Although the roof is one of the most integral elements to the structural integrity of a home, it is often one of the most neglected. Keeping up with roof maintenance can prevent your home from succumbing to residual water and structural damage, and can prevent you from incurring costly repairs down the line. 

When it comes to understanding roof maintenance, there are a few basics that are important to know before you being your maintenance plan. Each roof is different, with a number of contributing factors that will effect how you will care for your unique structure. Proper care for a roof is made up of lots of things that may seem like small tasks, but over time they can go a long way in preserving the structural integrity of your roof. These three tips are a great starting point to get to know your roof, and to building a long-term plan that will ensure you get the most in both quality and longevity:

• Keep an Eye on the Details. We mentioned previously that roof maintenance is largely comprised of lots of small tasks, and many of those tasks are hidden in the details. When inspecting your roof, be sure to consider how your shingles are holding up over time, inspect drains and gutters, and consider any additional elements your roof may have that make it unique. Do you have a chimney? Skylight? If so, make sure you’re thoroughly inspecting those elements in addition to your shingles. Small details may even show up on the inside of your home! Be sure to take action and seek professional help if you begin to see any early signs of water damage. 
• Know Your Environment. Roof care will vary across all different climates and conditions, as well as the more immediate environment around your house. If you live in a coastal town, your roof will be subjected to elements such as stronger winds and rain, which can lead to damage. Though Maine generally experiences milder summers compared to other parts of the country, the combination of moisture and heat can leave your home susceptible to mold, which can be detrimental to your roof if it goes unnoticed. It’s also important to take note of the area immediately surrounding your roof, such as trees and branches that may be looming overhead, as they could impact how frequently you should be inspecting your roof. 
• Get Ahead of Major Damage. Caring for a roof can be an endeavor that lasts for as long as you own your property! More often than not, if you ignore a problem with your roofing, it will end up becoming more costly and detrimental as time goes on. Because of this, it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with any existing or potential issues and address them as soon as possible. If you’re anticipating a big storm in your area, plan to inspect your roof immediately after. If you start to notice visible wear on your shingles, such as cracks or tears, get them fixed before they become a major problem. Make sure you’re cleaning off any residual debris off your roof, as it can cause drainage issues if left unkempt. 

While there are countless other elements, conditions and characteristics that can impact how and when you’re attending to your roof, these three trips will help you integrate yourself with your roof. When in doubt, you should always consult a professional before undertaking any major repairs or making any decisions that could have a significant impact on your roof. Roof maintenance can seem intimidating, but with a little help and regularly scheduled upkeep, you can expect to enjoy many years our of your roof with minimal issues! 

The post 3 Tips for Maintaining Your Maine Roof  appeared first on Double J Construction.

Maine is small enough that the entire state has only one Craigslist page, but there are still plenty of contractors to choose from who do construction in Maine.  If you are hiring a contractor for residential construction or roofing in Maine, you should do your research before deciding which contractor to hire.  If you are looking for sources of Schadenfreude, you can do worse than odd news items and Internet discussion boards about home contractor fraud, where the contractor skipped town after receiving the initial deposit, but it is not so entertaining when the contractor you have hires ghosts you when your roofing project is only halfway finished.  These are some ways that you can know that the building contractor you are planning to hire is trustworthy.

They Show You Proof of Licenses and Insurance

Never hire a roofing contractor who does not have the legally required licenses and insurance.  If an unlicensed contractor does a bad job with your building or renovation project and you file a claim with your homeowner’s insurance company, the insurance agent will laugh in your face and tell you that you were a fool to hire someone so shady.  Likewise, if the contracting company does not carry workers’ compensation insurance, and one of the workers gets injured while working on your house, you will be responsible for his accident-related medical bills.

A Verifiable Reputation

Any business that is legitimate enough to admit that it exists has an online reputation.  Look at the company’s website, if it has one, and read online reviews.  Lots of negative reviews are a red flag, but so are reviews that sound too good to be true.  Check if the company has had any Better Business Bureau complaints filed against it.  If possible, choose a company that someone you know offline has hired before.

