Day: December 10, 2020

Roofing by Hernandez ensures that each step in building your roof is done with a level of precision that you can count on. Each step in the process is important to do properly so your home will have protection for years to come. If you are looking for a roofer to install a new roof, it would be in your best interest to do a little research to know the steps it takes to install a roof properly. Also, do your research on the roofer you are considering before hiring that company. If you are interested in what goes into building a roof, you’ve come to the right place. Here we have broken down the process into steps for you to understand.

Identify Local Building Codes & Obtain Permits

Make sure to check with your residential local building codes regarding roofs. Certain cities require only particular materials or a specific number of shingles. This is to ensure aesthetic continuity in the community and to prevent any untoward incident uprooted roofing materials cause during any possible violent weather conditions. Before starting, obtain any building permits to avoid any costly local civil code penalties.

Old Roof Tear-Off Before a new roof can be installed on an existing structure, the old roof must be removed in its entirety. Be careful to ask what your roofer plans to do and check to make sure they aren’t skipping steps. There have been fly-by-night roofing companies known to lay new roofing materials over the old roof. This is a sure sign that your roof isn’t being properly installed. Typically, you will see a shovel being used and all of the trash being thrown away first before new materials are brought out. It can be time-consuming to tear off all old roof shingles. If pieces of the old roof are left behind it can tear into your new shingles which can shorten the life of your roof. It is very important to not skim past the steps in the process because the roof is vital protection for your house.

A Drip Edge is Installed: A drip edge is a metal flashing that is installed around the edges of the roof and allows water to drain off which prevents shingles curving and from ruining fascia boards. The drip edge overhangs the sides of the roof and is fastened to the eaves before the underlayment is installed. The drip edge will need to be nailed every couple of feet to keep it firm and secure.

Underlayment is Rolled Out: Underlayment is important because it can prevent ice dams and strong winds from allowing water into the house. This material self-sticks, so the backing is peeled off and the underlayment is applied as flat and straight as possible to the deck. Depending on the temperature (warmer is better) it might stick on its own or require a few nails to keep it in place.

Cover the Roof with Felt: Felt or tar paper put on next. It’s a simple process of rolling out the material in short sections and stapling it in place. This is used to prevent water from getting under the shingles. The material should overlap the one laid before to create adequate coverage so make sure this is done correctly.

Install Drip Molding & Waterproof Roof Valleys: Drip molding leads rainwater straight to the gutters of your roof. A chalk line is used to align the drip molds which are typically installed by 12 inches. Roof valleys help to direct rainwater away from the roof. Then the felt paper is installed with different methods to protect the roof valleys to allow the specific structure of the valley coverage. Now that the underlayment and drip edge is complete, it’s time for the shingles to start.

Starter Shingles Then Install Shingles: The first step is to create the first row of flat regular shingles. The roofer needs to lay starter shingles first. Shingles are meant to overlap one another for correct shingle coverage. This creates a barrier that prevents leaks by keeping the water from running in between the seams of the first shingles. Once the flat row is nailed then the shingles are installed in an overlapping pattern and secured with a nail gun. The roofer will work his way up and across hammering each nail about 2 inches from each end of a shingle. Then will secure another nail an inch above each cutout. Each shingle at the end of the row should be cut to size, then repeating to the ridge. The shingle is then bent over the ridge so that each side is equal and it’s nailed into place. The shingle process can seem time-consuming but because it’s the last stretch it’s probably is the most fun and easiest part of roofing a house.

Flashing is Installed: This extra step that should be completed to ensure a tight seal around structures on the house. Flashing will be installed around anything that’s on the roof such as sunlight, windows, or chimney.

Cap the Ridge: You may have noticed the top shingles that cover the very peak of your roof, those are specific shingles designed for capping the ridge at the peak of your roof. These tougher shingles may require longer nails as they are securing many layers of shingles. These also give the roof a finished look that is great for curb appeal.

Clean & Apply Roofing Seal: Make sure that your roofer removes all trash and any debris leftover from the job. Then they will seal the exposed nails and also use roofing adhesive to create a watertight seal around the exposed nails. This helps to protect the nails from becoming loose during bad weather conditions.

So now you will have a better idea of what it takes to build a shingle roof. As you can see, there are many steps required to create a stable structure to protect your home. So you can see how important it is to choose the correct team or company to complete the job. Please call us for your free estimate.

A modified bitumen roofing system is popularly used on roofs in Chicago because of its superior quality and ability to withstand the harsh climate. Modified bitumen is a roofing asphalt that is used for flat roofs; it has many layered sheets of fiberglass or polyester that are combined with asphalt for a durable high-strength flat roof. It’s one of the most common low-slope roofing systems. Not to be confused with similar materials like asphalt roll roofing, EPDM, or TPO, modified bitumen combines hot asphalt with plastic and rubber additives. It is the top choice due to its waterproofing feature. A bituminous roof is used to build water & vapor-proof. The flexibility and protection are why it’s so widely used. But in the city, you can’t have modified bitumen membrane roofs without a coating.

