SB Roofing Blog

Residential metal roofs provide energy savings, beauty, and protection for your Virginia Beach home for a lifetime. Metal roofs are also available in a wide variety colors to complement any style home. Metal roofs last 2 to 3 times longer than most other roof types. A metal roof will probably be your last roof.

The main benefit of metal roofing is that it can help to increase the efficiency of your home.  This increase in energy efficiency saves you money. Residential metal roofs utilize reflective pigment technology.  It reflects heat away from the home rather than absorbing it like other roofing materials thus lowering utility bills.

All metal roofs are made from 30-60% recycled material, so by choosing a metal roof, you'll do your part for the environment. Traditional shingles add an estimated 20 billion pounds of waste to U.S. landfills annually. Metal roofs can often be installed over an existing roof, no more tear-off and disposal.

Contact SB Roofing for an estimate on a metal roof for your home.

Due to the summer heat and strong winds in Virginia Beach, we recommend you perform roof inspections regularly. Virginia Beach roof inspectors will look for uplift around the perimeter shingles. During the next wind storm, is the perfect time to walk around your roof and inspect it from the ground. Look for shingle lifting. Shingle lifting is an indication that the adhesive strip holding down the shingles is no longer performing its duty and should be replaced. As a result, your roof may be vulnerable to leaks and shingle blow off.

Keeping your roof clean is the most important tip we can give you. Built-up debris and plant matter will cause moisture to gather allowing mold and mildew to grow leaving green stains or black streaks. These stains and streaks are unsightly and will damage your roof.  Have moss removed from the roof by sweeping while it is wet or by having a roof moss killer product applied. Also, check all gutters and downspouts to make sure water is flowing freely and clean out all roof drains and gutters from spring time flower blossoms.

We do NOT recommend pressure washing roofs. If you have asphalt shingles, pressure washing can remove the granules which are the shingle's sunscreen material. If you lose that sunscreen layer, the asphalt shingle will be exposed to harsh UV rays which will start premature aging and the shingles will become brittle. If you have cedar shingles, pressure washing them will remove the top, aged layer making your shingle thinner. You will then have to treat the newly exposed cedar so it will once again repel rain water.

Virginia Beach roofing companies like SB Roofing stand ready to provide more roofing tips, inspections, and maintenance if you have any questions about the quality of your roof.

Your home is your most valuable possession. Protect it with a long lasting, durable metal roof from SB Roofing. Standing seam metal roofs have a more modern look.  They are available in steel or aluminum, and a variety of thicknesses.  Metal roofs are a great investment, and you'll save money in the long run.  A metal roof can last a lifetime, whereas materials like asphalt require reroofing every 10 to 20 years.

The average life of a non-metal roof is 17 years. A metal roofing system offers durability, lasting 2 to 3 times longer than many other roof types. Chances are good that a metal roof will be your last roof. And they are available in a wide range of styles and colors.

Regardless of the roofing style, color or finish you have on your home now, there's a metal roofing style to match. Metal roofing in both light and dark colors reflects heat effectively to reduce cooling needs during the Virginia summer and they insulate homes better during the winter. This can help to lower your energy bills. They are made to meet the dimensions of your home and are installed with unexposed fasteners, so you don't have to worry about penetrations that could cause leaks.

A very necessary, but often dreaded, home improvement project that homeowners face is repairing the roof. It is a huge project and it is one that will affect the overall appearance of your home. If you choose the wrong material for your roof, you won’t like the look of your home, and you could be stuck with it for years. If you choose the right material, your roof will look great, last a long time, and do its job. The problem is there are so many types of roofing shingles to choose from, it's impossible to know about all of them or which to choose.

Composite shingles are one of the most popular shingle materials. They are made from different materials that are put together. These shingles are popular, because they are inexpensive. However, they don't last that long compared to metal materials. Using composite roof shingles is the latest trend in roofing. Composite shingles are similar to other conventional and traditional shingle materials. You also have a lot of options in their appearance because they come in a wide variety of colors and styles.

As for metal shingles, there are copper, steel and iron roof shingles. There is also standing seam metal roofs which have a more modern look.  They are available in steel or aluminum, and a variety of thicknesses.  They are fabricated to meet the dimensions of your home and are installed with unexposed fasteners, so you don't have to worry about penetrations that could cause leaks. This professional-looking product is a great investment, and it's available in a wide range of styles and colors. They are very durable, and maintenance free.

Wood shingles, or shakes, are made from medicated woods like pine, spruce, or cedar. The color of these shingles is vibrant initially but, after the first year they usually turn to gray. Some setbacks of wood as shingles are breakage, deformity, and cowering. So it is usually recommended that you do roof replacement in 10 years or so.

Architectural Shingles resemble a shake shingle in appearance.  There are many advantages to these shingles starting with the warranty which usually ranges from 30 years to lmited lifetime. They are much thicker than the standard 3-tab shingle and have a more three dimensional look that resembles wood shakes or slate.  And they add a very nice accent to the look of your home.

Asphalt shingles are the most widely used. Asphalt roofing shingles are made of paper, glass, or fiber and are very strong. These shingles can last up to twenty years