hurricane season – Andrews Roofing

By Andrews Roofing | September 23, 2022

Common Roofing Storm Damage

If you watch the local news or even just tune in for the weather forecast, you know that we’ve reached peak hurricane season and that the tropics have been very active thus far.

Fortunately, the Mid-Atlantic coast including Southeast Virginia and Hampton Roads have been spared from any direct hits. But there are still two more months of hurricane season, and now is the time to be prepared for anything that may come our way. Not to mention that as soon as hurricane season is over, nor’easter and winter storm season will be upon us.

When it comes to your home and your home’s roof, there are plenty of things you can do in advance to avoid certain types of damage during storm season. But there are some things you simply can’t prevent from happening, and being responsive after the fact is the best you can do. Here are a few common types of roof damage to keep an eye out for as we weather hurricane season this fall.

Tree Damage

Tree damage isn’t always as obvious as an entire tree crashing through your roof and into your home. Some tree damage can go unnoticed until it causes interior damage – days, weeks or even months later. A stray limb with enough wind and force behind it can cause shingles to fly off, roof sheathing and decking to be pierced and make your roof vulnerable to leaks.

Tree damage can even come from overhanging branches that simply rub along shingles and cause unwanted wear and tear. It’s always a good idea to keep low hanging or potentially destructive branches trimmed back from the roofline where possible.

After a storm, visually inspect your roof as well as you can from the ground to see if any limbs, branches or even leaf buildups can be seen. If so, they should be removed immediately and the roof should be inspected to ensure no damage was caused. If damage was caused, a roofing contractor will typically be able to do a repair confined to that area without a major overhaul of your roof.

Loose or Missing Shingles

Perhaps the most common damage after a storm is loose or missing shingles. While it may not seem like a big deal if one or two shingles come off, their absence makes the shingles all around that area more susceptible to blowing off, and jeopardizes the roof sheathing beneath. Depending on when and how your roof was installed, the material manufacturer or installer may have specific warranties to cover shingle replacement. In any case, the shingles should be replaced as soon as possible to prevent further damage.

Loose or Missing Flashing

Flashing is the metal sheets that are used in roofing around joints in a roofline and around other roof penetrations such as pipes, chimneys and vents. They play an important role in protecting your roof decking and if jeopardized, major interior damage can occur. Loose flashing can actually cause quite a bit of damage to the rest of your roof, tearing up or removing shingles around it, especially in a wind event.

Missing flashing can allow water intrusion and will also make it easier for nearby shingles to be blown away. Some flashing you may be able to visually inspect from the ground, but if you have reason to believe that flashing may be loose in spots that you’re not able to inspect from the ground, call in a qualified roofing contractor to inspect for you – don’t risk causing damage to yourself to find damage on your roof.

Clogged or Broken Gutters

Particularly if you live near a lot of trees, storms can cause debris to fly off of nearby vegetation that can eventually land right into your gutters. This debris will cause your gutters to work less effectively, which means water will build up and potentially seep up underneath your shingles and sheathing, causing damage to the roof decking below, often seen as dark water spots in the corners and along the top of the walls in your home. Ideally, have your gutters cleaned before storm season so that they are cleared and ready to carry all that stormwater away from your home. But it’s also a good idea to check on them after a storm and make sure nothing has caused any clogs or damage to the gutter itself.

Broken or loose gutters are also common after a storm, and if you see evidence of that, call in a licensed contractor to fix the problem before the next rain event occurs. Broken gutters can funnel water into places it should not go including near your home’s foundation and onto walls and windows, causing even more damage. If you don’t have gutters, or your home’s gutters need to be replaced, you may also want to consider installing a Rapid Rain ™ gutter system which is designed for high capacity that comes with living in a storm prone area.

Contact a Local Roofing Contractor

This hurricane season, if your roof sustains any damage during a storm, contact Andrews Roofing. We are locally owned and operated and we are highly experienced in the issues that are unique to the Tidewater region. We know what to look out for and how to best fix and repair an issue to withstand future weather events.

