Roofing Inspection DIY Checklist

Posted on October 11, 2013 by J&J Roofing Co.

Use this as a roofing inspection checklist.  The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) recommends you do a roof inspection at least two times a year — spring and fall. The best place to begin is inside your house — grab a flashlight and make a trip to the attic.

Do-It-Yourself Roofing Inspection - attic.

Check the Attic Thoroughly

 

Here are four things to look for on the inside:

  • Places where the roof deck is sagging
  • Signs of water damage or leaking
  • Dark spots and trails
  • Outside light showing through the roof.

 

 

Exterior check
When you take a look at the exterior of the roof, pay attention to such things as damaged flashing, missing shingles, curling, blistering, buckling, rotting and algae growth (which occurs most often in humid climates and appears as dark or greenish stains).

What to check on the outside:

  • Visually inspect your roof for cracked, torn, bald or missing shingles.
  • Scan the roof for loose material or wear around chimneys, vents, pipes or other penetrations.
  • Watch out for an excessive amount of shingle granules (they look like large grains of sand) in the gutters — this is a sign of advanced wear.
  • Check for signs of moisture, rot or mold. Note that wet spots may not be directly under your faulty shingle; water can travel down to its lowest spot before it drips. Mold, fungi and bacteria can grow quickly — within 24 to 48 hours of a water-related problem.
  • Examine the drainage, and make sure gutters and downspouts are securely attached. Also ensure all drains are open and allow water to exit, and all gutters and downspouts are free of debris.
  • Check that all bath, kitchen and dryer vents go entirely outside of your home, not just into the attic space.
Do-It-Yourself Roofing Inspection - Dry Rot

Dry Rot

It is extremely important to contact a professional if for any reason you believe your roof is in need of replacement or repair. And remember that early detection by regular inspections is by far the best plan to avoid expensive repairs.

Posted in Roofer, Roofing, roofing leaks
Leave a comment

New Roof Tax Advantages Explained by a Los Angeles Roof Expert

Posted on October 8, 2013 by J&J Roofing Co.

When you get a new roof for your home, there are some tax advantages and rebates that may apply.

For example, if you’ve lived in your home for a certain amount of time and do a re-roof or other remodel and add value to the home, you may be eligible for tax rebates when you sell the home in the form of capital gains deductions.

When you’re an HOA, you can often obtain a large tax advantage when doing major repairs and certain kinds of new roofing that still fall under the category of repairs, such as a liquid applied resurfacing, roof coatings, etc.  When you do roof repairs, these costs can be deducted in full in the tax year they are conducted within, whereas often with re-roofing those costs have to be amortized over many years (I’ve heard 39!).

Whatever the case may be, whenever you spend money on your dwelling, there are often hidden tax advantages or rebates available and you should always consult your tax professional to find out what programs and rules exist.

There are other new roof rebates that one can be eligible for as well which don’t fall under tax rebates.

For example, when you do a solar system, usually you will want to re-roof for a variety of reasons, unless the roof is less than 10 years old or in spectacular condition.  The Fed will give you 20% of the re-roof cost as part of their solar rebate in the form of a tax deduction.

If you use ultra reflective shingles, you can usually get a rebate, usually about $1.50 per square foot from your power provider or if you do an ultra reflective flat roof, whether it’s a coating, or the roofing product itself is ultra reflective, such as a Coolstar torchdown or capsheet hot tar roof by CertainTeed.  Most manufacturers, such as GAF, APOC, Owens Corning, etc have ultra reflective products as well.

Usually any object that you install which involves energy savings will have some sort of rebate available.  There was a program some time ago in a Los Angeles suburb that would give you substantial rebate ($200) for installing a solar fan.

The only problem is that these programs and rebates come and go, and the rules often change so you’ll need to do your own research with your city or fed government, your power provider, and so on.  Your roofing contractor is unlikely to keep track of all these programs though your solar provider should be up to snuff on their trade since the rebates are such a large part of the deal.Of course, if you need a new roof, you should invest in one for the safety and well-being of your family.