They Give You a Written and Realistic Estimate

Just as it should be a deal-breaker if a contractor will not show you proof of licenses and insurance, it should also be a deal-breaker if a contractor wants you to make the first payment before they give you a written estimate of how much the whole project will cost.  If the prices seem excessive, get some competitors’ quotes to see what the going rate is.  The estimate should be itemized in detail.  Low prices that seem too good to be true probably are.

A Well-Written Contract

When you sign a contract with the contractor for the project, it should be as detailed as possible.  It should contain information about the timetable and what happens if the project goes over budget, as well as force majeure events and dispute resolution procedures.  Taking the time to go over a contract is much less costly than suing a contractor who doesn’t do what they promised.

For the utmost professionalism and competence when it comes to residential construction and roofing, contact Double J Construction in Portland, Maine.

The post How to Know You Have Found the Right Contractor for Your Home  appeared first on Double J Construction.

DIY enthusiasts tend to have projects that they have been working on for years, off and on, to the annoyance of no one, with the possible exception of the DIY enthusiast’s spouse.  Even those of us who have never had the confidence to build something set our sights on ambitious decluttering projects during the pandemic, and the half-finished remains of those projects are still lying around in most of our houses, and yet life goes on.  It is annoying when things take longer than expected, but most of the time it is not unbearable unless that unfinished project is a roofing project and it is in limbo during a snowy winter in Maine.  If you are hiring a roofing contractor for construction in Maine, here are some tips to keep your residential construction project on track.

Do Your Research About Materials and Prices

Researching contractors is important, but even before you get an estimate from a roofing contractor, do some research about the roofing materials you plan to use.  For example, how much do they cost, and how long do they last?  Are there waiting times between phases of the project, to allow materials to dry?  If you research some residential construction basics on your own before you even get the first estimate, you will have a better idea of whether the contractor is quoting you a fair price.

Choose a Reputable Contractor

The stories about home contractor fraud should be enough to scare you out of hiring a shady, unlicensed contractor.  At minimum, your contractor should be fully licensed and insured.  It is also a red flag if your contractor seems eager to begin work without giving you a written estimate.  Before you decide on a contractor, you should also check their Better Business Bureau rating; read online reviews, too, but take them with a grain of salt.

Have Realistic Expectations About the Weather

Even the best roofing contractor is subject to the forces of nature.  Obviously, the winter is not the best time to replace a roof in Maine, unless you are repairing damage in an emergency situation.  No matter what time of year, you should build a certain number of rainy days into your schedule.  In case the weather throws a major curveball your way, your contract with the roofing contractor should contain specific provisions about force majeure events.

Secure Your Building Permits at an Early Stage

As much as Mother Nature can derail your plans, she has nothing on good old-fashioned bureaucracy when it comes to making it difficult to get things accomplished.  If it takes longer than expected to get the building permits for your roofing project, you could be looking at delays that push your project into a season wholly unsuited to roofing in Maine.  It is never too soon to apply for a building permit if you are planning to replace your roof.

To find out more about getting your roofing project done on time, contact Double J Construction in Portland, Maine.

The post How to Successfully Complete a Roofing Project With Your Contractor appeared first on Double J Construction.

Replacing a roof is expensive, but a well-maintained roof can last decades.  If you care for your roof properly, then the roof that you installed when you bought your house can last until long after your mortgage has been paid off.  Roofing in Maine is vulnerable to some seasonal hazards; in fact, many of the things that make Maine so beautiful are quite rough on your roof.  You don’t have to be an expert in roofing or in residential construction to appreciate that the work you put in now to maintain your roof can save you a lot of money in the long term.  With roof maintenance, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and these are things you can do to ensure that your roof functions well for a long time.

Replace Sealant and Broken Shingles Now to Avoid Having to Replace Your Entire Roof

The good news is that it is possible to replace individual shingles without replacing the whole roof.  The bad news is that damaged shingles can have a domino effect and destabilize your entire roof if you do not replace damaged or missing shingles promptly.  The growth of algae, fungi, lichen, and moss can compromise the structural integrity of a shingle roof.  If you are confident in your DIY abilities, you can replace some shingles on your own, but if the problem is severe or if climbing on the slippery, lichen-covered roof of your house is not your idea of a good time, you should hire a roofing contractor.  The same goes for sealant.  It is possible to replace it piecemeal if only certain areas are damaged.

