SB Roofing Blog

Choosing the right roofer may be the most important as well as well as the most difficult shopping experience for most home owners. SB Roofing will provide a thorough evaluation and diagnosis of each aspect of the whole roof design including:

• Inspect current condition of the roof surface for visible signs of fatigue or failure.
• Inspection of the existing ventilation and water carrying system.
• Inspection of attic to establish condition of wood sheathing, ventilation, or improper insulation or air sealing.
• Condition of chimney and all areas that may require repair or replacement of the flashing or re-pointing.
• Determine if the roof is actually in need of replacement or if there are other conditions that may be causing problems. Not every roof that leaks is a bad roof. Ice dams can be the problem as even new roofs have been known to leak.
• Provide a variety of options for style, color, and the length of the warranty period that fits your budget.

Here at SB Roofing, we are dedicated to providing quality products, craftsmanship, and service. But, more importantly, we want to assure that you are completely satisfied with the job we do for you.We are experienced providers of the industry's most secure residential roofing solutions, providing Hampton Roads homeowners with over 15 years experience. From immediate roofing estimates to quick service to final clean-up, we have built our reputation on protecting your most important investment - your home! Contact us today to learn more about our roofing services and how we can help you.

Every winter, your roof gets bombarded with wind, snow, ice and continual thaw-freeze conditions. This can result in severe and often hidden damage to the roof. Your roof can then leak during spring months when the heavy rains begin. Without a roof repair check-up and required repairs to your roof, a flood of water can cause thousands in damages.

Older roofs are especially vulnerable. Why? Because the shingles are already broken down from years of abuse from Mother Nature, and even if your roof has 5 or 10 more years of warranty life ahead, repairs to your roof are sometimes a must to get the most from your roof. Roof repairs are often mandatory.

Some of the areas your roof may require repairs are the loose or missing shingles that were damaged from hard winter winds. Shingles are extremely brittle in cold temperatures, and hard driven cold winds can easily break shingles. The worst danger areas are around chimneys, skylights, and anywhere shingles butt up against a wall. These are all very crucial roof repair areas during the new raining spring months.

Spring is almost here. Now is the time to do repairs to your roof. Roof repairs during the early months of spring after a hard blistery winter can literally save you thousands of dollars of damage and can keep your roof in tip top shape. Contact us today to learn more about your roof and repair services we offer.

This winter, we Virginians have all experienced a lot of snow and you probably give a great deal of thought to getting rid of the snow that accumulates on your sidewalks and in your driveway. But that's a relatively easy task...just a bit time consuming.  Sidewalks are flat - there's really no way to get around shoveling them after a heavy snowfall. But what about your roof? Most houses in areas that get a lot of snow have inclined roofs so that the snow just slides off. However, there are occasions when snow accumulate on your roof, and because snow is so heavy it simply must be removed before it does serious damage to that roof. Even if you know that your roof was built to withstand all that weight - there's another reason why it should be removed. Melting snow can cause icedams in your gutters, so that as more snow melts the water has nowhere to go except into your ceilings.

Don't Climb On Your Roof

Even if you're able to get out onto your roof during the middle of winter it would be best if you didn't do it. Climbing around a dry roof is hard enough - trying to walk up and down a sloping roof covered with snow - which might be obscuring the ice below it - is the height of folly. Your best best is to use a roof rake or call a Virginia Beach roofing professional.

Whatever roof rake you use, do not use it near power lines. Even if you're a dozen feet away from a power line, if you lose control of the rake for any reason, it's length is such that it could quite easily tilt over those dozen feet, hit the power line, and give the operator quite an unpleasant shock. A roof rake enables the operator to reach up over 26 feet, which should be more than enough to get most of the snow off one's roof.

While this is a task that you do-it-at-home individuals can achieve it is still a difficult. We recommend having a roofing professional come and clear off your roof for you. We at SB Roofing have experience in all roofing solutions and we can save you the hassle of this daunting task. Contact us today for more information on our roofing services. 