Peeling paint on an interior ceiling a result of water damage caused by a leaking pipe dripping down from upstairs a result of substandard plumbing completed by an unqualified plumber. A common house insurance claim.

When is the Best Time of Year to Reroof Your House?

For many homeowners, the choice of when to replace their roof isn’t up to them.

When a storm sends a tree through your roof, or built-up snow causes a cave in – the roof has to be replaced, regardless of the season. But if your roof is reaching the end of its lifespan and you want to replace it before a leak or damage occurs (which usually causes additional damage to the interior of your home), it helps to know the pros and cons of having your roof replaced during each season, so you can plan ahead.

Spring

Spring is an extremely popular time for roof replacements. As people begin fixing up their home for the spring, and the cold weather makes its way out, home improvement projects have a major uptick. For Hampton Roads homeowners, it’s also safely ahead of hurricane season, so if there is any fear that an older roof may not withstand another major storm, spring is the best time to replace it.

The downside is that spring weather can be finicky in southeast Virginia, so rain, spring storms, even late snow can delay progress of a reroofing project. But when the weather does cooperate, spring days can provide plenty of working daylight for your roofing contractor to get the job done. One other con to this time of year is how busy it generally is. It may be harder to get on a contractor’s schedule in the spring, which is why you should plan ahead and schedule your roofing project during the winter months to get ahead of the rush.

Summer

The summer months stay busy for roofing contractors as well, but in the Tidewater region, it’s a reasonably good time of the year to replace your roof. During the hottest parts of summer, however, roofing crews may need to work shorter days to avoid heat exhaustion or damage to the materials and tools.

Another thing to consider when scheduling a roof replacement during the summer months is how it will affect your outdoor space while the project is underway. Having your home reroofed is a major undertaking and having debris, materials, ladders and workers around your home for several days or weeks are just a part of the process. This means you may not be able to use your pool, patio, backyard, porch or other outdoor spaces while your roof is being replaced. If this puts too much of a cramp on your summer lifestyle, it may be best to schedule for another time of year.

However, if your roof is beginning to leak or fail in any other ways, it’s best to have it replaced prior to the most active part of hurricane season: late summer and early fall. So even if it means skipping the pool for a few days, it may be worthwhile to avoid further damage and costly interior repairs.

Fall

Fall can be a very busy time to try and get on a roofing contractor’s schedule, as people batten down the hatches for winter while also requiring emergency repairs due to storm systems. The weather in Tidewater in the fall can be volatile – hot one day, rainy the next, with hurricanes and tropical storms seemingly always on the radar.

If you’re set on replacing your roof in the fall, schedule it as early as possible. You should also be prepared to be flexible in case weather issues do pop up and cause rescheduling or delays in work. Otherwise, when the weather cooperates, the fall provides easy working weather and reasonably long days for workers to get the job done efficiently.

Winter

For many parts of the country, having a roof replaced in the winter isn’t even an option due to the freezing temperatures. Shingles require a thermal sealing in order to set, which could take days or weeks in temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Snow and winter storm systems can cause major delays as well.

Fortunately, in Hampton Roads, extreme winter weather is not as much of an issue. While we do encounter the occasional winter nor’easter or snow storm now and then, it’s not a huge concern. And since our winter temperatures can be fairly mild, contractors usually work through the entire season with few issues. This is also a slower time of the year for contractors, so it may be easier to get on a roofer’s schedule. Another pro is that you’re likely spending less time outside and around your house in the winter, so the debris and work going on around it is less likely to impede on your daily activities.

We’re Here All Year

If you live in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk or any of the other surrounding cities of Hampton Roads, Andrews Roofing is available year-round for your roof repairs and replacements. Even if you’re not looking to replace your roof for a few more months, we’d be happy to talk to you about your needs and put together an estimate so you can make an informed home improvement plan. Contact us today.

Hurricane Season is Coming: Does Your Home Need a New Roof?

