Is Your Roof Ready for Winter?

Kansas City roofers are still repairing hail damage from the April storm. There were upwards of 85,000 roofs damaged in April's storms and firms in KC, Grain Valley, Blue Springs, and Johnson County are still working on those repairs.

Haven't gotten around to it yet? This is a great time to schedule your repairs.

First, the stormchasers have packed up and left, so you're less likely to end up with a company that's here and gone and won't be coming back to fix any little problems with their work.

Second, the weather's great. That means we can get crews on your roof for longer periods in the day and get the work completed more quickly. A month from now, we'll be seeing snow flurries, and that won't be the right time to get your roof repairs done.

Finally, you probably know by now if there has been damage that is serious enough to be a concern. If you're not sure, don't head into winter with that worry. A solid roof is protection from rain, snow, and storms, and it can affect your energy costs as well.

Bill West Roofing has been serving the greater Kansas City area for two generations. Call us now and head into winter with confidence.

GREATER KANSAS CITY AREA

• Blue Springs:
  (816) 229-5215
• Lee's Summit:
  (816) 246-7117
• Independence:
  (816) 252-2882
• Liberty:
  (816) 781-8338
• Raytown:
  (816) 356-2552
• Johnson County, KS
  (913) 752-9200

How Hot Is It?

On your roof, where roofers are working to get your shingles in place before the next rain? As much as 150 degrees.

In the recent extreme heat, temperatures in the Kansas City area have hit three digits. The materials on roofs are designed to reflect heat, helping to keep the homes they protect cooler.

If you're on the roof, that means that the heat is reflected right onto you. At noon, you'll be just about at the right temperature for barbecue.

The only solution is not to work on the roof at noon. This is why most roofers work early and late, and not in the middle of the day.

Extreme Heat

There's the nice hot day when it's a pleasure to work outside in the warm sun. Then there's serious heat.

Working outdoors in extreme heat can be dangerous. As roofers, we know the dangers and we're cautious. We start early in the morning and break during the worst heat of the day.

If your roofers do this, know that they aren't just taking a siesta. Heat exhaustion can lead to falls and worse.

Wear light colored clothing to reflect the sun's heat, drink plenty of water, and work in the shade when you can. If you notice that one of your workers has stopped sweating or seems disoriented, get that person out of the sun and into a cool place. Have them sip water slowly till they get their temperature back down to normal.

Out of Town Roofers?

Here's a news report from outside of our area. Do you think Kansas City isn't facing the same kind of problem?

Here are our hints for avoiding stormchasers:

• Just like the reporter said, don't get hustled into making a quick decision and paying up front. 
• Make sure your roofers have harnesses, insurance, and full licensing. We follow all OSHA regulations so you never have to worry -- don't work with anyone who can't say the same. 
• Research the company before you commit. Bill West Roofing has been working in the Kansas City area for nearly 35 years. We're not going anywhere. If you need us tomorrow or next year, you can give us a call. 

If you're in Grain Valley, Blue Springs, Johnson County, or anywhere in the Kansas City area, contact Bill West Roofing  and let us fix your roof safely and securely.

Will DIY Roof Repair Save You Money?

We've said before that there are issues of quality and know-how that might discourage you from doing your own roofing work.

Would it save you money if you did it yourself? Not necessarily. Consider these factors:

• Cost of materials. You're going to pay more at your local home center than a pro will, or you'll get lower quality materials, or both.  Probably both. 
• Cost of tools. We already own all the tools needed to do the job. Do you?
• Cost of safety equipment. Our guys all own harnesses, and we have all the safety gear we need. Do you? You don't have the kind of insurance we do, either. 
• Cost of your time. You do pay a pro for the time spent in fixing your roof. Your time is worth something, too. Here's the difference: it will take you longer. Not only do we have the experience to do the job faster, and to do it right the first time, but you'll very likely have to stop and make more trips to that local home center for things you didn't realize you'd need.
• Opportunity cost. Don't forget that the time you spend working on your roof is time you won't spend doing something else. What's the value of the things you would have been doing? If you're taking time away from your family, count that too. 

