an estimator and project manager and sometimes sees up to 5 roofs per day. He is definitely a real hustler for us and we are very happy to have him around.

Joe is married to Colletta and has 3 boys. In his spare time he officiates football games with the South Eastern Football Officials Association because of his love of sports. By the way, he can build an electric guitar and of course plays them. He works with wood at home, making types of art such as bowls and pitchers, and even makes ink pens from wood and gives them to our staff at the office.

All this stuff is great, of course, especially the fact that he is a good husband and father. His strongest point as a team member at Andrews Roofing is that he is precise, hard-working and extremely dependable. We can always count on him to do what is right. Joe has been with us since October 2011 and we plan to keep him around for the long haul.

If you have a roofing problem or you need an estimate for a new roof, you can request Joe or one of our other consulting estimators. Just give us a call.

Thanks for reading.

Robert Andrews ll
757-286-7400
robert@andrewsroofing.com

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Category: Andrews Roofing

Metal Roof Types

There are many roof coverings to choose from and several of them would work on your home or commercial building. The wide range includes asphalt shingles, metal, shake, slate, tile, and single-ply roof systems like TPO membrane, E.P.D.M., P.V.C. membrane, modified bitumen membrane, etc.

Perhaps the best roof out there is a metal roof. Of course, it must fit the use, but metal roofs look great, perform well, and last a very long time. They also have high wind warranties which make them good on the coast and in wide open spaces.

There are many types of metal roofs. They come in steel, aluminum, copper, stainless steel, tin, etc. They also come in different thicknesses, shapes, and profiles. The paint finishes vary too and have various life expectancies and colors. Some have exposed fasteners and some have hidden fasteners, which are better. The price range is immense also.

Andrews Roofing has a metal roof panel machine. We buy sheets or coils (rolls) of metal material and run it through this machine to manufacture the specific width, length, and shape or profile of the roof panel. Most panels have “standing seams” and make up “standing seam metal roofs.” These are the ones you see all over town.

Many shopping centers have metal mansard roofs on the front of the building to dress it up with a flat roof covering the bulk of the building. Many roofs with shingles have metal accents. We install alot of whole house and commercial jobs too.

To find out the best metal roof for your structure ask an Andrews Roofing rep or another skilled and experienced roofing pro for help.
Most metal roofs will last your lifetime so it will be the last roof you ever have to pay for. They don’t leak either, as long as they are installed correctly.

Thanks for reading.
Good day.
Robert Andrews II, President
757-286-7400
robert@andrewsroofing.com

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