Keep Your Gutters and Chimneys Clean

Have you ever gone to the dentist to get your teeth cleaned, only for him to tell you that you need to brush your tongue and take better care of your gums?  Likewise, the structures adjacent to your roof can have an impact on the roof’s wellbeing.  Clogged gutters can lead to water seeping underneath your roof and eroding it from the inside.  Likewise, weaknesses in the mortar of your chimney are bad news for your roof.  Inspect your chimney for areas where the mortar needs maintenance, and repair them promptly.

Beware of Rust, Overgrown Tree Branches, and Ice Dams

If your roof contains metal parts, they are vulnerable to rust, but painting the metal when it is new can protect it.  If you find rust, remove it with a wire brush, and then paint over the intact metal.  You should also trim tree branches that grow directly above your roof, since fallen leaves that accumulate on the roof will rot, and the rot will spread to the roof itself.  Ice dams, picturesque as they are, divert water inside your roof, weakening its foundation.  You should remove the ice before it has a chance to damage your roof.

To find out more about roof construction in Maine, contact Double J Construction in Portland, Maine.

The post Tips to Maintain Your Roof in Maine appeared first on Double J Construction.

When your roof springs a leak or part of your roof gets damaged during a storm, the estimate that you get from a roofing construction contractor can cause your blood pressure to spike.  The problem is not that roof repair is prohibitively expensive; if that were the case, everyone except the wealthiest people would have tarps covering their houses for years while they saved for a new roof.  

The problem is that people wait until the roof problems get worse before they call a roofing contractor.  Consider how getting your teeth cleaned at the dentist’s office twice a year is a lot less painful than getting a root canal; similarly, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to roof maintenance.  Even if your roof seems fine, you should contact the Portland, Maine roofing contractors at Double J Construction to inspect it.

Signs of Roof Damage

Even if you do not have the DIY home repair skills to fix your roof, you can check for early signs of damage; at minimum, you should do this once every fall and once every spring.  If the prospect of climbing onto your roof or crawling into your attic to get a close enough look sounds intimidating, have a roofing contractor do it.  These are some early signs of roof damage, which you should address before they become a serious problem:

• Shingles of roof tiles that are missing, cracked, or warped
• Flashing (the metal strips around the edges of the roof, the skylights, and the chimney) that are loose or cracked
• Shingle granules in the rain gutters
• Damp or moldy spots in the attic

These issues are easiest to address if you catch them early.  For example, you might need to look for loose shingles by spraying the roof with a garden hose so that you can find small leaks before they get big or before they cause large amounts of water seepage into your house.  A roofing contractor might even be able to alert you to roof hazards of which you were unaware, such as branches close enough to your roof that small animals can jump from the branches and make themselves at home in your roof.

Roof Maintenance Can Repair Roofing Problems Before They Get Bad

When your roof is functioning properly, you do not notice it.  Most people do not think to call a roofing contractor until a nearby tree branch knocks off some shingles during a storm or water starts dripping through the ceiling during heavy rain.  Fixing the problems with your roof while they are asymptomatic is the most cost-effective option.

Contact Double J Construction About Preventive Roof Maintenance

A semiannual visit from a roofing contractor can save you a bundle by helping you avoid the need for major roof repairs, which would cost a lot more.  Contact Double J Construction in Portland, Maine about inspecting your roof to catch problems before they result in costly damage.

The post Why You Should Schedule Regular Roof Maintenance appeared first on Double J Construction.