You won't have a warranty for your work, either.

If roofing is your hobby and you love to do it, that's one thing. If not, you won't be saving as much as you think you will.

Stormchasers, and Why They Don't Belong on Your Roof

"Stormchasers" has a few meanings, but one kind of stormchaser is the itinerant roofer who shows up after the kinds of storms we've been having lately.

You might think it would be fine to save a bit of money by going with these temporary roofers to get your repairs done.

Think twice. Here are just a few of the problems that can arise when you pick stormchasers instead of your locals professionals:

• Quality issues. Obviously, someone who can do the job and skedaddle is less accountable than a company that is settled in the Kansas City area. 
• Safety issues. Stormchasers aren't known for following all OSHA regulations and having insurance. That may not seem like your problem -- till someone gets hurt on your property and sues. 
• Reliability. Bill West Roofing has been the Kansas City region for more than 35 years. We've taken care of your neighbors roofs, your parents' roof, and maybe even your roof. You can be sure that we'll be around in the future if you have questions or concerns.

You're better off with a reputable local company than with someone who's just passing through -- even if it sounds like a bargain. 

Storms, Insurance, and Your Roof

You've got your power back on, you've had a look around to see what the damage is, and you're ready to repair what the storm did to your home.

Now what?

5800 property claims are expected in the greater Kansas City area in the wake of the recent severe storms. Naturally, insurance companies are doing their best to control costs and reduce the amount they pay out to homeowners.

Unfortunately, this means that homeowners who have less information will be the losers. Insurance companies will try to repair or replace only part of a damaged roof, without considering how that affects your warranty. They'll try to offer a payment based only on the square footage of the damage, not considering the effect the shape and construction of the roof have on roofing costs. Faced with these responses, you may be tempted to go with the cheapest price you can possibly find -- or you may feel forced to do so.

Instead, let your roofing professionals work with the insurance company for you. At Bill West Roofing, we meet your insurance adjuster, we work out any price discrepancies, and we invoice your insurance company when the job is complete. As it says on our website,  "We work with all insurance companies but we work for you."

Hail on the Roof

We've been enjoying some spectacular weather lately, but it's not long since we had hail, and we'll likely have some more before the season is over.

Hail is just balls of ice falling like rain or snow from the sky. Gravity brings it onto your home or car, and the wind can drive it against surfaces even more strongly.

Makes you glad you have a roof.

Most hail damage to roofs is just cosmetic: a pock marked vent or a shingle with a little bit of scarring. But hail can do actual damage to your roof in the form of split wood shingles, balding asphalt shingles, or plain old broken shingles of any kind.

Bill West Roofing can help with repairs now and hail-resistant shingles for the future.

While repairing your roof without professional guidance may cut costs in the short term, it’s not always a long-term fix.

If your roof needs some repairs, do some research to administer a proper fix. If you have any questions or are uncomfortable, seek the guidance of a qualified roofing contractor so you don’t make common roofing mistakes.

Homeowners often make errors, unknowingly, when they make routine repairs to their roof. Recognizing the problems and correcting them can keep your roof in top-shape condition, and safe from the spring elements.

Inadequate fastening

Nails and fasteners that keep the roof deck together and the shingle roofing adhered to the deck can be a sign of sub-par installation, and can pierce the shingles. Remove the loose or mislaid nails and replace with new. Use up to six nails per shingle, laid right under the seal-down strip of the shingle. Replace cracked shingles at this time.

Shingle roof selection problems

Choosing a shingle that has a continuous seal-down strip can contribute to leaks. Select a shingle product that has breaks in the adhesive between each strip; this prohibits water from seeping under the shingle. When repairing roofs with valleys, make sure to add flashing at the angle to prevent water damage.

