Hail Damage on The Roof

It’s a common thing in Billings, Montana, to experience hail damage to the roof of your home. It seems like every summer we experience storm damage. The storms can bring hailstones the size of softballs at times. How would you know if your roof has been damaged by hail?

Hail Damage on the Roof

Hail Damage on The Roof

You will need to check your roof for hail damage. Start by checking the gutters on the home. Stand outside of your house on a ladder to check the gutters. If you don’t want to stand on a ladder, you can look down through an upstairs window.

If your home is roofed with standard asphalt shingles, there could be debris that’s been scraped free from the roof in the gutters. Document the debris with photographs. You can give the photos to your insurance company for documentation of the damage and they can also prove that the damage is fresh. Check the roof for any obvious damages.

Do Not Walk On A Wet Roof

We do not recommend walking on the roof. The roof can be a slippery, dangerous place. Contact a professional for a roof inspection to asses damage. You can also spot damage to the roof with a pair of binoculars and a little distance.

If your home is in a subdivision, simply cross the street to the opposing sidewalk and inspect the roof with binoculars. Through binoculars note any damage to the shingles on the roof, like shingles are peeled upward or there are small white or faded areas where the hailstones have damaged the shingle.

Replace the standard asphalt shingles with beauty and strength

If you do need to have a roof replaced, consider a new roof with DECRA panels that have the strength of a steel roof. They classic look of a shingled roof, or a roof covered with shakes. These panels are built for strength and hold up well to the frenetic weather systems of our city. The panels can be purchased to look like shingles in four different color options.

Shake panels can be purchased in two different color options that have the look of real roof shakes. Contact us today for all of your roofing and siding needs.

Hire a Professional Roofer

If you are looking at repairing or replacing your roof, know that doing it yourself is not the best approach. Call around for estimates and compare customer reviews for local contractors but go with a professional that has a good reputation and feedback from prior clients. There are many benefits to hiring a professional roofing company, including the following:

Safety

Anytime that you work on a roof, there are safety risks. If you hire a non-professional roofer that is not bonded and insured, you are liable if they become hurt or injured. Professionals have safety equipment and experience that every layman does not have; play it safe and hire a pro.

Warranty

Do you have any home warranties? Allowing someone other than a professional roofing contractor to work or modify a roof could devoid and inactivate your warranty. The best way to determine this is by referring directly to your home warranty for more details.

Damage

Anytime that anyone other than a professional contractor climbs on your roof, you put yourself at risk for property damage. The strain and stress on the shingles could cause leaks, and over time, these could allow moisture inside the home. This moisture can lead to mold, mildew, and damage that is costly to resolve.

Quality

Want the job done right? Contact a professional and consult with others in your area or online reviews to determine the quality of work and satisfaction experienced by other customers. Many roofing contractors will guarantee their work for their valued customers. Be wary of those with little to no feedback, as well. Ask around to find who neighbors and coworkers have had good experiences with, too.

Reliability

Depending on your roofing situation, you need a reliable contractor that you can trust to do the job right. It is that simple; your roof protects your home, which protects your family. It is what stands between your loved ones and the elements; don’t trust your home’s roof to just anyone.

Need a new roof? Is your current roof in need of repairs? Do not skimp when it comes to protecting your home investment; hire a professional roofer for the job. The benefits of hiring a professional roofing company make it money well spent.

Roof Inspection Warning Signs

Roof problems are some of the most damaging, stressful and costly-to-fix issues that homeowners face. Avoiding roof leaks, wind and sun damage, and other roof headaches through professional roof inspection is the best tactic to prevent structural damage to your house–and to your wallet. Learn what roof damage clues to watch for and how to avoid property damage.

Are You Overdue for a Roof Inspection?

This crucial, preventative home maintenance step, scheduled annually, helps protect you from sudden, expensive, (and sometimes dangerous), roof damage disasters.

Watch for these telltale warnings of roof leaks, surface roof damage, or even roof collapse about to happen:

Moldy smells or insect infestations in the attic: You may have a roof leak, which your roof inspector can pinpoint quickly.
Roof moss: Moss growth can be a sign of roof decay, while algae is typically nothing to worry about (although it can be unsightly).
Rusty roof flashing or cracked vent pipe boots: These issues can compromise your roof, allowing destructive moisture inside. You could end up with rotted joists and/or unhealthy mold growth.
Blistering or curled roofing material: Changes in roof tile shape and texture can be a small fix, or a big problem. Let your roof inspector help you with expert advice.
Missing or broken roof shingles: This can be an easy fix, but your inspector should look for underlying damage first.
Roof grit (from asphalt roofing) in the gutters: That sandy substance provides important protection against UV damage to shingles. When it wears away, it leaves your roof exposed.
Old roof: Keep ahead of roof repairs–and avoid early roof replacement–with yearly professional roof inspections.
And more.

