How often do you look at your roof, really?

While arguably one of the most important parts of your home, the roof is usually an afterthought to most home owners. When you see a dreaded brown spot on your ceiling it generally means your roof is leaking and chances are some damage has occurred. Can your roof just be repaired or is it time to replace your roof? What determines if you can get away with a roof repair or does your home need a total roof replacement? Below is 5 ways to tell you need a new roof.

How old is your roof?

The age of your roofing system is a huge factor when it comes to ways to tell you need a new roof. Most roofing contractors agree that an asphalt shingle roof for example will need replaced in around 15 years in Florida, give or take. With the Florida sun and rain storms, shingle roofs just don’t stand up compared to tile or metal. This is not to say that a shingle roof can’t last 30 years, especially with the shingles currently available. Unfortunately, an old roof that is constantly leaking and needing repairs is a bad mix and generally points to the need for a shingle roof replacement.

Follow your neighbours lead

While one neighbour replacing their roof may just be a neighbour looking for something new, pay attention to the homes in your neighbourhood. If a few or a bunch of your neighbours are replacing their roofs, it may be a way to tell you need a new roof. Homes in the same neighbourhood are often times built similarly, and built at the same time. If you have 5 neighbours replacing their shingle roofs, chances are yours may be getting close to the end of

The roof can be one of your properties biggest investments, and yet they’re so easily neglected.

Roofs receive a lot of beating that tends to go ignored. Extreme weather, accidents, and lack of maintenance can affect the life of your properties roof and left ignored can lead to the need for a total roof replacement.

A roof that is well maintained is a great way to ensure that your property remains worry free. Below you will find a few tips for roof maintenance tips for Sarasota property managers.

Florida Climate

Managing a property in Florida, a property manager may not consider the climate in Florida when it comes to the roof on their property. While we don’t necessarily receive snow or big hail, we’re still not immune to some of natures harshest weather. As a Sarasota Property Manager you must take into consideration the climate in which your building resides. From summer storms (including hurricane season) to what feels like year round heat, the climate in Florida will affect the life of your properties roof.

 Here is some Florida climate specific tips:

In warmer climates, pest control may be an issue. Termites, squirrels, birds, and rats can all take up residence inside of your roof. Inspect the roof for any entry holes and areas these pests and vermin can make their home.

Heavy Rains and Humidity – Florida is notorious for heavy summer rains and high humidity nearly all year long. Rain & humidity are molds best friends. Mold can lead to damage and also allergies for your tenants. If a tenant reports water damage to you, remedy this as quickly as possible to avoid any growth of mold and avoid costly roof repairs.

Heavy Storms & Hurricanes – Driving rain and wind can cause severe damage to your

We here at Florida Southern Roofing have some fantastic news we would like to share with everyone!

Florida Southern Roofing has re-hired Cindi Bass, our previous Marketing Coordinator, as our “Business Development Director”.

We’re excited to welcome Cindi back to our team. Cindi Bass has had a 16 year career so far in the community association industry, being with Florida Southern Roofing from 1999-2008 as our Marketing Coordinator. Now, 7 years later, Cindi’s career has come full circle as she has come back home to the Florida Southern Roofing team. Cindi’s friendly, inviting nature creates trust with current and prospective clients. She works closely with board members, property managers, and other current and potential clients. Her consistent follow through builds the confidence needed to ensure that Florida Southern Roofing’s commitment to client satisfaction is guaranteed.

“We are glad to welcome Cindi back to Florida Southern,” said Brian Wallace, president. “She has a great network of relationships in building management and construction trades, and she has earned the respect and trust of all who’ve worked with her.”

“It is exciting to be back at Florida Southern,” Bass said. “I feel like I’m back home! I am so glad to be working with everyone here and can’t wait to see what the future brings us as a team.”

See more of the official press release welcoming Cindi Bass back to Florida Southern Roofing at Tampa Bay Newswire

Hurricane season is here and the season will run all the way through November 30th, 2015. A major hurricane, defined as a category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Scale has not hit the US since 2005 (Hurricane Wilma in October of 2005), but we still haven’t been a stranger to a devastating storm. In 2012 for example, Hurricane Sandy was responsible for over 150 deaths and caused over $50 billion in damage. Technically speaking, Sandy was an “extra-tropical cyclone” when it hit. It doesn’t take a major hurricane to cause damage to a home, and when your roof isn’t in great shape the integrity of your home can be compromised by as little as outer bands from a tropical storm or even a heavy thunderstorm.