Winter can prove to be extremely damaging to your roof; leaks from driving rain, ice, and snow are dangers to be conscious of. SB Roofing offers some information on a few great ways to guard against roof hazards and what to look out for.

Check for Leaks
The first step you should take when roofing in the cold season, is to check for roof leaks. Most roofs will leak from a few locations: drains on flat roofs, and at gutters, leaders, and flues on sloped roofs.

Condensation
Another cold weather issue is condensation, which happens when warm, moist air hits a colder surface: for example, your home's warm interior against the bottom side of the cold roof deck. Prevent this from happening by installing a vapor retarder at the ceiling level to trap the warm air and keep it away from the roof deck's bottom. Houses with cathedral ceilings have more complex problems, and you might have to replace the existing insulation with uniquely designed cathedral ceiling insulation. To allow adequate ventilation, baffles may need to be installed, and it could involve the demolition of the ceiling or the roof in order to remove the insulation.

Clear Your Gutters
Next, check your drains, gutters, and leaders because leaks can occur if they become clogged with debris. Bi-monthly inspections of roof and terrace drains are very important during the winter months.

Ice Damming
The single most threatening weather occurrence is ice damming. Ice dams are the capillary action of water reaching its highest point in either a liquid or solid form. If ice or snow fills your home's gutters, the resulting melting water creates a roof hazard by overflowing the gutter and back up the roof, penetrating the roofing tiles and shingles. And with our recent blizzard and cold weather in Virginia this is a problem that most Virginians aren't aware of. Cleaning debris, snow and ice from flashing points is a great protective measure against ice-damming.

Should you be experiencing any of these problems be sure to contact us immediately and allow SB Roofing to repair your roof for you. If you're not sure whether or not your roof is experiencing problems we can inspect the roof for you and give you a free no obligation estimate. Contact us today to learn more about roofing solutions and how SB Roofing can save your roof.

We recognize that a new roof represents a major expenditure for most homeowners, and that you want the job done right. SB Roofing specializes in residential roof replacement and we want to provide you with the very best in roofing workmanship for your home. Many factors come into play when we venture to do a roof replacement. Our roof replacement consultants are skilled in attending to even the finest details. We use only the finest quality materials when dealing with your roof and our inspections are by-the-book.

Our goal is to provide a high quality roofing solution to homeowners at a reasonable price. We strive to treat each and every one of our customers as we would like to be treated. Honesty, Fairness, Quality and Integrity are the cornerstones of our business. Which is why we offer our quality workmanship warranty/guarantee.

The ultimate performance of your new roof is related to climate, proximity to the coast, adverse environmental conditions, such as high winds, as well as roofing type and quality. Determining which roofing solution is right for your home is not only a question of color and style; it is also about the long-term protection and confidence associated with a quality job completed with quality products - backed by a full warranty. We are dedicated to providing quality products, craftsmanship, and service. But, more importantly, we want to assure that you are completely satisfied with the job we do for you.

We are experienced providers of the industry's most secure residential roofing solutions, providing Hampton Roads homeowners with over 15 years experience. Whatever your needs, we have a solution. Our roofers are qualified to install or repair each style of roof listed below. And like we stated above our work is backed by a Quality Workmanship Warranty/Guarantee. Contact us today to find out more about our professional roofing solutions and allow us to be your roofing company.

Proper maintenance is key for keeping a roof in top shape. Roofs made of different materials require different kind of maintenance. As you can see in our "about your roof" page we explain how your roof actually functions. However, regardless of the material used to make a flat or slanting roof, debris and weather are two major culprits behind damage and deterioration of roofs.

Whether you have a roof made of asphalt shingles or cedar shakes, you can ensure that it not only lasts longer but keeps looking beautiful for years if only you follow the under mentioned roof maintenance tips. 