Where to Get an Expert Roof Inspection in ______

A professional roof inspector can help catch roof damage early and locate minor roof repair issues. An ideal time for your annual roof inspection is late summer or fall, before rough weather sets in. You’ll also want an inspection if you notice any of the roof warning signs above, or even for peace of mind after a major storm has passed. Get your roof inspected annually to extend its life and get the most out of your investment. With regular roof inspection, roof problems can be fixed before causing expensive damage or creating a hazardous living situation for your family!

If you’re overdue for your annual roof inspection, or you’ve noticed possible roof damage you want checked out — schedule your professional roof inspection today.

Metal Roofs Billings MT

Classic roof shakes are timeless. It is a beautiful, classic roofing material, that looks classy on any home. Roof shakes usually provide that classic architectural appearance. But, wood roof shakes require maintenance, and as a material it is susceptible to rot, mold and even insects. Steel roofs, from DECRA Roofing Systems can provide the look of the wood shake, but without all of the hassle of actually roofing a house with wood shakes. The roofing materials are steel, which, obviously are not nearly as susceptible to the maladies of the wood roof. So, if your looking for that classic, timeless look, here’s a few reason why a steel roof might be the best option for your home.

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Metal Roofs Billings MT

Metal roofs have been used for hundreds of years—even lead was used a roofing material at one point, if you can believe it. Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello had a metal roof. Metal roofs are a durable choice. It will withstand most anything mother nature throws at it, and it does all of this while being maintenance free. There’s no need to replace broken or rotted shakes as you would with wood materials. And, a metal roof is by nature, fire retardant. Also, if you are concerned with energy conservation—it’s becoming an important topic today—metal roofs are very energy efficient. Homeowners who switched from common asphalt shingles to metal had a considerable savings on their energy bills. Also, metal roofs have a long lifespan, and, while a metal roof does have a higher up-front cost compared to other common roofing materials such as an asphalt shingle, it’s lifespan is usually much longer.

Decra products

Decra products come in either a shake or shingle style. The shake XD has the appearance of classic architectural beauty of a roof shake—and it’s even available in several color options—although it’s made from steel. The Decra shingle has the look of a heavy-weight architectural shingle, although it’s much lighter in weight. It has the look of having thick cut edges which reveal a deep shadow line. There are several color options for the Decra shingle.

Please contact us today for all of your roofing needs!

Summer Storms and Roof Damage

Was your house hit by the recent hail storm? If so, give us a call today so that we can inspect your roof and siding have damage.

Summer is upon us and while the warmer days and longer night make such an appealing daydream, it also means that dramatic hail storms, violent lightning storms, and even possible tornadoes are upon us. It may not be all that bad, unless you are someone who has had to struggle with an insurance company to cover your end of a replacement roof.

If you are concerned about damage to your roof from a storm, give Lynnrich a call to evaluate your roof for you, and Lynnrich can even help you to take the next steps with your insurance company to ensure that your home stays protected from the elements with a functional roof. Document, document, document… Document the damages to your roof , so that your insurance company can’t question the how or when damage happened.

Determine if your roof has been damaged

You should be able to check the majority of damage from the street or yard of your home. Obviously the best thing would be to walk the roof and check for damage up close. But the roof can be a dangerous place, and you may just want to call Lynnrich for an up close inspection. But, if you want to do the preliminary check on your own, head out to the street or backyard—if you’re in the street please be sure to check for cars—and inspect the roof.

With all of the hailstorms that we’ve encountered in the past few years, check to if the hail has taken out entire sections of asphalt shingles. Also, shingles will bruise or dent from hail , although these dents or bruises are not always visible. A set of binoculars to check the roof can be beneficial. Don’t forget to check the downspouts of gutter for grit that has been pelted from the shingles during the storm.

Even if you cannot see damage from the street, in the event that there is grit from the shingles either in the downspouts, on the ground at the base of downspouts, or in the gutters, it may be time to call a professional to check your roof. If you have spotted damage to your roof post-storm, make sure to document the damage, if possible, with photographs.

If your home or business suffered damage in any hail storm, please contact Lynnrich today!

Winter Roofing Care Tips MT

Icicles hanging from the roof can appear beautiful, like a nostalgic image of winter. But icicles, especially an abundance of icicles are also a sign of a poorly ventilated roof. And an ice dam on the roof can be a big problem. Ice dams can damage the roof shingles, the siding, the soffit, tear out the gutters, even drip down water into your home, drip water into the walls, through electrical wiring, etc.—it’s a big problem. But, there are ways to fix an ice dam, having quality venting at the eaves, and properly insulate the attic spaces. Lynnrich Siding offers several products which work in combination with a properly insulated home to ensure that there will virtually never be an ice dam on your roof. And Here’s how to make sure that an ice dam never appears on your roof.