For many, the roof is an afterthought and tends to receive the least amount of TLC when preparing your home for hurricane season. Only when we notice stains on the ceiling do we wonder if there is a leak, but the roofs integrity could already be deteriorating before even seeing the first water spot on the ceiling. Below you will find 5 ways to prepare your roof for hurricane season.

roof-inspection

Get a roof inspection

The first tip to prepare your roof for hurricane season is to get a roof inspection by a qualified roofing contractor. While there is a few ways to manually inspect your roof yourself that we will discuss later, a qualified roofing contractor has the knowledge and experience to find any weak areas on the roof, and give you a detailed report including life expectancy and estimates for repairs. A detailed roof inspection should include the full report, pictures of your home, and and an estimate for any repairs. Feel free to discuss the inspection report with your roofing contractor

For most people, the roof is an afterthought — that is until it starts to leak. Only then we realize how critical that part of our home’s exterior really is. Besides keeping the home dry, the roof contributes greatly to the look of the house. When choosing roofing material, it may pay to consider all of the options. In Florida especially, Shingle Roofs are the most common type of roofs we here at Florida Southern Roofing install. Shingle Roofs are popular for the budget conscious and can really look great, and protect well when quality materials are installed by a licensed roofing contractor. While there is many roofing types, slate, composite, metal, clay tile, wood shakes, and many many more, today we are going to focus on shingle roofs and what you should know about replacing yours.

 

 

Hiring a Shingle Roofing Contractor

 

First and foremost, you should spend a great deal of time hiring the right roofing contractor. Check the better business bureau, check online reviews, and ask friends and family for recommendations. Do your homework on your roofing contractor. Investing in a new roof is not a small expense and quality installation is the key to preventing problems down the road. Make sure that your contractor is licensed and insured. Don’t just take their word for it either. Ask for their license number and verify!

 

Florida Southern Roofing is proud to be a licensed Sarasota roofing contractor and you can verify our license #CCC-054787 anytime.

shingle roof problems

When it’s Time to Replace Your Shingle Roof

 

As the picture above shows, there are many indicators that it may be time to replace your shingle roof. Dark spots? Signs of water damage? Missing Shingles? While repairs may be possible, when coupled with age (12+ years)

American International Group, Inc. announced that the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has approved their request to replace human roof inspectors with small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Every year across the US insurance inspectors inspect roofs of buildings to check for storm damage and check structures destroyed by natural disasters. The insurance company AIG announced on April 8th, 2015 was granted an exemption by the FAA to start using drones in place of human inspectors for these types of risky jobs. This follows similar exemptions for State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. and United Services Automobile Association.

“AIG likely won’t be able to fly the devices over neighborhood homes, at least not yet”

“AIG is committed to continuous improvement and innovation in providing better, faster, and safer risk and claims assessments to our customers,” said Eric Martinez, Executive Vice President, Claims and Operations, AIG. “Leveraging cutting edge technologies like UAVs can enhance our ability to assess and mitigate risks to better help our customers and their communities prepare for and rebuild after a catastrophic event.” the company said in their press release.

For now, the UAVs will only operate for commercial purposes, and must be flown by a human pilot. It’s very possible in the near future that residential houses will be given the exemption as well, and that buzzing you hear over your house will simply be a drone checking your roof. “Because of the guidelines, AIG likely won’t be able to fly the devices over neighborhood homes, at least not yet”, said Mark McKinnon, an attorney working for AIG.

AIG started work on its drone effort in 2010 and has since been testing at FAA sites over the last year.

As your roof ages and sustains various weather damage, certain areas can become susceptible to leaks. It is important as a homeowner, property manager, or business owner to keep an eye on your roof and address any leaks or damage, sooner than later, to avoid costly repairs and other unexpected dangers of a leaking roof you may not be aware of.

Roof leaks can happen for many reasons; age, severe weather conditions, improper installation, and lack of maintenance and upkeep. No matter the reason, a roof leak is a serious issue that must be addressed as soon as possible to avoid these unforeseen dangers of a leaking roof:

Black mold in a homeowners roof

Firstly one of the more serious dangers of a leaking roof: Mold. Mold spreads quickly through the structure of the home, into the HVAC system and subsequently through the home through the vents. Once mold has made it into the HVAC system of a home it can then get into the carpeting, your furniture, and even your clothes. Black mold is the most common mold caused from water intrusion, it is more than just an aesthetic problem; it can actually make you and your family very sick. According to HGTV the most common health concerns are respiratory related. Chronic coughing and sneezing, irritation to the eyes, mucus membranes of the nose and throat, rashes, chronic fatigue and persistent headaches can all be symptomatic of black mold exposure.