Posted in New Roofing, Roofer, Roofing, Roofing Contractor
Leave a comment

Roof Replacement – What to Expect

Posted on October 1, 2013 by J&J Roofing Co.

When you’re faced with getting a new roof for your house, there are a few things and terms you should know.  Roof replacement is one of the biggest investments you will make on your property and likely will only be done once in your ownership of the home or building.

Sometimes re-roofing can be a nightmare, but it’s usually quick and relatively painless.  Most roofs should be completed, from start to finish, within four to five days. But once that it is done, if done right, you will not see a roofer again for many years. Make sure to choose an experienced roofer with excellent references and full insurance and licensing.

Tear Off:
When you re-roof your house, the old roof usually has to come off, called a tear-off down to the boards.  Every city has it’s codes on how many roof layers there can be and a good, reputable local roofer can advise you.  If you’ve had many leaks for a long period of time, it’s advisable to get the old roofing off and fix any dry rot.  There’s usually some and in any case you’ll get a better roof if you start fresh.

The roofer will usually tear off into a dump truck and it will be dusty and noisy.  Make sure the roofer has a large, wheeled magnet that he can run around your grass once they are done, to collect nails from your grass.

Wood deck, wood sheathing, deck boards:
The roof is attached to a wood surface and is usually made up of simple 1×8 deck boards or plywood.  Plywood was not broadly used until the 80s so if your house was built before that, it’s likely to be deck boards.  These usually need minor repair before the new roof can be put on.  If you have open beam “cathedral ceiling” areas of your home, you may get debris into your house so prepare for that.

City inspection:
After the roof is torn off and the wood deck is repaired, the roofer will leave the permit attached to the ladder erected to the roof. The following day the city or county inspector will come by, check the wood deck, and sign off the permit giving his ok to cover the roof.

Loading the roof:
Usually this is done by the roofing supplier with a conveyor belt truck.  It’s simple and quick. Once the roof is loaded, it’s usually over pretty quick, within 2 days usually.

There’s usually no reason why you cannot go on with your life at home during this entire operation.  It’s advisable to stay inside, keep windows and doors closed and to take normal precautions on going outside (such as warning them if you’re coming out the door, walking around the side, etc. so they don’t drop anything on your head, but, apart from being somewhat noisy, it’s not generally intrusive to your indoor life.

Posted in New Roofing, Roofer, Roofing, Roofing Contractor
Leave a comment

Why an Annual Roof Checkup is a Good Idea in Los Angeles

Posted on July 29, 2013 by J&J Roofing Co.

The technical side of Roofing in Los Angeles is a rather unknown subject for most homeowners. An annual roof checkup seems unnecessary. In reality, we are not worried about pelting rainstorms in the summer or inches of snow over our head each winter, so what’s the big deal? J and J Roofing owner, Matt Glass, describes the big deal here…

While some homeowners may know a thing or two about plumbing, carpentry and so forth, most homeowners don’t know a lot about roofing. There is so much to understand in order to determine its condition, analyze problems and so forth. Most homeowners typically rely on roofing professionals to advise them.

It’s also safe to say that most homeowners do not want to call a roofer out to their home until they actually have a problem, for fear they will find themselves being sold something – whether it’s needed or not.  As  a contractor  myself, not having a great deal of expertise in dealing with HVAC and plumbing, I have to call other contractors just like you do for many things around my home that I may not be able to handle.  It’s usually not much fun.

 

Los Angeles Roofing Checkup done by owner John Glass

Why an Annual Roof Checkup is a Good Idea

With roofing though, a little money spent on prevention can go a long way if you have a good local contractor that has an annual roof checkup program. Let’s face it, a roof leak discovered after the rains not only requires you to pay a roofer to fix your leak, you’re then often obliged to call a painter (or worse, some sort emergency abatement team) in order to deal with the interior damage.

As well, there are several other good reasons to get an annual roof check-up.  The most important reason, which is immediately obvious, is that certain roof problems, if caught earlier on, can be more easily and cheaply dealt before they escalate and damage the inside of the house.

