Leaks & Service Repairs

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

Reroof Estimates & Inspections

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

Tag: tidewater roofing

Our Roofing People # 2: Doug Cobbs, Superintendent / Estimator

DougCobbs

Over the years I have heard many smart business people say things like, ” It’s all about your people,” or “Your people are your most valuable asset.” During the last several years this idea has really proven to be right on target. Doug Cobbs, our #1 superintendent, is an excellent example.

He simply fits the profile of the men and women we seek to hire and keep at Andrews Roofing. He is married and has three kids and lives in Suffolk. His hobby is his family and he even coaches soccer for his boys. He has been with us since Labor Day 2011, but was in roofing for the ten years prior where he worked his way up from being a helper to being a foreman on a metal installation crew doing many high profile and complicated jobs.

Doug is now the man who makes sure all of our install jobs are done properly and on time by using proper workmanship, good job supervision and a detailed post-job inspection. After he has seen and inspected the final product, we know it’s ready to turn the roof over to the customer and that it will perform well, last a long time and look great too!

He makes sure that our shingle, flat, shake, slate and metal roofs are installed as per the manufacturers’ specifications. Flat or “low slope” roofs include single – ply membrane roofs such as TPO, modified bitumen, and E.P.D.M. He oversees commercial and some residential projects and our # 2 superintendent answers to him on the jobs that he manages.

Personally, Doug’s character is very solid. He tells the truth to his fellow workers and to customers alike. This is very important because a guiding principle at Andres Roofing is: “We do what we say.” He works hard and sometimes long hours to get the job done. Doug does whatever it takes to get the job done, but always makes sure he keeps time for his family and church. I have often said, “Doug would run through a wall for us.” It’s true.

For all these reasons and more we love and appreciate Doug Cobbs as a member of the Andrews Roofing team. I look forward to him being with us for his entire professional career. Doug has become a friend to all who work at our company.

Please contact me if you like! I’d love to talk to you.
Robert Andrews ll, President
Phone: 757-286-7400
Email: [email protected]

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Roof Coatings

Sometimes you can coat your roof instead of having to actually remove it and replace it with a new one. It can be much more cost effective, and in some cases, it can be better for your home, business or church roof.

Asphalt shingle roofs can’t be coated, but just about all other types of roofs are “coatable.” Of course, your roof must be in a “coatable” condition. We coat mainly metal and single – ply membrane flat or low slope roofs and it works very well on these surfaces. Examples of single – ply roofs are smooth modified bitumen membrane, TPO membrane , P.V.C. membrane, and E.P.D.M.

Coating a metal roof is usually more cost effective than replacing it because metal roofs are a premium roof system and, in some cases, are old with historic architectural designs that you may want to preserve. You can simply prep it and use a fibrated coating such as aluminum coating or asphalt coating to stop minor leaks and maintain the roof.  This application can also dress it up a bit for aesthetic reasons.  If you really want something nice, we can apply an acrylic / elastomeric coating system, which may or may not include fabric, and even get you a real warranty! This is like roof “membrane in a can.” They do come in colors, of course, and most localities do not require a building permit for coatings, which keeps costs down.

We can apply the same types of coatings to single – ply roofs. We make sure there is no moisture in the flat roof or standing on the surface (ponding water) in a case where a coating would be feasible.

Believe it or not, one can even use some coatings as, “stand alone roof systems,” where the coating is applied right over the plywood roof sheathing.  One advantage, under these circumstances, is that coatings do not blow off and they are extremely light weight, making it alright to overlay an old roof.

High end premium coatings come with 10 and 15 year water tight warranties from the manufacturer and are renewable in most cases. The manufacturer would come out, inspect the roof when it is near the end of its warranty period, tell you what to do to maintain the roof coating system, and renew it for another 10 years even!

If you are interested in coating your roof, ask a roofing professional if it will work for you.

Thanks for reading. Call or email with anytime with any questions because I have not included everything here. I’m really not that good of a writer so … just the facts!

Robert Andrews, II
Andrews Roofing Company, Inc.
757-286-7400
www.andrewsroofing.com
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Is Your Roof Algae Resistant?

I am talking about your asphalt shingle roof on your home or commercial building. The two types of algae I am referring to are the “black algae” and just regular old greenish moss. These normally occur in the more humid climates of the U.S.

Air born algae can cause damage and or make your roof look ugly. Black algae looks like black streaks running downward on the shingle roof but does not damage the shingle. Moss, however, can grow into the shingle and cause damage if not taken care of. Both types can be cleaned off by a roofer or by a homeowner even. Just be careful up there!

The way to avoid the stuff from growing is to be sure when you get a new roof that your roofing contractor is installing an algae resistant shingle. CertainTeed manufacturer calls their algae warranty “Streak Fighter” and it comes in 10 and 15 year durations. Even on a lifetime shingle the max is 15 years because the copper coating on the granules wears off with weather over time before the shingle wears out. This copper coating is what resists the algae growth. CertainTeed and other roofing shingle manufacturers do not offer an algae resistant warranty on their 20 year products.