How to Prepare Your Roof for Winter

Most roof emergencies occur during the long Maine winter, and if you consider how hard it is just to get from your house to your car and to make your car operational during the months when there is snow on the ground, you will get an idea of how much more difficult it is to do roofing construction when there are ice and snow on the roof or anywhere else.  Rather than having roofing contractors do risky repairs on your roof in the dead of winter, or even worse, having a tarp on your house instead of a roof on days when the temperature never goes above freezing, you can prevent a lot of emergency repairs by doing the appropriate maintenance on your roof before Halloween.  Having the Portland, Maine roofing contractors at Double J Construction inspect and maintain your roof before the temperatures dip below freezing can help your roof stay in good condition this winter so you will not have to make any emergency repairs.

Clean the Gutters

Ice dams, where ice builds up around the edge of the roof, are one of the leading causes of wintertime roof damage, to say nothing of the fact that falling ice can cause serious injury.  The best way that you can stop ice dams from forming on your house this winter is to clean your gutters regularly, so fall leaves do not build up.

Inspect the Shingles and Roof Flashing

Before the weather gets much colder, you should inspect the shingles on your roof and replace any shingles that are loose, broken, or missing.  Don’t stop there, though.  You should also inspect the flashing, which is the metal parts of the roof located at the joints and intersections of the roof and around the edges of the skylights and chimney.  The purpose of the flashing is to direct water off of the roof, but if the flashing is cracked or loose, it can lead to the buildup of water and ice in the roof, reducing its structural integrity.

Trim the Trees in Your Yard

Sometimes you can avoid having to repair your roof just by trimming your trees, especially the branches that are right above or right next to your roof.  It is bad news for your roof if branches that have broken loose during a storm fall on the roof, but that is not the only problem that branches near your roof can cause.  Squirrels and other small animals can jump from the trees to your roof and squeeze into your attic or crawl space, where they can cause all kinds of problems.

Contact Double J Construction About Preparing Your Roof for Winter

The snow is coming to Maine sooner than you think.  It may be too early to start Christmas shopping or even for choosing a Halloween costume, but it is not too early to start preparing your roof for winter. Contact Double J Construction in Portland, Maine about protecting your roof from seasonal hazards.

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How to Find Roof Leaks

If you have ever balked at the cost of roofing construction, rest assured that roof maintenance is a good investment.  A new roof for your house, if properly maintained, can last for decades; in other words, if you bought a new roof when your oldest child was a baby, you can keep that roof until your new grandchild comes to visit you for the first time.  Many roof problems are simple to fix if you have a contractor inspect your roof regularly. 

Still, ordinary wear and tear can get out of hand quickly if not addressed promptly, and pretty soon, you will find yourself having to replace your entire roof.  The winter snow in New England can be rough on roofs, but summer weather adds to the problems, especially in the years where a hurricane or tropical storm system comes as far north as Maine.  The time to look for roof leaks is now, before another winter sets in.  

If you are inclined toward DIY projects, you can fix them yourself, but contact the Portland, Main roofing contractors at Double J Construction if you prefer to leave the roof repair to the pros.

Looking Beyond the Obvious Places

If there is a water stain on your ceiling or mold and mildew peering through the plaster, then you know that you have a roof leak, but you don’t know where it originated.  The roof leak might not be directly above the stain since the water might have flowed through the attic, crawl space, or ducts before settling in the area where you noticed the problem.  In some cases, the roof leak will have started on the complete opposite side of the house; you might notice a wet spot on the kitchen ceiling, but the leak might be above the garage instead.  You will have to do some more investigating to find the source of the roof leak.

Getting Close to the Source of the Leak

When you go into your attic, you will be able to see cracks in your roof more closely and identify where the water leak is coming from.  Look carefully, preferably with a flashlight, to see if you can find nails or other objects sticking through the roof that might be causing the leak.  Look for mold or damaged insulation.  If you find damaged insulation, follow its trail to see where it begins and ends.

The Garden Hose Is Your Friend for Finding Roof Leaks

One of the reasons that homeowners let roof leaks get so bad before fixing them is that the roof leak only annoys you on rainy days.  To find the leak on a sunny day (the best time to fix a roof), have an accomplice aim at the roof with a garden hose.  From inside the attic, you will see exactly where the water comes down.

Contact Double J Construction About Roof Repair

Don’t wait until a leak destroys your whole roof. Contact Double J Construction in Portland, Maine, about roof leak repair.

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