Roofing Services: Experience Increased Comfort in Your Home

Roofing that protects your home

The roof of your home is one of its most important components - after all, it does keep the elements outside your home. The roof also absorbs the wear and tear caused by rainfall and hail, and it is only natural that after more than a decade your roof might need replacing, especially in climate like the one in Illinois.

The key in ensuring the longevity of your roof is spotting the damages early on and attending to them as soon as possible. If you would like to inspect your roof by yourself, here are the most common telltale signs that you should consider a roofing replacement project:

• Your roof is older than 20 years
• Damaged flashing
• Daylight coming into your attic
• Roofing granules in the gutters
• Curling and buckling shingles
• Missing shingles
• Severe hail damage
• Excess moisture, mold and rot
• Leaks

Missing shingles and/or roofing granules in gutters is a good indicator of how much abuse your roof has taken and makes it easier to determine the state your roof is in. Also, you should check your attic and crawl space regularly to see if there are any signs of moisture, dark spots or wetness which could indicate that your roof needs to be replaced. If you have noticed one or more of these signs, it is wise to contact reputable residential roofing contractors for an inspection.

Most common factors that contribute to roof damage

To make it easier for you to understand how and why these signs of damage appear, we have compiled a list of the top five most common factors of roof damages:

• Weather. Winds, rain and hail can really take their toll on your roof. While rainfall can cause holes and leaks, high winds can rip off shingles, leaving your home susceptible to further damage, leaks and decreased energy efficiency.
• Damaged flashing. Flashing maintains a watertight seal between roof sections and corners. When it’s damaged or ripped off, rainwater can get in, damage your roof further and cause leaks. Make sure that it is thoroughly examined during annual roof inspections.
• Age. Just as any other material, with age your roofing deteriorates, loses energy efficiency and requires more often repairs. If you think your roof has served its purpose and you would like to investigate roofing options, available for you, schedule a free estimate with a reliable roofing company and they will help you make the best choice.
• Lack of maintenance. Your day probably doesn’t start by thinking about your roof. In fact, most people don’t think about their roof at all until there is a problem, however annual inspections can greatly improve its life expectancy. If you like, you can inspect it yourself, but calling in a professional roofer ensures that even the smallest crack is spotted and fixed before it becomes a cause for leaks.
• Poor installation. This is the number one factor that leads to roof failure. Not only will your roof require repairs early on, you may even have to replace it entirely - much sooner than you would intend to. Choosing one of the reliable roofing companies that install high quality materials is vital in ensuring that your new roof withstands the test of time.

Free roof inspection to find any damage

You can’t stop Mother Nature from damaging your roof, but proper maintenance, choosing reliable materials and reputable roofing contractors is within your control. An experienced roofer will be able to inspect your roofing system, inform you about its condition and advise you honestly whether you should have your roof repaired or replaced entirely.

At VIS Exterior we have the expertise to investigate your roofing system and notice any damage early on as well as provide you with residential roofing services that best fit your home and budget. We are known as honest, hardworking and meticulous contractors, and our clients often praise us for exceeding their expectations. With over 15 years of experience in the business, we have completed over 500 successful projects and have a proud record of 100% customer satisfaction.

We know that choosing a roofing contractor is not as worry-free as it may seem. There are many things to consider before hiring, and most importantly, you should trust the people who will be working on your house. That’s why we offer free inspections. They give you a chance to get to know us as well as learn the accurate roof replacement cost, and it allows us to evaluate your current materials and prepare a plan for your exterior renovation. After inspecting your home we always email you a written estimate that includes the overall price of your roofing project and the estimated timeline. We believe in honest and clear pricing, so with VIS Exterior you always know exactly what you are paying for.

Roofing installation and replacement services

Despite the impact the roof has for the overall style of a building, it’s often given the least consideration when planning a renovation. That is unfortunate since a creative and unusual roof design can give your home a unique, beautiful appearance as well as create some additional space inside, improve energy efficiency and increase the amount of sunlight that gets into the house. Since the right roof can provide so many advantages, it’s worth to spend a while considering the options available.

We all have seen the traditional pitched roofs with gables, but there are lots of exciting design variations to consider. If you’re looking to increase your energy efficiency, you could consider a saltbox design that consists of two slopes and provides enough space to add solar panels. If you’re looking to reflect a more creative personality through the exterior of your home, why not consider an intricate Mansard or Gambrel roof? Both of these designs work exceptionally well on larger detached houses that don’t require the seaming transition of roofing materials as semi-detached or terraced houses.

Since partially flat roofs often cause drainage concerns, they are recommended to form only a part of the roofing system and could serve as an additional patio area. Innovations in both roofing materials and techniques are introduced often, so we would recommend looking up new design opportunities and asking your roofing expert what type of roof would best suit your home. At VIS Exterior we always take into account your roof aspect, planning constraints, your budget and other concerns when making suggestions.

However, while playing an important role, design is not the most important factor in ensuring that your roof is providing the crucial protection that your house needs. The quality of roofing materials and careful, expert installation are vital in ensuring the longevity of your roof. This is why we never use subcontractor services when working on a residential roofing project - it is always our trusted roofing installers on the worksite.