Contact me to talk about this if you like. Thanks!

Robert Andrews, II
Andrews Roofing Company, Inc.
757 Mount Vernon Ave
Portsmouth, VA 23707
757-286-7400 (cell)

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Roof Insulation

Insulation is a pretty popular word in all types of construction because it is required by building codes and it can cost and / or save an owner big money, especially over time.  On flat and low slope roofs it must be considered closely in new construction and in roof replacement situations.

Your building code will dictate how much insulation you need when you build something new and sometimes may dictate what to use when you are reroofing.  An important thing to know is that when putting on a new roof, it is a good time to evaluate how your home, office or church is doing in the insulation department.

Make sure you consult your roofer when deciding what to install.

Roof insulation is designed to keep heat or cold in or out of the building effectively.  Insulation is measured by R Value. This is a measurement of the resistance of a building material to heat flow. The more resistance to heat flow in the material, the higher the R Value will be.

The most commonly used roof insulation is a rigid board called polyisocyanurate insulation and it is definitely good stuff.  It comes in different thicknesses and therefore different R Values. One inch thick “iso board” has an R Value of about 5.5 whereas one and a half inch is R9.  The R value goes way up, but normally we do not install more than R30 on a roof.  It may be installed in layers too.

Roofers attach insulation to the roof deck or sheathing and then install a single – ply membrane roof such as TPO, E.P.D.M., MODIFIED BITUMEN or even a built up roof system on top of it.

If your building is too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter, adding more R Value on the roof may contribute to fixing the problem. Old buildings sometimes have none at all.

Good luck!

Robert Andrews, II
757-286-7400 (cell)
[email protected]

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Ventilation Requirements for Your Roof

When you install a new roof on your existing home or business or when you are building a new structure, (which will have a roof on it), it’s a good time to brush up on ventilation requirements.

Over the years ventilation knowledge and technology have changed. I have been in old buildings and residential homes which have no vents at all. I have also seen 10 year old homes with improper or insufficient ventilation.  Proper ventilation will provide you with an attic that is not too hot or moist which can cause problems. Bad ventilation can allow mold, condensation, wood rot, shortened shingle roof life, higher energy bills, etc. I have been in attics that are completely wet to the touch and by sight on the bottom side of the roof sheathing because of lack of vents. We vented it and it dried right up. When getting roof consultations or estimates, ask the contractor if your vents are ok for your home. He should know much about it.

A proper ventilation system is balanced. The intake at the eave should be equal to the exhaust at the ridge. This makes for an even flow of air to keep the attic and roof deck in ship shape. Different climates have different air volume requirements.

Make sure you do not have conflicting types of vents on your roof like a power fan beside a slant back gravity vent , for example.These are both exhaust vents and that fan will probably pull air into that slant back vent making it an intake vent. This is like a short circuit in electrical systems.

This is just basic and general info about roof and attic vents. Your roofing contractor should be able to evaluate your home and either replace your vents with new ones, if your system is good,  or change the way your house vents all together. It will pay off in the short and long runs if you handle it at new roof time.

Bad ventilation will void your shingle warranty and shorten the life of your roof. This is true in asphalt or wood shingles or shakes. We like to use AIRVENT products because of their quality, availability, variety, customer service, and training.

AirVent

Many architectural or dimensional asphalt shingle roofs are now made with limited lifetime material  warranties if installed and vented properly. Our favorite type of exhaust roof vent is ridge vent because it is at the ridge and is continuous ventilation which leaves no “hot spots” under the roof deck.

Thanks and have a good day!

Robert Andrews II
President
[email protected]
757-286-7400

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New Roof, No Mess!

That is right. During your roof job, it looks like maybe you are having minor  work  done because 99% of the old roof coming off never hits the ground!  We now have a new piece of equipment known as “The Equipter.” There are less than 500 of them in existence today.

the EquipterThe Equipter is a medium size dump trailer that goes up in the air to receive trash. It is self propelled and has big, wide  wheels that won’t damage your yard or  beds. The job site stays much cleaner and safer and the job takes less time to complete because the trash never hits the ground. We only touch it once instead of a second time picking it up in your yard.

When a residential shingle roof is replaced, tons of trash are removed and tons of new roofing are put back on. The average home has about 8,000 lbs. of shingles to remove and dispose of. A big part of the job is to manage this trash and keep it from damaging property.  This Equipter makes it much easier and faster to complete your roof job. It is especially appropriate if you have a well-maintained yard. A 1.25 day roof now only takes 1 day!

It is also a pretty cool thing to watch in your yard. Anyway, Thanks and have a good day!

Robert Andrews II, President
[email protected]
757.286.7400

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