Spring Maintenance: Wood Shake Roofs

Part of the charm of a wood or cedar roof is the weathered look that comes with exposure to the natural elements. Wood shake roofing is surprisingly resilient to the weather, but it does require proper roof maintenance to enhance its appearance, maximize its effectiveness, and prolong its life.

By following few simple steps in the spring, the average homeowner can be assured of keeping a beautiful and efficient wood shake roof for many years to come.

Spring Maintenance of Your Wood Shake Roof 

Spring is the perfect time for homeowners to check wood shake roofing for damage after the ravages of winter weather and early spring storms. The inspection should take note of conditions like broken or curled shakes, rusted or loosened flashing, and cracked areas around chimneys and joints. These indicate repairs that will need to be made to maintain the integrity of the roof. Likewise, overhanging branches, debris-filled gutters, and moss or lichen growing on the shakes indicate areas where roof maintenance is needed. All of these conditions lead to the build-up of moisture, which can cause erosion and speed up decay of wood shakes. Typically, those repairs require the attention of your local roofer, but simple roof maintenance can be performed by the homeowner who is handy.

Tree limbs that shade or overhang the roof retard drying and should be trimmed away. Gutters should be cleaned to prevent blockage and the growth of mold and fungi. Rust that is detected on flashing and other metal surfaces should be removed and treated. Dirt, debris, lichen, and moss may prevent drainage of the roofing surface and retain moisture. A garden hose and a stiff brush should be used to loosen the build-up and wash it away.

The homeowner who prefers to leave roof maintenance tasks to a professional can choose additional options for preserving and enhancing wood shake roofing. Power-washing and the application of chemical cleaning solutions, preservatives, and pigmented finishes can add resilience and enhance the roof’s appearance.

These treatments require training and special equipment, and, if improperly applied, can erode the shakes and harm surrounding surfaces and foliage. A reputable roofing contractor can advise the homeowner on the appropriate treatments for his roof, and then make sure that those treatments are applied safely.

Prepare for the Busy Roofing Season Now

In the roofing industry, March is often a month of hope for those regions battling the winter as the upswing into spring begins. So, now’s the time to get ready to hire, train, and set the foundation for a successful year, but first ask yourself some key questions:

Are you ready for a surge in business? How will you develop your leads? Do you have your game plan in place? How is your sales staff shaping up?

Get READY. Hire right.

You want to attract the best possible sales team and make your job openings meaningful to the right candidates. So, how do you attract the best people and hire right?

If you don’t define who you are as a company, your candidates might as well be flipping a coin among the myriad of sales jobs posted online. It’s hard to find a good fit if you haven’t defined what a good fit looks like.

One of the most important things you can do is to align your recruitment strategy with your sales compensation package.

For example, if you typically hire independent contractors for your sales team, consider hiring based on referrals from those you trust. Then, interview to find the best. Since independent contractors are their own boss, it’s critical to hire people who communicate well with you, the client, and the crew. Errors on a job can be expensive, and good communication will save you headaches and money.

Or, perhaps you have a commission-only compensation model. Consider seeking out sales staff that embraces risk, but also tend to be loyal. Sometimes the best way to find a good fit is to recruit from within your company. Do you have an existing employee in a different role who has great product and installation knowledge? Maybe your current customer service representative or a friendly installer could be your best new salesperson.

If your sales staff is paid a salary or a draw against commission, seek self-motivated individuals. Some companies have had great success with candidates who have sought higher education, as this usually indicates self-motivation. Ask for internal referrals from current outstanding sales staff. Most good salespeople know others who would be a great fit. Consider starting an apprenticeship program and fill your own hiring pipeline with the best.

Get SET. Train right.

Align your training to match your company and, as you are able, customize your training for the various skill levels in your organization.

For example, if your sales staff tends to be independent in a way that fragments the power of your brand, or new staff will need a solid start, consider training for “best practices in residential estimating.” Your goal is to get everyone on the same page.

