Leaks & Service Repairs

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

Reroof Estimates & Inspections

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

Tag: leaks

4 Risks of Putting Off Roof Leak Repairs

A leaky roof causes major problems for a home. While a small leak may not seem like an issue, putting it off could lead to these and other costly repairs. Don’t wait to contact a local roofing contractor if you find signs of a leaky roof. Here are four common risks that you face if you put off repairs.

  1. Electrical Damage

Moisture in your ceiling and walls can come into contact with your electrical wiring and outlets. Electrical damage can vary dramatically in scope. It may only cause your breaker to trip, or worse, it could cause an electrical fire, damaged appliances or personal injury. A prompt roof repair will minimize the amount of water that enters your home and could come in contact with your wiring.

  1. Reduced Insulation Efficiency

A roof leak can cause water to pool in your attic and walls, which can soak your insulation. Most homes use fiberglass insulation. This insulation, and many other popular types, clump and compress when exposed to water. Your home will lose a significant amount of energy efficiency if the insulation is soaked with water.

  1. Mold and Mildew

One common health risk in homes with water damage is mold. Mold and mildew growth can occur on nearly any surface in your home, from structural joists to drywall to insulation. Even a few days of water leakage from your roof can start mold to grow in warm, dark areas of your home. While not all molds are harmful to your health, many can damage the look and efficiency of your walls, ceiling and floors.

    1. Increased Roofing Damage

While you may think a minor leak isn’t worth repairing, small leaks can quickly turn into major headaches. A small amount of water begins to soak the wood of your roof. This creates soft spots that could cause more leaks, ice dams or even a collapsed roof. If your roof has a minor or major leak, don’t wait to contact us at Andrews Roofing for comprehensive, professional repairs. Call 757-296-0553 today for a quote!

read more

How To Finance Your Roof

If the top of your house is weathered and worn beyond repair, you may be in the market for a new roof. Unfortunately, the price of a fresh roof is well above what most folks would consider spare change. A new roof can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 and beyond. The best way to tackle such a vast home improvement project is through financing. Here are several steps you should take in considering a payment plan for some up-to-date shingles:

  1. Identify Problems With Your Existing Roof
    Faulty flashing, animal or plant intrusions, leaks, water stains and penetrations are all valid reasons for needing your roof replaced—and the list goes on and on. Presenting your bankers or store-credit representatives with a proper list of damages helps them to consider your level of necessity.
  2. Research Materials and Labor
    The best financing agreements derive from knowledge. If you hope to pay a contractor through the bank, prepare to discuss information on the cost of supplies and hourly assistance as it applies to your circumstances. If you hope to finance directly through the store, demonstrate that you understand their product and negotiate for what you need.
  3. Know How Much You Can Put Down
    Financing plans sometimes ask for a portion of the total cost up front before dividing the rest into scheduled payments. Know what you can afford. If you agree to a promotional rate that offers minimal interest early on, be sure to pay off your roof in the allotted time before interest rates increase.

A sturdy roof is one of the most important features of your home—protecting your family from the wild outdoors and brightening the face of your humble abode. Safety and style are worthy investments within your reach with a smart financing plan.

Andrew’s Roofing works closely with finance partners at Greensky. Visit our finance page or call us at 757-296-0553 today to learn more or and begin your journey towards a new roof today.

read more

Repairing Roof Leaks Doesn’t Have to Be a Nightmare

Fixing a leak on the roof can be like finding a needle in the haystack. Many times, the leak ends up in a different place than where it starts. Even if it’s raining, it can still be difficult to find the origin of the leak. You’ll need to look for water marks, discoloration and stains in the attic.

How to Find the Leak

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to rain to find where the water is coming in. Here are three ways to find where your leak starts:

  • Use light. Look for the leak during the day. Use a bright flashlight to follow the stains and water marks. If you can get up in the attic when it’s raining, you may be able to follow the water.
  • Work backwards. It’s rare that the leak is directly where it’s coming in. Water travels down a path until finding a vulnerable spot to drip down.
  • Add water. When the weather is clear, send a friend up to the roof with a garden hose. Have your friend systematically work across the roof, one area at a time.