I’ve seen countless instances where a roof was indeed compromised (for example there was water between the layers of roofing membrane) and so it was indeed technically a leak but, that water had not yet leaked and caused damage to the interior of the home. It was only a matter of time until it caused ceiling damage adding to the repair bill.

I’ve been on flat roofs doing inspections where all the drains were clogged and the roof was filled with over 1000 gallons of water.  There was one instance where there was so much water up there that when I unclogged their drains, the tenants called the fire department when they heard the water rushing through the pipes – they thought a water main broke.

You may not need to have your roof thoroughly inspected every year. But based on all the inspections I’ve done, I’d have to say that in over 95% of cases, paying that small inspection fee either in fact did save them from a certain leak or from what could potentially have been a leak.

The way our company, Los Angeles roofer, J and J, handles this, for instance, is that we charge $155 to do an annual inspection.  We will look over every inch of your roof and seal anything that we find that needs to be handled.  If there is more work there than we can handle on this (say, one hour) inspection then we wouldn’t charge you anything.  We’d simply change it to a free estimate, for which is no obligation.  My inspector would bring the info back to the office and I would email you a detailed repair estimate.

The bottom line is that, at least the way we’ve always done it, the worst case scenario is that you have paid $155, and a professional with a reputable company has gone over your roof and ensured it is in good condition. Otherwise you are appraised of what needs to be done and given a no obligation estimate price to handle it.

If you can find a roofer in your area that has such a program, it’s worth it to take them up on it.

J&J Roofing – top Roofing Contractor in Los Angeles –  provides an annual roof check-up service which is reasonable. This includes a roof inspection and also simple maintenance to help ensure your roofing system works.  Call us at 877 7MY ROOF for further details and scheduling.

Posted in Roofer, Roofing, Roofing Contractor
Leave a comment

How Can Roofing Cool Down your House or Building?

Posted on June 27, 2013 by J&J Roofing Co.

What does cool down your house have to do with roofing? Summer is here. It’s hot in Woodland Hills, Pasadena and most local cities. The beach towns like Santa Monica and Malibu might be cooler but can you cool your home with your roofing? There are a few ways to help control the temperatures inside your house, and yes, chief among these is via your roof.

If you have a flat roof, assuming it’s a smooth surface (and not a gravel roof) – you can paint it with white elastomeric roof paints that reflect the sun. This isn’t rocket science and certainly can be a DIY project but it is hard work and, surprisingly, it’s easy to get it wrong and waste a ton of money – the paint is not cheap.

Having done a few hundred of these I have found a few things that can help you produce a job well done, whether you do it yourself or hire a professional roofer, like J and J Roofing, my company.

First of all, the roof doesn’t necessarily have to be washed but it does need to be clean and the cleaner, the better. For example, if you recently had rains, your roof is probably pretty clean and if you brush out any sediment (from puddles) and use a blower, you should be fine, otherwise, hose it down and let it dry until at least the next day.

It takes two coats and I use a roller with a thick nap which holds more paint.  There’s no real technique here, just try to be even with it and if you see a wavy pattern, you’re probably trying to lay down too much. Do not try to do this with one coat of paint, no matter who tells you different.

First of all, every single manufacturer recommends two coats and I have found through much experience it’s absolutely necessary. One coat is just not thick enough. Nor can you really lay
one coat down, properly, thick enough.  I have tried, believe me. You’ll just end up with a wavy coat that attracts dirt.

Generally, you want to figure on using at least two gallons per square (a square being 10×10 feet, and is how roofing products are often measured). I personally recommend about 2.2 – 2.5 gallons per square. You really can tell the difference and at three gallons, it will last a very, very long time (10 years or more).  So for example, on a 1500 square foot roof, I would lay down about 1.5 gallons per 100 square feet, on the first pass.  Then use the balance, about 0.8 gallons per 100 square foot, on the second pass the following day (or, several days if it’s not hot and dry out).  So, in total, I’d use around 35 gallons. It comes in 5 gallon pails.

There are quite a few brands of the paint and your best bet is to go to an actual roofing supply yard. We use Burbank Roofing Supply, for example. You don’t necessarily have to buy the most expensive one or the most reflective one – they are all pretty close in terms of the ability to reflect the sun. I would say you’d get an overall better job by buying a less expensive product, and using more of it, than using less of a superior product.  My favorite brands are Sunshield (by United Coatings), Tropical, and APOC (APOC usually is the most expensive).