Fire Hazard

Is your electrical wiring present in your attic or through your ceiling? This could pose a fire hazard if your roof is leaking. Wires can short out due to water and cause a fire in your home. It is recommended you turn off the electricity to these areas and contact an electrician as soon as possible as

Everyone likes the feeling of owning something brand new. Whether it’s a new car, new clothes, or a new roof, having it brand new is clean and nice, right?

 

Things don’t stay new forever though, and a roof is no different. When you re-roof your home, the day it’s finished it’s a great feeling; new and clean. Whether a tile or a shingle roof, years later it will loose its “new” and “clean” look and may need to be cleaned to maintain that new feeling.

Many people do not realize that you can actually clean a roof. After years, your shingle or tile roof may have unsightly staining and lack that new feeling due to moisture from humidity, moss, debris, and unfortunately algae. Everybody want’s a beautiful property, and your roof is a big part of maintaining that beauty.

With proper roof maintenance you can keep your roof leak free and avoid major damage in the future, but you should also consider adding roof cleaning to your yearly or bi-yearly roof maintenance plan.

Unfortunately, repeated roof cleaning can actually cause more damage to your roof – and high pressure pressure washing on a tile roof can sometimes cause more harm than good, breaking and cracking tiles. Florida Southern Roofing is now an authorized applicator for Roof-A-Cide.

What is Roof-A-Cide?

Roof-A-Cide is the only cost-effective alternative that eliminates the damage caused by repeated roof cleaning. We clean the roof once, if needed, and apply Roof-A-Cide every 2 years thereafter. Since Roof-A-Cide is non toxic, and contains no harsh chemicals, it will not damage landscaping, the roof surface or the underlying roof membrane. Roof-A-Cide is EPA Approved and safe for people, pets and plants.

 

Roof-A-Cide has been tested and approved by the largest producers of concrete tile, clay tile, and

If a metal roof system is an option you’re considering for your home’s roof, you should look at the pros and cons of metal roofing against other common roof materials (shingles and tile).

Below is a closer look at some of the benefits of metal roofing systems as well as the drawbacks you may encounter when considering a metal roof for your home.

1.) Metal is Lightweight

Metal roofing, depending on its gauge, can weigh anywhere from .7 to 1.3 pounds per square foot. Other common roofing materials like asphalt shingles can weigh 2 to 2 ½ pounds per square foot, and tile can weigh as much as 10 pounds per square foot.

2.) Longevity

When considering to replace the roof on your home, longevity is a huge factor in your choice of roof material. You want something that will stand the test of time and last. Metal roofs have been found to last up to 70 years. This is much longer than traditional asphalt roofing which usually lasts from 10 to 20 years, and in the Florida sun can be much less.

 

3.) Fire Resistant

Metal Roof systems are given a Class A fire rating (which is the most resistant). Metal roofs are noncombustible, and thus are given the great rating.

4.) Energy Efficient

Metal Roof systems can save you a lot of money annually on energy costs. A metal roof reflects the hot Florida sun’s energy and blocks heat transmission from the roof to building members and living space. This will immensely cut back on your homes cooling costs.

5.) Additional Re-Sale Value

Installing metal roofing on your home can help in the long-term if you plan to sell your home. According to Metal Roofing Alliance, homeowners who replace their roofing systems with standing-seam metal show a

According to The Bradenton Herald, The Florida Division of Insurance Fraud, the Department of Business & Professional Regulation, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, Holmes Police Department and Manatee County Code Enforcement teamed up and over the course of a three day sting operation arrested 11 unlicensed contractors. They were arrested for working as an unlicensed contractor and working without workers’ compensation insurance. All 11 were also fined by code enforcement and they were issued a cease and desist order.

When hiring a roofing contractor in Bradenton, you should always verify the contractors licensing information before starting any work. While you’re at it, check to see if there is any complaints at the BBB for the company you’re looking to hire. Always verify the company you choose to contract with also has Worker’s Compensation Insurance. If you hire a company that doesn’t offer worker’s comp and an employee gets injured on your property you might find yourself being held responsible for the injury. Don’t take that chance!

If you would like to verify the licensing for any roofing contractor in Bradenton, or any contractor in any city in Florida, you can check www.myfloridalicense.com. Florida Southern Roofing’s license number is: CCC-054787, for the record.