DID YOU KNOW? The city of Chicago requires that modified bitumen membrane roofs be aluminum coated to be in compliance. The cost for this service runs between $1.00 – $1.50 per square feet.

Roofing by Hernandez has many years of experience with this type of roof installation. We are also available to perform maintenance, patchwork caulking where it’s needed before coating the roofs.

These are a few typical aluminum coatings that are commonly used.

• 628 Aluminum Coating Utility Grade – Non-Fibrated Provides A reflective surface for roofs, metal buildings, and mobile homes. Formulated from specially refined asphalt, aliphatic solvents, and ASTM D-926
• 608 Aluminum Coating 2 Lb. – Non-Fibrated A reflective surface for roofs, metal buildings, tanks, and mobile homes. Formulated from refined asphalt, aromatic and aliphatic solvents, and 2 lbs per gallon of ASTM D-962 aluminum paste.
• 648 Aluminum Coating 3 Lb. – Non-Fibrated The difference is that it uses refined asphalt, aliphatic solvents, and 3 lbs. per gallon of ASTM-962 leafing aluminum paste.

The Lucas brand is the one we use most often. They specialize in coatings and mastics for the roofing trade.

Any waterproof flat or low slope roofing has three main sections which include the membrane forms, flashing, and seals. The membrane forms the bulk of roofing on flat roofs. In modified bitumen’s case, this is where bitumen and reinforcing materials are layered. The more layers there are, the longer the life span can be. Flashing generally refers to anything that creates a seal around interruptions in the body of the membrane. These include pipes, vents, and roof edges. Seals refer to any sealed overlap (i.e. joint) between two waterproof materials. It could be any combination of membrane and flashing. Depending on the polymer blend, cold adhesives, hot-welding, or self-adhesion can be useful in creating seals. Roof failures are known to occur in seals and flashing, so the installation calls for special care to ensure that these parts are sealed continuously. Then the aluminum coating is installed to ensure that everything is up to the code and regulations set by the city of Chicago.

Please call Roofing by Hernandez today for your free consultation on a modified bitumen roofing system and/ or aluminum coating.

The insurance claim process can feel very intimidating for homeowners. It can be time-consuming and frustrating if you don’t have much knowledge of what to expect. Many owners simply don’t want to do the tedious paperwork that is involved with claims. Typically, the first thing most homeowners do after seeing damage to their roof is to call their insurance company. It may seem like the logical first step but may not be in your best interest. Did you know that your roofing contractor can help walk you through the insurance process? You may not realize that a good roofing company will assist with the insurance paperwork. They will document the damage for you along with giving an estimate, then will work directly with the insurance company on your behalf.

Your roofing company will assess the damage and create a thorough estimate to send to the insurance company. If you call the insurance company first, they will send the adjuster hired through them. The difference between an insurance adjuster and a roofing contractor is that they don’t work on roofs every day. Adjusters just don’t have the experienced knowledge that a roofer has when looking at the damage. Sometimes the insurance adjuster looks at surface damage and may miss damage underneath that a roofer would know to look for and would document in detail. A roofing contractor will search for the root of the damage and uncover the underlying structural problems.

You definitely want to consider calling your roofer first because they can get you prepared before calling your insurance company. Roofing by Hernandez has access to using the same estimated software that the insurance adjuster will use and we work with insurance claims every day so we’ve got the experience and expertise to make the claim process much easier for you. The estimate through Roofing by Hernandez can then be compared to the estimate given from the insurance company and the contractor can explain the additional items that are needed to repair the roof accurately. Most importantly the contractor will negotiate directly with the insurance company to ensure that they are considering all of the repairs needed and will distribute sufficient funds to properly replace or repair the roof of your home. As your roofing contractor, we will be in your corner and will have your back when negotiating with the insurance company.

Once an occurrence happens maybe you see roof damage after a storm and you need to file a claim, do you know where to start? As a homeowner, hopefully, you will go your entire life without making an insurance claim, but as they say hope for the best and be prepared in case something does happen. A roof on a home is just as crucial as the foundation, if damage occurs and is not fixed immediately the next storm could bring the house down, so to speak, and if an owner is not prepared they could lose the contents of their home as well. If you recently noticed water damage in your house after a storm and are looking for the steps to file a claim, you’re in luck! We’ve created easy steps to guide you. And are here for you every step of the way so you can breathe easy. Call us for more information on how we can help.

Step 1: Documentation with Photos– As soon as you notice damage has occurred get your camera out and capture what you see. Make sure to get different angles and zoom in on the details. Sometimes, water damage can only be seen after a rainstorm. If the pictures are taken after the water dries, this may result in an insurance denial or underpayment. Take photos from the inside and out and anything that was affected by the damage. Rule of thumb, don’t dispose of any shingles or rotted wood from the roof. These items may give more information about what’s going on underneath the surface. Document when and where the damage occurred. Be very detailed in your description and with your photos. It’s better to have too much information than not enough when dealing with an insurance company because it could mean the difference between a successful or unsuccessful payout.

