EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT:
Roof Repairs
How Will You Repair My Roof?
If only there was just one answer to this question. The reality is that repairs are probably the most complicated forms of roof work that a roofer will engage with. Why? Because there are so many different types of roofs, so many different forms of damage, and so many different options for how roof repairs can take place depending on budget, goals, and performance desires. If one thing is certain, for roof repairs, it is absolutely pivotal to find a decent professional so that your roof warranty can actually mean something, and so that your problems will really get addressed.
ROOF REPAIRS IN A NUTSHELL
01 Identify the Source
Water has to be getting in from somewhere. The first step is finding that entry point.
The vast majority of roof repairs that are conducted by any roofer are the result of noticeable leaks, usually somewhere on the interior of the home or business. A leak is very simply the presence of water somewhere inside the building envelope where it's not supposed to be.
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The first step to addressing any leak is to work to find the source. Sometimes, that's as simple as visiting a roof and seeing a large hole somewhere in the system, but most of the times, it takes time and effort to truly locate a leak source. That's because water intrusion can happen as a result of a variety of factors. Maybe there's a hole in the roof, but also, maybe the walls have cracks in them, or maybe something went wrong with a plumbing pipe...the options are truly endless as to what can be causing a leak.
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The telltale signs of a roof leak, as opposed to leaks caused by other systems in a structure, are that the leak normally originates on the ceiling somewhere, instead of on the wall, and, perhaps most importantly, that the leak becomes active during periods of heavy rain and inactive during periods of sunny weather. In short, if rain makes the leak worse, it's normally the roof that's causing the problem.
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A professional roofer should be able to spot this relatively easily, as well as any other damage that may exist on the roof that hasn't become an active leak just yet. The roofer will then report back to you as to how much damage was found, as well as the location of the damage.
02 Assess the Options
There are always a million ways to repair a roof, and your roofer should tell you the best ways based on your goals.
Whether you're trying to extend the lifespan of your roof by 5-10 years or simply want to save the most money possible, there's a repair method with your name on it. The roofer's job is to find that correct method and marry it to the client.
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There are a multitude of different roof repair products out there, and they all work on different types of roofs with varying levels of effectiveness. A great example would be a leak coming from a flat roof. One option might be to simply install a patch on top of the leak's entry point so no more water intrudes. Another option may be to tear off the damaged area, remove it, and replace that with a brand new system in that one area. Yet another option may be to apply a roof coating, like silicone or SPF over the damage. There are just an innumerable amount of variations for how to address the leak, and they all have differing prices and goals.
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That's why it's important to go over these with your roofer so they can give you the best option for your specific situation.
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A word of caution: be wary of using unlicensed roofers. They may be cheaper, but they're usually much less responsive or reliable, and if they perform shoddy work, there's nothing you can do about it. With a professional roofer, you have the peace of mind that their license is attached to this work, and if they do the work incorrectly and don't fix it or honor their warranty, you can call DBPR and file a formal complaint against their license. There's a big difference in the quality of work you'll receive from a pro as a result.
03 Execute the Repair
Once you've selected the proper repair method, a professional will conduct the repair.
This is the easiest part for the homeowner. Once the decision has been made as to which repair specifically suits the situation, a roofer (or two) will be called out to actually perform the repair.
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Different types of roofs require very different types of repairs. The basic categories are steep-slope repairs and flat roof repairs. Among the most popular types of steep-slope repairs are shingle repairs, tile repairs, and metal repairs, while flat roof repairs normally require flashing repairs, penetration repairs, and patching repairs.
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Material and equipment will be brought to the job site by the roofers and will be loaded onto the roof by hand, and then all equipment and garbage should be hauled away by the roofers at the end of the day, unless the repair requires multiple days of attention, in which case certain material and equipment may stay on the roof overnight.
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Once the repair has been properly executed, a plethora of pictures should be given to the homeowner/tenant/property manager for reference. It should show the entire repair process including the removal of any rotted or damaged roofing and the inclusion of new material. There should also obviously be photos of the finished repair where the area is left in a neat and clean condition.