Flashing problems

Metal flashing is used to stop water from seeping in around chimneys, valleys, windows and skylights. The misplacement of flashing can create leaks. Chimney flashing must be set into mortar to serve its purpose; repairing with caulk is a common mistake. Misalignment of step flashing is also common. Flashing pieces should overlap approximately 2 inches and be fastened with just one nail in the upper corner.

What Can You Learn from Our Work Gallery?

When you visit any roofer's work gallery, you're going to see pictures of roofs. Maybe of buildings, too, but mostly roofs.

As you look at one photo of another of roofs, you may wonder what you're looking for. Can you really tell the quality of a roof by looking at a gallery photo? Can you, if you're not a roofer, tell anything from looking at a photo?

Here are some things that you can learn from a gallery, no matter how much knowledge you have about roofing:

• How many jobs has the roofer done? Our gallery shows just a small percentage of the jobs we've done, and it features lots of beautiful roofs in Kansas and Missouri. Since we've been building roofs in the Kansas City area for more than three decades, it's easy for us to choose a nice representative sampling. If you're considering a roofer who shows only two or three jobs in the gallery, ask why.
• Has the roofer done the kind of work you need done? A roofer whose gallery shows only residential work might not be qualified to do your commercial job, and vice versa. If none of the jobs involve complex roof lines and you have an old house with an interesting roof, that roofer might have problems getting your job completed satisfactorily.

If you're not sure what you're looking at, ask. We're proud of our work, and we'll be glad to talk with you about the jobs we've done. 

TAMKO Roofing Materials

At Bill West Roofing, we believe in using the best materials. We've been around for more than 35 years, so you can see that we take the long view.

One of the suppliers we depend on is TAMKO. TAMKO is a Missouri company just like us. They started out in the late 1940s in Joplin, planning to have a presence in Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. That's where the name came from.

By now, TAMKO has a national presence, and is one of the top suppliers of roofing materials. They offer lots of different colors and types of materials. One of the newest items is roofing material designed to keep your home cool. By choosing light colors (TAMKO has tested and certified the specific colors that work best) you can save a bundle on your air conditioning costs this summer.

Call us to ask about cool roofs.

Just what is a roofing "square"?

Question: What is a roofing square?

Answer: By definition a roofing square is a 100 square section of roof (a 10′ x 10′ area). Roofers use a roofing square as a measurement of how much roofing material will be needed in the installation of a new roof.

In other words, just like tiling a kitchen floor is measured in square footage and subsequently number of tiles needed to fill particular dimensions, roofing squares are used to measure the size of a roofing project, which when compared to the size of the roofing shingle, will determine how much material needs to be used.

A number of companies will come in and give a bid for your roof saying it'll be X amount of squares. Then come back after the job is finished and tell you it was more.

Here at Bill West Roofing, however, we bid by the job. This way, your proposal is as accurate as possible. And you won't get any surprises in the end based off of squares of shingles.

Missed Connections: Roofing Edition

The weather this February has been unusually warm and that may have you thinking about spring. We all have to-lists and perhaps you also have some home improvement planned.

Here's something I overheard recently.

This guy was outside in his yard doing, I don't honestly know what. Enjoying the first above freezing day in an eternity? Regardless, he took a look at his roof and noticed that some of his shingles seemed to be broken.

"There are just big gaps in my roof" he said to the guy sitting next to him.
"Have your kids been on the roof?"
"My kids? No. No, my kids don't climb on the roof and break off shingles."

There is a simple answer for this and it doesn't involve children trying to kill themselves on snow covered roofs.

This man probably has asphalt shingles. Asphalt shingles become brittle in cold weather making them more likely to break in gusty, winter winds. Kansas City has gotten some record lows and record winds this winter. Even if his shingles have never broken in this manner before, they certainly could have now.

I didn't interrupt him to tell him that. Consider this, then, the Missed Connection posting. It was a warmish day in February...and you were in a Mizzou bar.

And your asphalt shingles are broken from excessive cold and wind.

Spring can't come fast enough.

Three tips on Roofing Quotes.