 

In the years that follow, try to keep it clean, and hose it down a couple times just before and during the summer. Of course, if it gets dirty it tends to lessen its ability to reflect the sun.
Matt Glass is one of the owners of J and J Roofing a Los Angeles Roofing Contractor. He enjoys sharing his roofing knowledge with anyone who wants to know… J and J Roofing services most of Southern California from homes in Woodland Hills, Pasadena to beach cities like Santa Monica and Malibu.

Posted in New Roofing, Roofer, Roofing
Leave a comment

How to Choose a Roofer Whether you are in Pasadena, Malibu or the San Fernando Valley

Posted on May 23, 2013 by J&J Roofing Co.

J and J Roofing, servicing Pasadena as well as Malibu and all of the San Fernando Valley, is known for their premiere work as a roofer. Here, one of the owners, Matt Glass, explains how to find a roofer that you can trust – for cost, quality and service.

This is the second in our series about this important factor of choosing a roofer for your home. Remember you only need a roof every 30 years or so, so you must choose your roofer wisely. At J and J Roofing we have been fixing and replacing roofs for over 20 years.

jandjroofing in Los Angeles

Choosing a roofer should be done the same as choosing any other sort of contractor, but I have given you a few ideas here and in my last blog.  The most important thing I want to emphasize is to do your homework and do not choose a roofer that you are not certain you want to work with.

Getting very definite references about your new roofer is the best way to decide. There are a few other points. Some would say experience.  Well, you can ask a roofer how much experience he has but aren’t many ways for you to verify it and I doubt any roofer is going to say “well I just got started.”   It is fine if the company has been in business for 20 years, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the guy you’re dealing with has been.  Maybe he was selling used cars three weeks ago.

However, if you can verify it, or you believe the person, then experience is a big deal in roofing.  There are so many products that only experience can give one the broad range of knowledge to properly deal with them.  For example, it’s little consolation that your roofer did a “mechanically” excellent job of replacing 10 broken tiles on your roof and solved your leak problem – but the color he chose is totally wrong.  Don’t laugh, this scenario happens all the time and while the reasons are myriad, the point is that a roofer with a lot of experience will usually avoid these mistakes for you.

Make sure that you verify his license is in force by going to cslb.gov.ca (the .ca represents California so input whatever your state is), ensure he has no complaints, ensure he has a bond, proper workcomp insurance (for ALL his employees, not just him) and you can also verify whether he has liability insurance, if you care.

Liability insurance is a good idea, although not required by law.  Commercial property owners, HOAs and people worth a lot of money with a very valuable property, for instance, should insist upon liability insurance. Note that a contractor with liability insurance will usually cost a little bit more than those who don’t have it, as it is pretty expensive.

Of course, ask your friends, your neighbors, your realtor, doctor and so on if they have recently had a good experience with a roofer What you want to do is, ideally, come across a name that just keeps coming up.  If you’re local supplier recommends Joe Blow Roofing, your doctor or pastor does, his references love him and he’s highly rated on line – you have found a roofer who will probably do a good job and has decent prices but above all who you know will at least take responsibility because he’s got a reputation to keep – a very valuable thing.

If you find a roofer that no one seems to know or talk about, and he’s not very busy, these are not good signs.  If he’s not busy, it suggests a lot.  If no one knows him, he has no rep, he probably has little to lose and when you have a problem with his work, you will likely find the “dreaded” disconnected phone number.  It’s just like walking into a new restaurant you’ve never tried, at 6:30pm, and there’s no one there and it smells like bug spray.  If it looks bad, and it smells bad, walk away.

Your Goal: In essence, your goal is finding a roofing company with an excellent reputation and he will do anything to protect his good rep.  He and his roofers – probably make mistakes.  Not many mistakes, but we all do.  The question is not whether or not you can find the perfect roofer who never does anything wrong, the question is whether or not you can find a roofer who will ensure it all ends up right, and not make you pay for it when things go wrong.

