With the recent spats of bad weather over the past month or so there has been a marked increase in the number of complaints filed to law enforcement and the Better Business Bureau from all over the United States concerning roofing scams, most notably in the states of Texas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Georgia.
Scam artists also known as “storm chasers,” or “travelers,” will usually pop up anywhere there is an elderly community that has been ravaged by a storm. The Contractors State License Board (CSLB), a California state agency interviewed in “Recession Highlights Home Repair Scams” describes common sham setup:
“…the traveler knocks on a homeowners’ door, claims to have roofing material left over from a job just completed in the neighborhood, and offers to repair or seal the roof or driveway at a reduced price. The con artist will then use a useless, watery substance on the roof or driveway, collect a cash payment, and then move on without revealing their phone number or address.”
The best way to prevent emotional and fiscal damage caused by these fraudulent contractors is to do your own investigative work. Take a look at the tips on how to avoid roofing scams and storm chasers.
Homeowner
I have a qestion regarding roof vents. If your house has gable vents is it okay to also have a ridge vent installed?
You will certainly get much better venting with a continuous ridge vent in addition to the gable roof vents that you now have. The critical issue is to make certain that you have proper soffit venting so that you have good airflow coming in from the eaves of the house and pushing air out through the ridge. Having both the soffit and ridge vent is similar to opening two windows on opposite sides of a room to create a breeze. If you only open one window (or have a ridge vent without soffit venting as well) your airflow will be signifcantly less.
Today’s question was answered by Dan Elsom, Founder and President of Elsom Roofing, INC . Elsom Roofing is located in Walla Walla, Washington and services the Walla Walla Valley.
General
My house is 24 years old and I have lived there for the last 4 years. I’m not sure what the age of the roof is but it’s possible that it’s the original one. The roofing material is beige asphalt shingles and approximately 80% of the northern facing section of the roof is blackened and full of moss. What can i do to fix this? Is it a serious problem? - Kevin
It can be a serious problem. Depending upon how thick the moss is it can cause water to back up underneath the shingles and cause a leak. A roof leak can be anything from a small annoyance or an expensive problem depending upon the size of the leak and how quickly you catch it
A common way to deal with moss is to pressure wash it clean and treat it but given the age of your roof I would not recommend this. I would guesstimate that you are looking at a new roof in the next 3-5 years so treating it might end up being a waste of money. For your situation I suggest using a garden hose to hose down the moss and using a broom to get as much of the moss off as you can.
Whenever you get on a roof you need to be concerned about safety and particularly so when there is moss which may be more slick than the asphalt shingles. If you are not sure you can safely broom the moss off yourself call a local roofing contractor for the project.
Today’s question was answered by Dan Elsom, Founder and President of Elsom Roofing, INC . Elsom Roofing is located in Walla Walla, Washington and services the Walla Walla Valley.
General
RoofHelper originally created this space to offer a one stop shop for current roofing information in the news to consumers and those involved within the roofing industry. The internet has changed since that time and the popularity of rss feeds and feed readers has made this service largely unnecessary. After careful thought the RoofHelper blog mission has been revised in the hopes of addressing real life consumer questions on roofing, roofing products and installation.
We are excited to offer this new service and hope that our readers will find it helpful and worthwhile. We are currently accepting questions for our roof experts to answer but due to the number of questions received we cannot promise your question will be answered. If you would like to have your questions considered just tell us about it.
General
Kraton Polymers LLC Announces Second Quarter 2006 Results
(Kraton), a leading global performance polymer producer, announces its financial results for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2006.
How to Find the Right Contractor or Home Improvement Professional for the Job
(ARA) - Maybe your house needs a new roof or windows, or it’s time to redo the siding. Perhaps you’d like to add a pool or deck.
No matter what the project, one of the most important things you’ll decide early on is who will do the work.
General