Roofers Richmond Hill

Roofers Richmond Hill - Roofing Repairs Toronto

​​When it comes to issues with a roof most homeowners may feel left in the dark, and incredibly overwhelmed with the information they are expected to know. If you call in a professional company to do your roofing repairs in Toronto you might feel as though they’re talking way over your head, on purpose. You may have no idea if they actually know what they’re talking about, but you might have questions that they either didn’t answer or kind of tip-toed around, not really providing an answer. Here are a few common roofing repair questions that might help you to have a better understanding before you call the roofing company. 

Question: what is the best underlay material to protect the valleys in the roof from water or ice build up, which eventually leads to water leaking through?

Answer: Well, a roofing company should always put down an ice and water shield over the entire roof when they install the roof – so if they didn’t, consider hiring another company next time. It is also recommended to have two layers of the shield in lower sections of the roof, like around eavestroughs, just to be safe. Then, metal flashing or weaving should be installed in the valleys of the roof to ensure ice and water build up doesn’t happen there.

Question: the company you are talking to keeps mentioning the flashing on your roof; so, what, exactly, is flashing?

Answer: Flashing is a material that is used to cover joints on a roof and where walls come together to prevent water from leaking in and causing damage. It’s usually made out of aluminum or galvanized steel. On a typical roof, it can usually be found in any valleys on the roof, or surrounding any skylights or vents you have on your roof. Be careful though: a lot of inexperienced roofing companies have been known to blame leaking issues on the flashing when there’s another source of the problem. It’s a quick fix, but it might not actually fix your issue. 

Question: is there anything that can be done to remove the ugly black stains that are all over the roof?

Answer: The stains are actually caused by a kind of algae that lives off of the materials used to make shingles, and these algae actually thrive in a moisture-rich environment which is often seen on shingles that don’t get a lot of sun. The streaks can be removed with a mixture of one part bleach to two parts water, and gently wash the shingles. Do not use a power washer for this: if any of the shingles are weak or damaged this could cause them to fall away completely. 

Sometimes it can be difficult to ask the questions you really want to ask, especially if the professional is purposefully ignoring your concerns, at Roofers Richmond Hill we always take the time out to consult with the homeowner and make sure all their questions are answered. These common questions are concerns for many homeowners, and hopefully by reading these you will feel much more confident speaking to your roofing contractor.