Posted in Roofer, Roofing, Roofing Contractor
Leave a comment

How to Choose a Los Angeles Roofer

Posted on May 11, 2013 by J&J Roofing Co.

At J and J Roofing (a premier Los Angeles roofer) we have been fixing and replacing roofs for over 20 years. Based out of the Los Feliz and Silverlake area of Los Angeles, our roofing company services the entire LA area. Our family-owned business is operated by John, Mike and me, Matt Glass. Eighty percent of our business comes from customer referrals.

Getting a referral from a friend or business you trust is, bar none, the best way to choose a roofer. But if you had a referral, you probably would not be reading this blog. You would be scheduling an appointment, right now. Other than referrals from friends or a local roofing supplier, like Burbank Roofing, you also should ask your prospective roofer for references in your neighborhood.

Always remember to check his legal rudiments – licensing, insurance, etc. Below, I will go into the details of these points. But most importantly, go with your gut. If you feel that you might not trust the guy, call someone else.

There’s probably not a huge difference in how you choose a roofer versus any other sort of contractor, but here are a few tips.  The overriding doctrine here is to do some homework and find a name that several entities recommend.

Ideally, you will choose your roofer when you have some time, like in the early fall, before all the rains come and you have an “urgent problem”.  You don’t have to hire him then, just keep his name handy or you could have him come out and just inspect your roof – there should be no charge.  In the off season, he won’t be busy and even if it’s a “waste of time” he won’t mind (I don’t).

It gives me an opportunity to make contact with you and hopefully secure you for when you really do need a Los Angeles roofer but even still, you never know – I may find something wrong with your roof that you didn’t even know was there and you’ll be glad to get it fixed, cheap, in the off season, before it leaks, ruins your ceiling and your grand piano!

Get referrals, as many as possible. In fact, ask the roofer for references he can possibly throw at you that lives within 10 miles of you.  If he can’t give you more than three, then it’s not a good sign. And these should be people with phone numbers who have agreed to be a referral.

Call the local roofing supplier.  Ask him for the three best roofers he knows in your area.  It’s not a guarantee, but there’s a good chance that the local supplier is not going anywhere, has a reputation, etc., and is not going to refer you to a bad roofer or some guy who just got started and has no reputation.  He’s likely to refer his three biggest clients which is not a bad thing.  If a roofer is buying a lot of material, it means he is doing a lot of business which means a lot of people choose him over others.  It’s not a guarantee but it’s a start.

My next blog will go into more detail on this important process in your home ownership and how to choose a roofer that you can trust. You usually only get a new roof once for your home (unless you live in it for over 30 years.)

Posted in New Roofing, Roofing, Roofing Contractor
Leave a comment

How Long Does a Roof Repair take?

Posted on May 3, 2013 by J&J Roofing Co.

Roof Repair in the Los Angeles area is typically a simple job – which is rarely needed – due to the mellow weather in the area. In the past year there have been a few wind storms through Pasadena, ripping up roofs. But this is the exception, not the rule…

Repairing a typical roof leak can take as little as thirty minutes.  Roof maintenance usually takes at least an hour or so, and can include things such as: re-sealing all vent pipes, cleaning out gutters, removing any debris, clearing away tree branches and checking roof for random penetrations, cracks, damage, etc.

The first thing any homeowner should do is learn how to correctly identify the name for the roofing material they have.  This isn’t terribly difficult and can be done be searching the various terms on the internet and simply matching the photos.

The most common roof type is a composition shingle, known variously as dimensional shingle, 3-tab shingle, comp, shingle, and comp-shingle.  This is your typical, flat, asphalt shingle and the word “composition” refers to the fact that some time ago manufactures introduced fiberglass into the asphalt shingles to make them stiffer, more durable, and fire resistant and hence they are a asphalt-fiberglass composite.

Ordinarily comp shingle roofs need little maintenance and take care of themselves.  The most common problem we find is the need to reseal vent pipes.

