Using a Certified Roofing Contractor
The importance of a sound roof
Your home is designed to protect you, your family and your property from the elements, and the roof is the part of the house that takes the most damage in providing you with this invaluable service. Yet it is the one area of the home that is most overlooked by people looking to purchase a home and by those looking to upgrade or maintain their existing home. However, without adequate maintenance and regular care your roof is liable to take leaks and can become damaged very easily in the worst of conditions.
The annual maintenance of your roof
Checking your roof should be an annual job and if you don't feel confident enough to know where to look then you should consult a professional who will come and do the job for you. Using a certified roofing contractor means you can be sure the person you use is a professional who knows exactly what to look for and can give you the best advice if any work does happen to need doing. The perpetual beating of the sun, rain, wind, hail, snow and forming of ice puts pressure on any material and your roof is no exception. A certified roofing contractor can tell you whether you have adequate protection to ensure that your roof keeps up the work it is doing.
Going up on the roof yourself
When small cracks start to appear in a roof a leak may not become immediately visible and often the water can run to areas you are unable to see. Without actually getting up into the roof itself you may not be able to see these small areas of damage and clambering on the roof yourself is not everyone's idea of a fun Saturday afternoon. The services of a certified roofing contractor should be called on to prevent damage to your roof and possible personal injury.
A qualified roofing contractor
A certified roofing contractor is experienced and qualified enough to complete any job from certifying your roof (usually for two years, during which time they are responsible for repairs) to completely ripping down your old roof and replacing it with a new and more effective one. A certified roofing contractor can advise you of the best tools, the best materials and the best systems to use to ensure that you are giving your house the protection it truly needs.
Finding a certified roofing contractor
To find a certified roofing contractor you have several options available. The first is word of mouth; ask family and friends if they have used the service of a good certified roofing contractor. Never simply take someone else's word though and be sure to do your own research. Contact the people responsible for giving out licenses in your state and ask them for a list of people who are registered roofing contractors. This way you can verify the certificate before you even contact them.
October, 2005
Copyright 2005 Roofer 911.com. All Rights Reserved
by Steven Briesemeister. Reprinted courtesy of Roofer 911.com, roofing contractor serving Long Island, Queens, Brooklyn, NY and northern Virginia.