With the winter months upon us, many homeowners will experience leakage as a result of “ice dams”.

Formation of ice dams commonly occur along the eave edges, in valleys, and along dormers as snow builds up in these areas.  Warming temperatures and heat loss from the structure causes the underlying snow to melt and then refreeze at the eave edges, forming a build up of ice.  The end result is an ice dam.

The build up of this ice blocks additional melting and water run off.  The water then begins to build and back up underneath the shingles, entering the interior.  Leakage from ice dams is often significant and expensive to repair.  Our best advice is to have professional roofers remove heavy snow build ups as they occur.  For your own safety, it is recommended that only licensed and insured professional roofing contractors be contacted for this service.  They have the equipment and expertise to perform an otherwise dangerous task.

For all your roof snow and ice removal, contact Superior Services R.S.H., Inc. @ 517-321-8222 or 800-843-6561.

It’s widely known and understood that roof coatings are often a less expensive alternative to a complete roof replacement.  Coatings can not only extend the life of an existing roof system, but result in energy savings as well.

The use of light colored reflective coatings not only provide a protective barrier against ultraviolet rays that break down roof membranes, but they also can reduce the roof surface temperatures by 40 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

In “Potential Benefits of Cool Roofs on Commercial Buildings: Conserving Energy, Saving Money and Reducing Emissions of Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollutants,” LBNL scientists Hashem Akbari and Ronnen Levinson estimate if roofs on 80 percent of air-conditioned commercial buildings in the U.S. were coated to qualify as cool roofs (a conservative 55% aged solar reflectance), the buildings’ owners would save more than 10,000 gigawatt hours of energy annually valued at about $725 million.  These energy savings also would result in an annual reduction of more than 6 megatons of carbon dioxide production, which is equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions of about 1.25 million automobiles.

In conclusion, a quality roof coating formulated to ASTM International Performance Standards and properly selected for its intended application should provide years of service and benefit.

For any questions regarding “Roof Coating”,  contact Superior Services R.S.H., Inc., Lansing, Michigan @ 800-843-6561

Prior to winter we recommend that a qualified person inspect the following:

1. Perform a visual inspection of your roof, looking for any signs of missing or broken shingles.  Pay special attention to flashing details such as plumbing stacks, chimneys, wall transitions, and valleys.

2. Remove any debris or leaves that may have accumulated on the roof surface.

3. Inspect eavestroughing for leaf build up or debris that may hinder the drainage.  Ice and snow build up in the winter is often a result of inadequate drainage resulting from clogged gutters and downspouts.

4. Look for paint peeling along fascias and overhangs.  Often this is a sign moisture is penetrating the wood from the roof surface or flashing details.

5. Remove any low hanging tree limbs that may be overhanging the roof.  Tree limbs can prematurely wear out the roof surface and also aid in the growth of algae.

Remember, your roof is exposed to everything Mother Nature throws at it 24/7.  A little maintenance today can go a long way towards preventing expensive repairs and interior damage tomorrow.