At VIS Exterior we take pride in our unrivaled attention to detail and we install only top-notch materials. The products we install are manufactured by high quality providers, such as CertainTeed, IKO, Tamko, GafElk, Owens Corning, Pinnacle, and they come with excellent warranties. We mostly work with two types of roofing materials:

• Asphalt shingle
• Cedar Shake

Our roofing installation and replacement services include a commitment to all areas of your roof and roofing materials, including leak barriers, deck protection, ridge cap shingles, proper ventilation and starter strip shingles. We treat your house as if it was our own, which is why our projects are always completed to the highest of standards.

Cedar or asphalt shingles?

There are many roofing options available on the market and it’s important to understand your property and the benefits of each type of materials, in order to make an informed and firm decision. Over our years of business, we have selected two types of roofing materials to work with because we believe that cedar shake and asphalt shingles are the most reliable choices. Below are some of the things to consider when choosing your new roofing.

Asphalt roofing shingles are a popular choice among homeowners. They are cost-effective, easy to install, fully recyclable and come with an endless selection of colors, shapes and sizes. However this roofing material is not very resistant to high winds, sudden weather changes lower its life expectancy and asphalt shingles should not be installed in cold weather. This type of roofing can last up to 20 years on average under normal wear and tear, however, we strongly advise having your roof inspected after experiencing weather extremes. Regular maintenance and attending to any imperfections early on can vastly extend the life of your asphalt shingle roof.

Cedar shake roofing, on the other hand, is durable, resistant to storms and provides exceptional beauty. It is pest resistant and ages quite gracefully, gradually fading from its warm natural wood tone to a gray, silver-like tone. However, cedar roofing costs more than asphalt shingles, and requires more frequent maintenance. This material also requires expert installation, so if you decide to choose this beautiful type of roofing, make sure you hire an experienced local roofer.

VIS Exterior crew has many years of experience in working with both asphalt shingles and cedar roofing. Which is why we know how to install these materials in a way that it protects your home and lasts for years to come. Most of the products we install come with manufacturer’s warranties and we also perform hail and wind inspections.

Our roof replacement process

We are not going to try to trick you. Re-roofing is a complex and messy project that will disturb your everyday life. However, when you choose local roofers from VIS Exterior, we will do everything to ensure that your life is disturbed as little as possible. We are known for going to great lengths to protect your landscaping, HVAC systems and other exterior items from unexpected damage. And, yes, we remove the debris created by your exterior renovation project, and always leave the worksite perfectly clean.

A roofing replacement project means that there will be a lot of hammering involved, and debris may fall into your attic. To ensure that your belongings and interior is well protected, we advise you to cover any items you may have in your attic and protect any other interior contents that you don’t want to be covered with dust. It is not very likely that a roofing installation will cause any pictures or paintings to be dislodged from the walls, but it never hurts to be extra careful about your valuables before your renovation begins.

Any re-roofing project consists of a few stages. If weather conditions are good, the entire new roof installation can be completed quite quickly - in about 2 to 5 days for an average sized home. It can take much longer - up to a few weeks - to complete the project if the weather doesn’t cooperate, or the roof is large and/or complex. However, if the projects is very simple, your roofing replacement or installation can be completed it in just a day.

Like with any other job, preparation is the first step. If your area requires a permit for roofing replacement, this should be arranged ahead of time. After that, your house and yard is protected from any possible construction damage, and debris disposal is arranged.

Then, the removal of all existing roof materials begins. This is done to asses the state that your roof decking is in, and it takes only a couple of hours when done by professionals, although some complications sometimes do occur and delay the progress of the project. When the materials are removed, the decking is investigated for any damage or rot. If there are any problems, they are repaired and the time it takes to do that varies depending on how serious the damage is. When the damages are mended, the roof is covered with a layer of protective materials, that is covered with a layer of roofing felt. And then the shingle installation begins.

After the roofing installation is complete, the crew inspects the roof and ensures that the installation is done correctly, and then clean up the site.

Should you replace insulation?

Insulation is what slows down the heat from escaping through your roof, thus helping to keep your house warmer. It is usually installed in the attic or underneath your roof - the places where heat is most likely to be lost.

It is recommended to inspect the protective materials once in two years and replace them when you have a new roof installed. If you already have reliable insulating materials, it would probably be not cost-effective to add more, but in reality, most people don’t have enough. You can find out if your house is reliably protected from heat loss during an in-home inspection, and if it turns out, that your roof insulation isn’t adequate, we highly recommend to replace it.

Even though replacing the insulation adds to the roofing costs, it can help you save significantly on your heating bills, and we highly recommend to at least consider doing it.

Contact roofing contractors

VIS Exterior is among the top locally owned and operated roofing companies in Illinois, specialising in roofing, siding, windows and gutters installation and replacement. We have been in business since 2001 and during our years of service, we have gathered the experience required to complete your project to the highest of standards.

Our company unites friendly, knowledgeable and skilled craftsmen, who enjoy transforming the exteriors around DuPage County, Cook County, Kane County and Will County. We are determined to provide unmatched customer service, and our top priority is providing high quality residential roofing services at a reasonable price. The materials we install come with long term guarantees and we also offer a flexible financing program to help you get the siding or roofing services you need.

Contact us at 630-230-8533 and we will quickly solve any roofing problems that you may have.