Call in an Expert

Fixing a roof is not always a DIY project. You might void the warranty of your roof if you try and fix it yourself. An older roof may be disintegrating even more. When you don’t know what you’re doing, you could create an even bigger problem. Steep roofs are extremely hazardous too. Most homeowners don’t have the right tools or even know how to repair a roof properly. Unless you’ve done roofing before, it’s better to call a professional to ensure that the job is done right.

Experienced Residential Roofers in Virginia

Andrews Roofing has 20 years of experience in residential roofing. If your roof is leaking, protect your largest investment by sending an email to ben@andrewsroofing.net or completing our contact form to get a free estimate for your next project.

read more

Ice Damming On Roofs Can Cause Leaks

So, here in Hampton Roads we sure have seen some “different ” weather lately. The last snow left eight inches at my house and the very cold temperatures hung around for several days afterwards. I do not recall any storm like it around here in recent memory and I am not looking forward to anymore of it either. In fact, in 17 years of owning Andrews Roofing, I have not seen us this challenged with any weather event as far as scheduling work goes. We are missing many work days this winter because it has been either too cold or too “snowy” or “snow covered” to tear off a roof and put a new one on.

One roof problem this weather is causing more than usual is called “ice damming.” *See the graphic. Ice Dams_013114 This condition can cause some pretty serious leaks.

If your residential or commercial shingle, slate, shake, or tile roof eave overhangs your building in the form of a cornice , soffit, or “boxing” as some call it, you may especially be vulnerable to leaks caused by ice damming. This also happens in roof valleys.

All of your roof that is directly above heated space normally will thaw sooner than parts of the roof that are not. Yes, even though you have insulation in your attic, some heat escapes the living area and into the attic. The snow in this area melts before the snow lower down slope on the overhang eave, which is not above heated space. When the melted snow (water) runs down slope and hits that snow, it can’t escape because of the “ice dam” blocking it. The water backs up and causes leaks because these types of roofs shed water – the material is not water-tight like membrane roofs are. An added complication is when it stays below freezing for several days after snow and even until the next snow. Here we go again with more leaks.

There is a special roof underlayment material that we call ice and water shield. We put it in valleys and around all roof penetrations like chimneys and vents, etc. It provides added protection under the shingle roof in these crucial areas. Up north where snow occurs more often and is deeper, they use this underlayment on the eaves as well, and sometimes architects have us install it on eaves here. It helps to stop leaks caused by ice damming. The thing is that around here, its use on eaves is not very common because ice damming is just not that common of a problem.

If you need a roof soon, you may want to consider this. It will cost a little more, but the ice and water shield underlayment may help to avoid leaks caused by ice damming. The good news is that it may not snow like this again for several years so you may not leak again for several years because of this issue.

Call me with any questions about this or any other roof items. Thanks for reading.
P.S. A rain gutter at the eave can potentially cause ice damming too. Keeping your gutters clean may help.

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

read more

How to Begin Thinking About Your Roof

Hi! If you have a building, you have a roof and at some point you will have to repair, maintain or replace it…or even all three!

I am talking about your residential home roof or the one on your commercial office, church, etc. Whether your roof is residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, shingle, flat, metal, slate, cedar shake, tile, or synthetic, there is a proper and specific way to maintain or replace it.

There are options for every roof. Since a new roof is a 20+ year commitment, you might as well take your time and choose the best one. The internet may help, but nothing is better than consulting with a real, live roof estimator, consultant or salesman.

A good roofing expert has years of experience in the industry. He can help you figure out what kind of roof or roof repair you need, which will perform and look the best, and which will last the longest. He can even help you with colors. These guys are pros. So contact a reputable roofing company and ask them to send him out, especially if you have leaks, have an old roof, have a damaged roof, or if your roof just looks bad. Looking bad can mean it is one or all of the above.

Thanks,
Robert Andrews ll , President                                                                                    robert@andrewsroofing.com

read more