04 Get A Warranty!
Repairs are usually done on roofs in less than stellar conditions. Your warranty is very important!
A roof repair is only as good as its warranty. If you weren't able to secure a yearlong (or more) warranty even after contacting multiple roofers, it's because your roof is in such bad condition that it likely needs to be replaced, not repaired.
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However, if you can secure a 1 year or multi-year warranty, that should give you peace of mind for a long time.
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In the event that another rain shower creates another leak in the same repaired location, a good warranty will cover the roofers going out and addressing the leak once again, as well as any interior damage that may have been caused as a result of having a faulty repair in the first place. A good warranty also won't carry any hidden fees, meaning that if the roofer did not address the problem area correctly the first time, he must go out and fix it totally free of charge.
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Keep in mind that leaks may be coming in from new locations on the roof, so if the repair is sound and the roof still leaks after another storm, there may be an additional leak from another location on the roof that needs to be addressed. When this happens, roofers must charge for the additional repair as it's not part of the initial agreement.
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Also keep in mind that most warranties don't take effect until final payment has been processed.
WHAT MATERIALS ARE YOU PUTTING ON MY ROOF?
This is not an exhaustive list of the products used on repairs. Rather, these are the most popular options. Feel free to click on one of the arrows to visit their website and browse their different products/colors. Additionally, we've attached a sample product sheet so you can see all the specifications of these sample products. This gives you an idea of what typically gets installed on a roof.
PROS
As compared with a full roof replacement, here's why you should purchase a repair:
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A repair may be all that's necessary to seal up an already good roofing system. If there's only a few weak points on the roof, you shouldn't go through the cost and hassle of replacing the whole roof.
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Repairs are always cheaper than roof replacements and are better for budgeting purposes
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The process of having a roofer go out to see a repair can illuminate a lot of the problems on your existing roof system. Think of it as an included roof inspection!
CONS
As compared with a full roof replacement, here's why you should not purchase a repair:
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A repair may not be enough if the roof is in bad enough condition. A surefire sign of the condition of the roof is the size of the warranty. If a roofer doesn't want to give you an extended warranty, it's because they believe the roof will fail again soon.
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Repairs add up over time if done over and over again without replacing the roof. Once it's time to replace the roof, it will be much cheaper to just replace it entirely than to repair a section at a time over months or years.
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Insurances don't care about roof repairs. They only care about roof replacements.
IS YOUR ROOF UP TO CODE?
While ensuring that every detail of every section of work that goes into installing your new metal roof is legal is a hassle, it's well worth it. There's tremendous peace of mind behind knowing that everything about your roof and the contractor behind it is legal and operating above board.
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Every major county in Florida has their own rules and regulations regarding roof work, so be sure to check in with your municipality to see what the specific restrictions/regulations may be, but, in a nutshell, a roofing contractor must be licensed, insured, have worker's compensation and install all materials according to the Florida Building Code and the installation approval method by the County.
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Don't leave your roof up to chance. Violating any of the legalities revolving around roofing could lead to giant fines from both the County and the State of Florida for both the roofer and the Owner of the property. It also devalues your home as there's no proof of reparation/re-roof with the property appraiser and creates an extra cost when selling your property in order to make illegal roofwork legal.
HOW REGGAE ROOFING COMPLIES WITH THE LAW:
Pay Your Way
Pay it upfront, at the end, or over time.
Our financing options allow you to pay in whatever way is most convenient for you. In general, we require a 20% deposit to begin the job, and then the final 80% is due upon completion of the job.
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However, we allow paying more than 20% as a deposit in exchange for a discount on the job. We can also accommodate paying over time by giving you finance options that provide a low monthly payment for your roof. We can even finance the job through Ygrene if you'd like to explore that option. The bottom line is: we want to help you get under a new roof.
Who We Work With
There are lots of manufacturers of repair products here in South Florida. Feel free to click on the links to learn more about these companies and the products they make, which will ultimately go on your roof. Please note that not every product is available in every region of South Florida. For more information on specific products, please contact us directly.