Ventilation

While the products at Lynnrich are wonderful to look at, and add real beauty to the outside of your home, the soffit/fascia/gutters systems are also designed to move water away from your home properly, and also to properly vent the ridge line of the house, where it’s possible for hot and cold zones to meet. An ice dams develops when the warm air inside the home heats the underside of the roof, causing the melt to then trickles down the roof to the cold eaves, where it then freezes; the water continues to melt, freeze, backs up beneath the shingles, leaking the melt up and beneath the shingles and down into the home. Soffit vents circulate cold air beneath the entire underside of the roof, thereby keeping the roof at a constant temperature.

Insulation

In addition to the soffit/fascia/gutters systems Lynnrich offers, you can also add insulation to the areas of the attic that most need it. Ice dams are also a sign of an improperly vented attic. Adding proper insulation keeps the heat retained within the home where it belongs.

If you have any other questions about ice dams, or how Lynnrich’s products will protect your home from the elements, while also contributing greatly to your home’s curb-appeal, call Lynnrich today.

HELP! I’ve Got an Ice Dam on The Roof

Winter is here, that means snow and ice have arrived and are causing havoc. There’s more snow and more cold temps and that could mean ice dams on the roof of your home. It’s a common problem for a lot of homes in the winter. An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of the roof. This ice can damage the gutters and the roofing, and even though the icicles hanging down look beautiful, that ridge of ice also prevents the snow melt from draining off the roof. The melt backs up on the roof and leaks down into the home. That water could cause very serious damage.

Ice Dam on Your Roof???, siding billings mt

Also, newer gutter systems help to prevent debris from accumulating and blocking down spouts. Blocked gutters can cause ice jams. If your gutters are old or clogged, clean them out. When the downspouts of the gutters plug, the melting snow just accumulates in the gutter and freezes, breaking the gutter, starting an ice dam, and possibly sending melting snow down into your home.

Ice dams begin by the heat collecting in the attic, warming the entire roof, except for the eaves. The snow that melts on the rest of the roof re-freezes at those colder eaves.

While there are methods in the winter time for dealing with ice dams—raking the roof, taking a box fan to the attic and blowing cold air at where it leaks. In the warmer months it may be time to better ventilate and, also, insulate your roof. Upgrading a poorly insulated roof is a good start. Adding vents around the inside of the roof will help to keep the warm air passing through and keep the entire roof cold. Also, soffit vents will help to keep the roof cold. If there are places in the home that may leak air, plug them up. That leaking air is rising, and leaving via the roof, melting the snow in the process. While ice dams are not entirely preventable, mother nature doles out what she chooses, you can do a lot of preventable maintenance around your home.

Selling Your Home? Remember To Update The Curb Appeal

You’re not going to be in the market for a new home, often. In fact, many people find that if they’ve built that perfect custom home, they want to live in it for years, maybe forever— good construction will withstand time. But, what many people don’t consider, when they’re purchasing a new home, is the land around the home—the lot. While landscape is much more easily changed then, say, the amount of square footage in the home, it’s still something that should be given consideration.

Selling Your Home? Remember To Update The Curb Appeal

Consider the curb-appeal of your home. Will a concrete driveway, leading up to a garage, suffice as the home’s only initial walkup, or would a path made of stone, or pavers, or stamped concrete that leads from the street to the front door compliment your personality and style? Is the front yard all grass, or are there decorative islands of stone and shrubbery?

Consider the backyard of the home. Many people today are building enormous food gardens, or kid-play-areas. If you’re an in-and-outdoors type of person, you’ll want your style and the area around the home to reflect your style.

Decks and porches are great places to spend time outside on your own property, enjoying the outdoors. Consider how the home will be built. If it’s just one level, maybe even a stamped concrete patio would suite your needs, although multi-levelled homes might be well-equipped with a multi-level deck. Three tiers of space on a deck leaves plenty of room for entertaining guests. A front porch, or a sun porch—places for reading, and enjoying your morning coffee while the warm rays of the sun creep up the walls. Front porches are great ways to enjoy a summer evening, enjoying someone’s company, or enjoying the serene quiet of your neighborhood.

Regardless what type of person you are, the outside of your home will play a part in your overall, customized home design. That’s why you buy a fully custom-built home from a reputable contractor, because your getting the entire package—everything you want—in one place.

If you are looking for roofing, siding, windows or doors to add to your home for curb appeal, please contact Lynnrich today!

Hail Damage on The Roof

Hail Damage on the Roof