• Clean off any debris from your roof on a regular basis. You should trim the tree branches that hang over your roof. It is recommended to get
•  It is recommended to get a professional roofing specialist to do a through inspection of your roof. This way you can replace loose shingles and cracked tiles before they allow any form of water damage to take place.
• Pay special attention to the flashings around vents, skylights and chimneys while checking for any sign of damage.
• Make it a point to clean gutters and down spouts every month so that they are not choked with leaves, sticks or other debris.
• Do not walk on the roof while conducting an inspection or some roof repair work. Use an extension ladder for the purpose.
• Do not commit the mistake of painting your shingles as it reduces their life span drastically and they start looking shabby in a few months time.

If you have shingles one of the most common problems of having an asphalt shingle roof is that it easily grows algae and moss the can cause moisture entrapment and hence resultant dampness and leaking. To prevent this from happening, you can install zinc control strips along the ridges and joints of the roof surface. You can also check the problem of replacing missing shingles by applying some roofing cement under loose shingle tabs. Do not forget to check the caulking from time to time and keep the same debris free. Contact us today should you have any problems when dealing with roof inspections. If you feel uncomfortable being on the roof, then allow us at SB Roofing to do the job for you, we would be happy to assist any of our customers when helping with their roof.

As with any business there are certain terms that are widely used regarding the type of work that they are involved in. Such as restaurants have their own lingo that they go by to signify to their employees that either a certain dish is ready to be taken out or they ran out of an ingredient. The same can be said about home improvement particularly roofs. Being in the business for over 15 years has made us at SB Roofing familiar with all the types of roofing lingo there is when dealing with inspections, replacement, or repair. So we put together a small list of roofing vocabulary we thought you all might like to know:

• Barge Board: A board that conceals roof timbers projecting over gables.
• Beam: A long piece of wood or steel that supports the roof.
• Cornice: The overhanging part of the roof (the part that sticks out past the building’s walls).
• Eave: The beam ends of the roof that allows water to drip off away from the building’s walls.
• Fascia: The edge of the cornice.
• Rafter: Parallel beams that support a roof.
• Soffit: The underside of the eave.
• Truss: A framework of beams that support the roof.

As always feel free to contact us for a free no obligation estimate regarding your roof and we will be happy to help you. From small repair jobs, maintenance and inspections to brand new roofing systems, we will cater to all your roofing needs. And our work is backed by a full warranty that covers labor & materials.

Whether your roof is young or old, when you see black stuff on it, chances are you are looking at algae, namely, Gloeocapsa Magma, a fungus that feeds on the crushed limestone used in the asphalt shingles of your roof. Gloeocapsa Magma is carried onto your roof by the wind, and the rain spreads the algae down the roof causing the all too familiar black streaks. Rain adds to the algae’s growth.

Ugly, yes, but even worse, dangerous and costly. Gleocapsa Magma often referred to as “black stuff on your roof” can prevent your roof from reflecting the sun’s heat. This can have a devastating effect on your cooling cost. As your roof fails to radiate heat, your attic catches the heat storing it at the top of your home. Your AC bill skyrockets as you try to account for the heat in your house.

Unfortunately cleaning your roof cannot repair a broken roof, so how do you know if you should replace it? Cleaning your roof may be a solution and is certainly a method you should explore, however, if the algae continues to return and the heat continues to rise, it may be time to consult a roofing expert.

Indications that it may be time to replace your roof include:

• Shingle granules in your rain gutters
• Thin shingles
• Shingles falling off the roof
• Deteriorating or crumbling shingles
• Wavy or warping shingles
• Shingles curling up in the corners
• A roof older than 10 years

Are you embarrassed by the way your roof looks? Do you suffer from extreme heat in your home and costly AC bills? Have you attempted to clean the black stuff off your roof but it simply returns? If so, you may have a larger issue at hand then you may think. For ease of mind, if you have questions regarding your roof, consult a knowledgeable Hampton Roads roofing expert with over 15 years experience. Our skilled contractors at SB Roofing will gladly provide you a  free no obligation estimate. Contact us today if you have any questions about roofing solutions.