Whether you are in need of a roofing repair, or need a completely new roof installation. Having a well prepared roofing quote will give you confidence you have selected the best roofing company for the job. Below are three tips that every homeowner should read before choosing a roofer.

1. Estimates are Free
2. Roof Inspection
3. Prepared Proposal

1. Estimates are Free: Legitimate roofers will offer a free estimate. If you are solicited for payment to have your roof reviewed prior to signing an agreement, then you should view this as a red flag. Preparing a free quote is part of the sales process. If you receive a quote from more than one roof, then you’ll notice that not all roof inspections are equal.

2. Roof Inspection: It is very simple–you can’t provide a roofing quote if you don’t inspect the roof. The more time that is spent inspecting your roof, the better estimate you’ll be provided with. If the person performing the quote doesn’t arrive with a ladder… red flag! A roof inspection should include taking the time to fully inspect the roof. This means climbing up on the roof and checking the attic from the inside. While the inspector is on the roof he should be taking accurate measurements to determine how much roofing surface is present on your home. He also should be assessing for damage. For example he should check skylights, attic vents, chimney caps and pans, flashing, gutters, etc. This all help ensure you are provided with an accurate, comprehensive roofing quote.

3. Prepared Proposal: We’ve found when most homeowners are referencing a roofing quote, they really mean they want a prepared roofing proposal. Your roofing proposal should be specific to your home and should incorporate the observations of the roof inspection. The roofing proposal should provide the details of the job and include estimated costs. When reviewing a proposal make sure it has the product options broken out by brand name and includes an itemized listing of services and prices.

The next time you are looking for roofing quotes, make sure to consider these three tips. Make sure the estimate is free, the inspection is thorough, and the quote / proposal are actionable and the pricing will be honored based on the specific needs of your roof.

Interesting times at Cowboy's stadium.

It would appear that not only our homes have issues with snow and ice on the roofs. Here you can see workers and firefighters trying to clear snow and ice off the roof of Cowboys Stadium.

The reason I wanted to point this out, is that they have specialists getting up on this roof to clear the issues. Falling from this height is deadly, and it can be almost no different then falling from your own personal roof.

We would like to take this time to ask everyone with leaks, snow or other problems with their roofs, to not try to climb on top of them when there's snow or ice. You are just looking for trouble. If you have needs, please call a professional so that they can come out and assess your situation. In emergency cases, we have the ability to utilize safety equipment that allows us to take care of extreme cases.

Have a happy Super Bowl Sunday!!

Ice Dams and You.

Unwanted icicles hanging from the roof are a warning sign of ice dams, which can inflict considerable interior and exterior damage to your home.

WHAT IS AN ICE DAM?

An ice dam is a ridge of ice that builds up along the edge of a roof. To recognize an ice dam, look for a bulge of ice attatched to the eaves or overhang of a roof. There may be icicles hanging off the edge and you may see stains on the siding. The rain gutters may also be overflowing with ice.

The bulge of ice is usually covered with several inches of snow, so you may not see it. Under this build up of frozen snow is the melting snow and ice. If interior damage has already occurred, you will see wet spots on the ceiling or walls or you will see water flowing into the windows.

DAMAGE

Beneath the ice dam, the wood framing is getting wet and possibly rotting. Insulation is becoming soaked, which makes it inefficient. Mildew and mold are growing in hidden spots, causing odors and other problems in your house

Soaked framing and insulation takes a long time to dry out. During that time it will be contributing to wall damage and moisture problems. If left uncorrected, this water can cause serious structural damage.

WHAT CAUSES ICE DAMMING?

Ice dam problems begin when snow accumulates on a roof. Typically, deeper snow and colder temperatures increase the formation of ice dams. Winds from the north or north west usually accompany snowfalls, so more snow is deposited on north and west roof planes. Structures on your roof that trap snow and increase it's depth further increasing the problem areas.