Step 2: Gain Knowledge on Your Insurances- It’s very important to have an idea of what your homeowner’s insurance entails and understand the terms. You may not have read through your insurance paperwork when you signed and perhaps won’t feel the need to look over it until something disastrous happens. Perhaps the most affordable option was chosen at the time so you could keep your mortgage/escrow payments as low as possible. Did you choose a high deductible so that your monthly or annual payment would be lower? Understanding what type of policy you bought is something in which attention needs to be focused on. You need to prepare yourself for the deductible that will be requested. Have you saved that amount just in case? Would a loan be needed to cover the difference? Did you purchase extra contents insurance that may reimburse you for any items that had water damage? Research what you have and understand what is covered in your homeowner’s insurance policies.

Step 3: Contact Your Roofing Contractor Before Filing a Claim– If you’re like most people, lengthy paperwork is probably not your favorite thing to do. It’s a time-consuming process to gather the information and complete every component correctly because if something is not accurate it could create a stall in the process. When filing a claim on your homeowners’ insurance, there may be sections or questions that are confusing. A homeowner may get intimidated by the paperwork and procrastinate. This can be a terrible decision because all it takes is another storm to come through to create more damage while you are waiting. An owner may become discouraged because it’s taking too long to hear back from the insurance claim representative. This is why it’s so relieving to have a good roofing company like Roofing By Hernandez (RBH) to be in your corner when your home has been severely damaged. RBH can see what is included based on your specific insurance policy. A roofing contractor can give the best options for repair, we will give estimates & all the needed paperwork to the insurance company for you. We will speak directly with them so you don’t have to. We will handle the headache of negotiations and have many years experience doing so which will give you the peace of mind that it is handled and you can go back to your daily life without feeling the frustrations of your claim. We will work together as a team to ensure that the insurance company provides proper compensation for your repairs. We have many clients that have shown their gratitude for our involvement in their process.

Step 4: Start the Paperwork– You will need to do your part by helping your roofing contractor gather the much-needed information to file your claim. This paperwork feels like a hassle, but with our help, it doesn’t have to be. We will need access to the property to evaluate the damage. All of the policy information is needed along with your findings and photos. Proof of loss form may be needed for contents. Be sure to retrieve and give all of the necessary paperwork to your roofing contractor as soon as you can so we can start this process immediately.

Best Shingle for My Home: Duration Shingles from Owens Corning

Duration Shingles with SureNail Technology by Owens Corning Roofing & Asphalt!

As a Roofing Company, we’ve worked with many shingle brands and manufacturers. There can be a big difference between the shingles that are used to cover a roof.

Lower-grade shingles are builders grade shingles. They may only last 5-7 years; then you may start to have issues. The higher-end shingle brands will hold to higher warranties. As the shingle manufacturing has evolved so have the warranty lengths. Warranties went from 10 years to 30 years to now covering a lifetime warranty on your roof.

One way to tell if a shingle brand is a good one is the weight. Asphalt is expensive and weighs a good bit. The less valued brand shingles may seem lighter weight and it’s because the manufacturer perhaps cut corners and used less asphalt. Their shingles packaging when weighed will not be as consistent compared to higher quality brands. Quality shingles use consistency in their granule amounts and asphalt.

The easiest way to tell if a brand of shingles is top of the line is the nail zone. The first thing the manufacturer does when you’ve claimed a problem with the shingles is looking at how they were installed. The inspector is looking at the nail zone. The best shingles will have an obvious nailing zone. You will see a distinct line in the higher grade shingles. Lower quality shingles have a narrower nailing zone and simply aren’t consistent. The manufacturer inspector may say that the shingle was installed in error such as high nailed so it’s not covered. The lower end shingle manufacturers don’t want to stand behind a long-term warranty and don’t have distinct lines to show an obvious installation so it creates a gray area.

This nail zone is the main difference between other shingle manufacturers and Owens Corning Roofing & Asphalt because they use SureNail technology design. What is so outstanding about SureNail design? It features a tough engineered sturdy fabric on the nailing area which provides the extra reinforcement on the critical interface where the shingle is fastened to the roof deck. It creates an extremely obvious nailing zone with enhanced true bond, woven fabric tape that is embedded in the shingle. No other shingle has this patented SureNail technology. This adds a great deal of strength and superior adhesion to the shingle which is what keeps the warranty and wind warranty in existence. Owens Corning puts its products through testing with pull resistance. 87% of contractors rated the Duration Shingles with SureNail technology as the best compared to other shingle products.

From experienced experts who have used many shingle brands over the years, Roofing by Hernandez stands behind this product: Duration Shingles with SureNail technology by Owens Corning Roofing & Asphalt.