If you have a new hire who is unfamiliar with your standards, consider setting up a mentor program. This can work if structured correctly. (But, keep in mind that this may not work well if your staff is commission-only, or if your top salespeople are extremely money motivated. Peers may not always take the time necessary to be a good mentor.) Consider that a skilled roofing crew or repair technician can sometimes be the best mentor of all.

Finally, to keep your most valuable and skilled sales staff engaged in professional growth, consider expert training for certain individuals. Just be sure that it doesn’t impair their motivation. You absolutely want to keep your best employees happy. If you try to change who they are, it can backfire.

GO.

Now that you've selected the staff best suited for your company and they've been trained to reflect your standards - get ready for the phone calls and sales leads to start rolling in. The snow will melt quicker than we think, and it's better to be prepared for the Spring surge than wait until the last minute. 

Save Money With These Spring Roofing Maintenance Tips

Most people don’t spend too much time thinking about the condition of their roof. But, the old expression “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” certainly applies when it comes to roofing maintenance. The costs associated with routine maintenance of your roof don’t amount to much; the costs of ignoring routine maintenance, however, can be significant.

In the long run, you will save money with regular maintenance done now!

Save Money With Roofing Maintenance: 10 Things You Can Do Now

Here are a few tips for keeping your roof in tip-top condition:

Trim back trees. To prevent damage to your shingles, trim back and remove overhanging tree branches or those getting close to your roof.

Keep gutters clear. Leaves and other miscellaneous debris can clog your gutter system, allowing water to back up into the attic or living areas of your home. It’s a good idea to check your gutters at least twice per year. Inspect your gutters, too, for sagging or other signs of damage & consider leaf-guards as a way of keeping your gutters clog-free for life.

Check downspouts. In addition to the gutters, make sure your downspouts are also free of congestion. If they are clogged, they can’t channel water and snowmelt away from your home.

Remove excess snow. In the winter, a thick layer of snow accumulation could potentially lead to a roof collapse. If the snow piles up too deep, use a snow rake to carefully pull the snow off the roof.

Ensure proper ventilation. This is one of the most important elements in extending the life of your roof. Without proper ventilation, heat and moisture can accumulate in the attic, leading to roof rot and deteriorating insulation.

Ensure adequate insulation. A properly insulated attic space will allow your roof to perform at peak efficiency.

Look for storm damage. After a big storm, inspect the interior of your home for water stains. Check the outside for damaged shingles.

Check for moss or algae. Install zinc or lead control strips if your roof is starting to collect moss or algae.

Inspect flashings. Many roof leaks begin at flashing points, where the main body of the roof meets up with the home’s siding, chimneys or skylights. Check the flashings for holes, cracks, or other signs of damage or deterioration.

Consult with an expert. An experienced roofer can provide a comprehensive repair estimate to help you in maintaining and caring for your roof. Take advantage of our skill and know-how to keep your roof performing its best.

Need Help Maintaining Your Roof?

Call Trudel and Sons Roofing, your experienced roofing contractor, if you need help with post-winter roofing maintenance or need a quick inspection. We are family owned & operated with 30+ years of experience in the roofing business!

Call (905)624-3515 OR visit www.trudelandsons.com for your estimate today!

10 Things to Do in Common Leak Areas

It’s important to make sure a roof is protected at critical areas to avoid coverage problems and not all roofing manufacturer warranties are the same. In order for the homeowner—and the roof—to get the most out of a warranty, it’s important that the contractor ensures a home is well protected from leaks. The right materials can make the difference. Here are 10 things a contractor should do to ensure warranty coverage for a homeowner:

