Day: August 19, 2021

How Chicago Weather Impacts Your Roofing

How Chicago Weather Impacts Your Roofing

As a Chicago-area homeowner – whether your home is in Des Plaines or Lincoln Park, you’re going to have to deal with the weather and its impacts on your roofing every single year that you own the home. It’s just a fact of homeownership in the Upper Midwest. Seriously, here in Chicago we not only see savage Midwest seasons – often one after another – but it’s all exacerbated by the big body of water we have sitting off our Eastern limits.

You can be sure that Lake Michigan has something to say about how long your roof will last. And it’s not a gentle neighbor so you’re going to have to fight back to keep your roofing in good shape for as long as possible. That’s where roof maintenance from Roofing by Hernandez comes in. It can help you mitigate the issues caused by the weather and strengthen your roof’s chances of lasting for as long as the manufacturer intended.

How Does Weather Impact Roofing Systems In Chicago?

Okay, so we’ve established that weather is the enemy of your Chicago-area roofing. And we’ve touched on the fact that roof maintenance from Roofing by Hernandez can help you fend off the weather’s advances. But exactly how does Chicago weather make its presence felt where roofing is concerned? There are a couple ways this happens so let’s take a look at each of them:

Weather Impact #1: High Winds

Probably the most common weather impact on roofing seen in the Chicago area comes from high winds. They call Chicago the Windy City for more than just weather but that definitely plays a role in living here. High winds can make any roofing system fragile due to the way they hit the structure. Crosswinds and updrafts can get under roofing material – especially asphalt shingles – and wreak havoc once the drafts hit the cracks. While this may not be obvious to the casual observer, these small cracks being widened every time a windstorm kicks up will lead to serious trouble – from water seeping in, missing roof elements like shingles and potential fall damage if something comes loose. Best to call for a roof inspection right away!

Weather Impact #2: Hail Storms

Depending on how long you’ve lived in the Chicago area, you’ve probably become acquainted with hailstorms. Yes, they hit the city pretty frequently and that could increase if the climate experts are right in the long-term assessments. And that would be bad for all the homeowners in the area because hail is a major contributor to roof damage throughout the area. No matter what type of roofing system you have in place – be it flat roofing, low-slope roofing or pitched roofing using asphalt shingles – hailstones can do tremendous damage and leave you with thousands in repair or replacement costs. If the hailstones are big enough – if the thunderstorm is powerful enough – you’re going to need an expert roofer for immediate roof repairs.

Weather Impact #3: Snow & Ice Dams

Again, if you’re a Chicago-area homeowner then you know what an ice dam is and how much snow we see here each and every year. Even in light winters, ice dams are a real concern for homeowners across the region. Why? well, that’s pretty clear to anyone who’s seen one. They’re huge, often weighing hundreds of pounds, and can come loose at any time. And because the ice is attached to your home’s edges, this can lead to enormous damage to your property and/or anyone near it when it falls. Plus, we have tons of snow that has to be cleared from roofing to ensure it doesn’t cause structural damage that you’ll have to pay to repair. That’s where ice dam removal and snow removal services from Roofing by Hernandez truly come in handy. You get expert service with just one phone call!

What Can You Do To Protect Your Chicago-Area Roof From Weather?

There’s a very simple way to protect your home’s roofing system from the negative impacts of Midwest weather – start a conversation with Roofing by Hernandez about all the ways we can assist you in preventing weather from becoming a problem. From roof maintenance plans that catch any and all issues long before they become bigtime problems to affordable and lasting roof repairs that do more than just apply a temporary stopgap, our licensed and insured professionals treat your roof like they would their own and never settle for anything less than stellar service.

Get started today by calling (312) 439-0556 or submitting a contact form inquiring into any of our weather-related roofing services. Our helpful, friendly staff will answer all your questions and provide you with clear recommendations and pricing in a free estimate covering any service you require. So, don’t delay – make the call now to ensure Chicago weather doesn’t get its claws into your roofing system!

Roof Maintenance vs. Roof Replacement

Roof Maintenance vs. Roof Replacement

One of the most frustrating parts of being a Chicago-area roofing professional – like the kind that work at Roofing by Hernandez – is watching an installation fall apart because of the lack of adequate roof maintenance. You’d be surprised how many homeowners simply don’t think about roof maintenance or believe it to be something only commercial roofs require. But really, roofs are all made from the same materials – no matter what type of roof they happen to be.

So, in order to try to convince our customers that roof maintenance – the kind of roof maintenance delivered by the licensed and insured professionals from Roofing by Hernandez – is a better option than leaving your roofing to its own devices. Or worse still, waiting until roof repairs just won’t cut it anymore to think about preventative attention for what is one of the largest investments you’ll make.

Roof Replacement Is Expensive & Repairs Are Short-Term Solutions

Let’s take a look at average roof replacement costs versus the costs of proper roof maintenance from Roofing by Hernandez. We’ll start with a cost per square foot average for replacement:

• Average Cost-Per-Square Foot Roof Replacement: $250 – $1,000

As you can see, it gets really expensive when you start thinking about roof replacement as the only available solution to an existing roofing issue. Roof repairs are not much cheaper.

Speaking of repair, we might as well take a look at the costs of the average roof repair in Chicago. Keep in mind, these prices are based on the materials and labor involved:

• Average Cost of Roof Repair – Chicagoland: $250 – $750

Now let’s compare that to the average cost of roof maintenance for a home in the Chicago area when Roofing by Hernandez is on the job. Needless to say, this is the best pricing in town:

• Average Yearly Cost of Roof Maintenance: $750

It’s All About Prevention – Maintenance Keeps A Roof In Good Shape!

Okay, we can guess what you’re thinking. Why spend more for roof maintenance than a roof repair? The answer to that question is obvious when you think about it. Roof repair is addressing a problem. It’s fixing something broken with your roofing system. It’s trying to shore it up. It’s not correcting it long-term and it’s not supposed to as that’s what replacement is for. No, roof repairs are short-term solutions in most cases – say 2-5 years – and not meant to renew the system’s overall installation.

Roof maintenance, on the other hand, is all about preventing any issues in the first place. It’s about keeping the costs down long-term by ensuring that no problems ever get past the identification and mitigation stages. And that – no matter what type of roofing system you have in place – is the pathway to a long and worry-free life for your roof. And far fewer homeowner headaches for you!

Would You Ignore A Check Engine Light? Then Don’t Ignore Your Roofing!

The best way to think about roof maintenance is the same way you think about your vehicle. You get oil changes every 3,000-5,000 miles. You take it to a mechanic when it needs a tune-up. You give it the attention it needs because it works hard for you. You don’t want it to breakdown on you at the worst possible time do you? Of course you don’t and that’s how it should be when you think about your roof too.

It’s working hard for you around the clock – especially with Chicago’s Midwest weather – so it deserves a professional’s attention yearly to keep it strong for as long as the manufacturer intended. That’s right, roofing systems today are built with roof maintenance in mind so give Roofing by Hernandez a call at (312) 439-0556 or submit a contact form to learn more about our proactive and affordable roof maintenance plans for your home today!