Once snow accumulates on your roof, it acts as insulation. The heat in your attic will cause the underside of your roof to become warm. This in turn melts the snow into a slush/ice/water mixture. This mixture slides under the snow cover and runs down the roof until it meets a colder surface at the overhang. Here is where it refreezes. As more and more slush slides down, the frozen layer gets thicker and thicker.

Unfortunately, you won't notice this because it all takes place under the snow.

Once the ice dam is high enough to overcome the pitch of your roof, water seeps under the asphalt shingles. Once this water penetrates the shingles, it flows under the siding and eaves and leaks through the framing into your home.

WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY OCCUR

If ice dams have already developed on your house, you may be able to wait it out until spring to fix the insulation and ventilation issues your house is having. This is all supposing the water damage isn't significant. You may be able to reach the damaged areas through the attic and catch some of the water. You may also even punch small or large holes in the drywall or plaster to drain the water. This will limit the damage in some cases.

In sever water damage cases, it is possible to chip away the offending ice down to the roof deck to allow it to drain. BE CAREFUL, because removing snow and ice from a pitched roof is dangerous and can cause damage to your asphalt shingles.

Melting the ice with chemicals is an option in emergency situations. Do not however use rock salt.

PROCEED WITH CAUTION

If you have any questions, please consult a professional. If this situation is handled improperly, you can not only create a larger problem for yourself, but you open yourself up to fire hazards. As well, proper ventilation can be tricky to achieve. Attics are not friendly places, and any miscalculated steps could lead to falling through the ceiling.

Roofing in the Winter? You guys do roofs this time of year?

Most people do not think that you can install roofs during the winter months. Actually, the truth is, you can install roofing all year. I believe why people think that way is because of the way the asphalt shingles were made before the 1970's. Those shingles were called organic shingles, which had a saturated asphalt paper type matting. The matting is a substrate covered with asphalt, and then with stone dust and small colored rock granules.

Today's asphalt shingle are made with fiberglass matting which is saturated with asphalt, and the colored stone granules that are pressed into the asphalt. This fiberglass matting is much more plyable, and gives the shingle more flexibility and tensile strength. The most important part of installing the shingle is nail placement, and angle of the nail. We use 4 nails per shingle, which help hold the shingles down during heavy winds. Underlayment should always be used under the shingles as a vapor barrier. There are many different types of underlayments, which include Ice & water shield, tar paper, and synthetic.

Laminated shingles are glued together with asphalt, and the weight of the shingle determines the life expectancy. This is determined by the amount of asphalt, and colored stone granules, that gets pressed into the fiberglass matting.

To get back to installing roofing during the winter months, our installers really like installing roofs during the colder months, because they really take a beating from the heat during the summer months. Some of our veteran roofing technicians, would rather install roofing during the winter. Remember you do not have to wait until summer to get your roof installed. If you are having any problems give us a call, and we would be glad to come over and see what we can do to help.

Stone Age? Not Here...

Our work is hands on, in the field, construction. That doesn't mean that we're all brawn and no brain.

We're working to make information available to you that makes your decision making process easier.

How do you choose a reputable roofer? What should you look for in your estimates? What professional organizations must your roofer be part of? What sort of time frame can I expect for completion (if everything goes perfectly according to plan, that is)?

Keep an eye out, here and on facebook and twitter, to hear more about what we have to say!

Is Solar Paint in Your Future?

Researchers have figured out how to turn solar cells into a liquid. Really. They've figured out how to make solar cells small enough that they can be suspended in liquid such as ink or paint and printed or painted onto surfaces.

Right now, that means that they can create solar panels that are a lot more flexible than the current ones. But it's possible that in the future, we'll be able to paint your roof with solar paint and supply your whole home with electricity.

The thing the scientists haven't figured out yet is how to get the electricity off of the roof and into the building once the energy is collected in the solar cells.

Your choice of roofing already has an effect on your energy use. We may not be able to provide you with magic solar roofing yet, but we'll be happy to talk with you about how to keep your home cooler this summer.