Install waterproof leak barriers at critical areas that are prone to leaks including valleys, side walls, penetrations, chimneys, dormers, and eaves.Use edge metal at rakes and eaves to help protect from water infiltration at the roof’s edges. This is especially critical in high wind areas and colder climates.Install premanufactured flashing at all pipe penetrations to help prevent water entry.Install roof deck protection, also known as underlayment, to ensure shingles will lie flat and to protect against wind-driven rain that can blow under the shingles.Install proper attic ventilation to help manage the attic temperature and prevent moisture from being trapped in the attic space. Shingle roofs last longer when attics are properly ventilated.Install hip and ridge cap shingles to help protect those areas since they get more wind pressure than other parts of the roof. The finished look of hip & ridge cap shingles can also help increase curb appeal.Check skylight conditions. Old skylights should be replaced to better match the new roof’s age; also, new skylights will probably have better energy ratings.Install a single roofing system, like GAF’s Lifetime Roofing System.* When installing components from different manufacturers, mismatches in warranty coverage can occur. A complete system with shingles, leak barriers, hip and ridge cap shingles, roof deck protection, starter strips, and attic ventilation from the same manufacturer will allow all these components to be covered by one warranty and help to avoid finger-pointing in the event of an issue.Take advantage of problem-prevention inspections by factory-certified roof inspectors, when available. For example, when a homeowner buys a GAF Golden Pledge ltd. warranty**, they are entitled to an inspection by a GAF inspector. These inspectors are technical experts who also provide feedback on the installation.Install systems that have transferable warranties. This is a valuable feature to have if you ever sell your property in the future.

For more information on GAF’s residential warranties, see our comparison.

White Roofing: Rising Demand Charges Make the Case

There has been much trade press the past year arguing how far south a black roof will yield energy savings. Their main point is that black roofing has a winter warming benefit. However, the winter sun in is generally not very warm, and many of the calculations assume that commercial buildings are heated with electricity, which is usually not the case.

So, what is the right roof color to help lower energy costs? Much of the modeling understates the case for white roofing, but electric demand charges are changing that perception, since they can increase an electric bill by three times. Whether you’re designing a building or managing a facility, it’s important to understand demand charges—and white roofing is one way to keep costs under control.

Utility companies have to worry about two things when supplying a region—how much power they have to supply each month or quarter, and how to manage peak demands. Think peak summer season, when everyone’s air conditioning is cranked up. If a lot of power is used one hot afternoon in July, the electric company will charge at a higher rate all month long. They focus on the high demand charges that occur in a short period of time and will penalize a building owner for it.

Let's look at two types of customers whose monthly power usage is 2,500 kWh, except one of them paid over three times more than the other. How is this possible? Let’s take a look at the math:

(Credit: Department of Energy)

Even though both customers used the same total power, Customer A used it within a short window of time and was charged $1,775. Customer B spread out their demand and paid just $515—a third as much.

Sounds convincing, but all bills aren’t that simple. In fact, they’re actually very complicated to figure out, since they often don’t even mention demand charges. Here's an example of how this looks on a typical utility bill:

Look closely at the “Time of Use Detail” section. There are three charges based on actual usage: peak, partial-peak, and off-peak times of the day. Below that is a similar set of charges based on the actual rate of use, where demand charges account for 45% of the total bill! This shows the importance of checking these charges, especially since they rise faster than base charges.

Demand charges are an electrical phenomenon, and will be largest during the summer months when AC usage is at its peak. However, there are ways an architect or building manager can combat these extra costs:

• Add additional insulation.   Since insulation saves on both summer and winter charges, it always generates an improvement, regardless of geography.
• White roofing can have its biggest impact in lowering peak demand and, therefore, in lowering demand charges. This is true even for well-insulated buildings.
• Time the start-up of load-intensive equipment (such as refrigerators and air conditioners) to prevent spikes, and of building energy management software to avoid simultaneous operation of HVAC units.
• Use a professionally installed cool, reflective roof such as a roof coating to reduce a building’s cooling needs and demand charges.
• For the building designer: by lowering AC demand with white roofs, the unit can be downsized. This will lower demand charges even further and reduce upfront capital costs—a true win-win.