Hurricane season starts June 1st, and Hampton Roads residents know that the key to surviving hurricane season is preparation. If you’re a new homeowner in the Tidewater region, don’t assume that Virginia Beach residents are the only ones who need to be concerned about potential storm damage. Homes in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News and even as far west as Suffolk and Isle of Wight are all susceptible to hurricane force winds, storm surge and torrential rain.

Just as you would put together a hurricane preparedness plan and kit, you should prepare your home for the inevitable storms as well. The time to find out you need a new roof is not in the middle of gale-force winds and power outages. Fortunately relatively simple inspections and research can help you determine whether your roof is as hurricane ready as you are.

Research Roof Materials and Age

If you didn’t have your home built or if you haven’t had the roof replaced yourself, you may need to do a bit of detective work to determine its age and the materials that were used. If the previous homeowners didn’t leave any records, ask around the neighborhood and see if anyone knows the last time it was replaced. If the home is less than 20 years old, you can likely assume the roof is original. Regardless of its age, the materials and workmanship behind them is probably the biggest factor when it comes to whether reroofing is needed. Here are some rules of thumb when it comes to the lifespan of residential roofing materials:

Asphalt Shingles: the most common residential roofing material used on about 80% of homes generally lasts 15-30 years.
Architectural Shingles: a specific type of thicker, premium asphalt shingle that usually lasts 25 to 30 years.
Wood or Cedar Shake Shingles: less common, but sometimes used on beach homes, these roofs can last up to 30 years, but only if they are annually maintained and split shingles are repaired.
Clay Tile Roofing: a fairly uncommon material in Hampton Roads, these tiles can last as long as 50 years or more, which is good since they can be very expensive to replace and repair.
Metal Roofs: their lifespan depends on the gauge of the metal used. The higher the gauge, the thinner the metal. So a high-end 22-24 gauge metal roof can easily last more than 50 years, while a thinner gauge (26-29) can have a lifespan of 20-25 years.

Inspect Your Roof’s Condition

A visual inspection can also help you determine if an expert roofer needs to be brought in. If you’re concerned about the safety of doing this, call a licensed roofing contractor to inspect for you. Here are the most common red flags to look out for.

Shingle Deterioration: Do you see any shingles that are curled, split, or that seem to be crumbling away? These are signs of old shingles that need to be replaced. This kind of deterioration can cause structural rot and interior damage and will only get worse with time.
Flashing Deterioration: Leaks are often caused not by the roof itself, but by the flashing around it. Flashing should be strong and tight around chimneys, vents, skylights, and roof junctions, or water can enter, causing damage to walls, ceiling, insulation and even electrical wiring. A great time to inspect your flashing is when you’re cleaning the gutters. Make sure everything is secure and no pieces are missing.
Missing Shingles: Coverage is key. Wherever a shingle is missing, the effectiveness of the entire roof is compromised. The problem is also likely to spread – once one shingle is gone, the others around it are more vulnerable to wind. And while those missing shingles may not necessarily mean you need a whole new roof, they should be repaired and replaced as soon as possible.

Call a Professional

If you identify any of these issues, or are able to pinpoint the last time your roof was replaced and are concerned about its age, it’s time to call in a professional. Roofing repairs are not a safe DIY project, and the consequences of doing it incorrectly can be dire to both you and your home’s well being. Research roofers thoroughly and find a licensed and insured certified contractor. If they are a trustworthy, quality company, they will have these licenses and certifications in place and will provide a free estimate of the repair or replacement.

If you live in the Hampton Roads region and need an expert to help you determine if you need a new roof or roof repair, call Andrews Roofing. We have been serving Southeast Virginia for over two decades and have worked on hundreds of residential and commercial roofs. We are experienced in the exact types of roofing damage common in the Tidewater region and can give expert advice on the best materials and approach to providing a long-lasting, beautiful new roof for your home.

Tag: hurricane season

Common Roofing Storm Damage

When is the Best Time of Year to Reroof Your House?

Hurricane Season is Coming: Does Your Home Need a New Roof?

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