If your roof has become damaged and needs repair, with a comp shingle roof it’s usually simple.  If a tree branch managed to work a few shingles loose, repairs can be done within an hour.  It’s good to have an extra bundle of your kind of shingles stored somewhere (in the garage or the shed) so that you always have the correct type and color on hand.  Sometimes shingles are discontinued and in any case, any roofer is going to give you a break if he doesn’t have to go to the supplier to buy material.

If you have a leak on a comp shingle roof and lack the confidence to chase it down, or don’t like going up on your roof, call your local roofing professional and get a quote.  Roofing is one of the few service industries that will still offer free quotes – even on a small repair.  Roofers are interested in building relationships. They want to be your roofer for a long time so even though they may make very little money coming out, doing an estimate, then coming back and doing a repair maybe a week later (all for maybe $250 – 300), they want you to call them every year or two to maintain your roof.

A few roofing companies avoid repairs and are primarily interested in re-roofing.  If you call a company and tell them you want to have a leak fixed and they are not eager to handle it for you, call someone else.  Also note that these companies are usually not too interested in building relationships and it’s best to have a roofer that will be willing to repair your roof.

 

Posted in General, Roofing, Roofing Contractor, roofing leaks
Leave a comment

NEW FLAT ROOF TECHNOLOGY

Posted on April 23, 2013 by J&J Roofing Co.

All the Los Angeles cities have flat roofs, from Silverlake to Beverlywood and Malibu. Flat roofing is an often misunderstood area, perhaps because most people never see a flat roof and always see slanted roofs with tile or shingles.

The two most commonly used and least expensive flat roof types are known as torchdown and hot tar. At J&J Roofing, while we’re always looking for new technology, we do not make our clients guinea pigs.  However, GACO Roof Products, which has been around since the 50s, has a product that we’re warming up to.

The short story is that it’s a method for re-roofing a flat roof without removing it.  The product is silicone based, and they boast that it was used on the Saturn V rocket to shield for re-entry.  They offer a 50-year-warranty and it’s ultra-reflective to boot. Reflective roof coatings are often chosen for the ability to lower energy usage in the home or office building.

Flat Roofing Repair by J and J Roofing

Flat Roofing Repair by Los Angeles Roofer J and J Roofing

This product doesn’t work for every flat roof scenario but will for many and where access is difficult, or for whatever reason a tear off is undesirable (you have open ceilings and debris would fall in, it’s a production studio, noise or dust is a problem, and so on) it can be a good solution.  It is not a cheap product in fact, it’s very expensive however it tends to cost a little less than a traditional tear off and re-roof in some instances so it’s affordable.

Remember that it is essential to have your roof inspected regularly to verify when you will need to replace your roof. J and J Roofing can tell you what approach will be best for you. Call us at 877 7MY ROOF to set up a free estimate.

Matt Glass is one of the family owners of J and J Roofing who are known throughout Los Angeles as a high-quality yet affordable roofing company servicing all of LA including Beverlywood, Silverlake, Malibu and all places in between.

Posted in General
Leave a comment

How Do High Winds Affect Roofing in Los Angeles?

Posted on April 17, 2013 by J&J Roofing Co.

The recent winds may have affected your roofing in Los Angeles and here’s the skinny on checking it out…

If your roof is older, and you experience wind gusts in the 50+ mph range you can lose shingles and sometimes even tiles.  In addition to this, a surprising amount of debris can collect on flat roofs which can cause drains to clog or other problems.

Sometimes the damage is easy to spot but often there are sections of roof which are difficult to see, especially on a two-story home.

Damage is not limited to older composition shingle roofs.  Sometimes when wind gusts are just right, roof damage can occur where you wouldn’t expect it, even with a newer roof (though this is rare).

And of course the most common source of wind damage is from tree branches either rubbing or falling on a roof.

The trick is, to get your roof inspected and the damage reported before the one year statute of limitations imposed by most insurance companies.  But that’s assuming the damage is major; very often it’s just a shingle or two and is easily and cheaply fixed.

Be sure to check out your roof for any damage after heavy winds or if you want a Los Angeles Roofing Professional to do it, give us a call.  877 7MY-ROOF

Posted in Roofing, Roofing Contractor
Leave a comment