Dana from Green Link Engineering talks about the full line of roofing solutions the company has developed over the past two years. 

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of an interview with Sales and Business Development Coordinator Dana Castle from Green Link Engineering. You can read the interview below or watch the recorded livestream. 

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Karen Edwards: Hello everybody. This is Karen Edwards and we are back at the RoofersCoffeeShop sound stage at the International Roofing Expo 2022, in New Orleans. Joining me is Dana from Green Link Engineering. Welcome. 

Dana Castle: Well, thank you, Karen. Thanks for having me. We're so excited to be here at the show. We missed the show in Las Vegas this last year, and we're really excited to be exhibiting again this year. We took this time in the last two years to develop some new products, but I wanted to start with the beginning of our company. 

Karen Edwards: Yes, let's talk about it because you've been on a roof, surely where you've seen HVAC equipment, other equipment sitting on top of rotting two by fours. 

Dana Castle: Right? 

Karen Edwards: Not very good- 

Dana Castle: Or four by fours. 

Karen Edwards: Or four by fours. 

Dana Castle: Sometimes tires. 

Karen Edwards: Yeah. 

Dana Castle: Sometimes a milk carton, or milk crate. Sometimes a milk jug. 

Karen Edwards: Yeah. 

Dana Castle: I mean, we have all kinds of interesting pictures in our hall of shame. 

Karen Edwards: Hall of shame is a good name for it. 

Dana Castle: It is the hall of shame, yes. 

Karen Edwards: Tell me about, well, first of all, I have to say that I've never seen one of these in person before, and I picked it up and I went, "Oh, oh my gosh, this is so light and easy to move around," but it can hold so much weight. 

Dana Castle: That is a fact. 

Karen Edwards: Tell us about that. 

Dana Castle: One of the reasons why is this product is made out of glass reinforced nylon. It's not made out of rubber, like a lot of our competitor's products and it's not made out of metal. It's glass reinforced nylon, but glass reinforced nylon has the same properties as aluminum. 

Dana Castle: They're very lightweight as you were shocked- 

Karen Edwards: I was surprised. 

Dana Castle: This was actually the first head that was developed when I was still part of Chem Link. When Phil Georgeau sold our company to SOPREMA at Chem Link, he kept this one little teeny piece that didn't look exactly like this. At that point, it was just black and it had a smaller base and he wanted to start another company. It's been exciting journey to be on with him the last five years. It's been really exciting. 

So we've taken our product line and we've developed it into a full-blown product line of everything that can go on the roof. You can put on one of our supports. 

Karen Edwards: Wow. This has a really cool name. 

Dana Castle: Yeah. This is called the Knuckle Head. The reason why it's called the Knuckle Head is a very funny story. 

Karen Edwards: Okay. I'd like to hear it. 

Dana Castle: So that if you were just to look at the top of this without the cap, it looks like a Knuckle head, a converter off of a Harley Davidson motorcycle. That's where the name Knuckle Head came from. 

So our basic product line are called Knuckle Heads and during the years... I've been there now for five years, the company's almost six years old. We have taken this line and built into a full-service line, as I was saying, We've done a lot of things because we listen to contractors. We truly believe that we are a contractor driven company, and that's part of our tag is, "We are contractor driven." 

So at one point, this part I'm holding up right here, actually, didn't look like this, but we listened to contractors. They had no way to put a bolt through it and secure it correctly, so we changed it. The other interesting thing out our product, and maybe Karen, I could have you turn that for me. Or turn this- 

Karen Edwards: Oh, this one. 

Dana Castle: Show that they, our total Knuckle Head line is height adjustable. So when you're going across a flat roof, and we all know there is no such thing as a flat roof. 

Karen Edwards: A flat roof. 

Dana Castle: Every roof has some slow slope, and you can actually adjust up to an inch for slope going across the roof. 

Karen Edwards: Smart. 

Dana Castle: Yeah. 

Karen Edwards: Wow. 

Dana Castle: It's a pretty unique thing. So like I was saying, we've taken this one little piece. We have a full product line now, including really awesome mechanical support kits. We do products for duct work. I think our largest product with mechanical support kits was recently finished in Salt Lake City. There is a blog on our website about it, and we did 482 units on top of a multi-use commercial building in Salt Lake City. 

Karen Edwards: Wow, 482, wow. 

Dana Castle: 482 HVAC units. So on top of that, we do a lot of duct supports in the Chicagoland area. We're very excited and I would love for everybody to stop by our booth, but what I'm most excited about today is to introduce our newest product. 

Karen Edwards: I'm excited to see it. 

Dana Castle: Yeah, it's amazing. We patented this product. It is made out of, believe it or not aluminum, and Karen, I want you to feel, again, this is lightweight. Now this has a couple of pipe supports on it that I'm going to talk about as well. 

Karen Edwards: Oh my gosh. 

Dana Castle: Very lightweight. 

Karen Edwards: Very. 

Dana Castle: However, if you were to take this and put it on top of an Instron, which is a crushing machine, which we have one at the office, and we have a lady who specializes in using it. 

Karen Edwards: Testing. 

Dana Castle: She loves to do it. She took her over 20,000 pounds to push through this. Of course, you would never put 20,000 pounds on a rooftop. 

Karen Edwards: No, but wow. 

Dana Castle: It's pretty exciting. So what, this is an extruded aluminum that is mill finished, anodized and mill finished. In this particular instance, we have an integrated yellow urethane pad, but we also sell these without the pad. Here at IRE if you attend our booth, stop by to scan your badge, we'll follow up and give you 10% off of our whole metal headline, including the accessories. 

Karen Edwards: Nice. 

Dana Castle: On top of this, actually, a really neat accessory that I found from actually looking at somebody else who does this type of a block support. These are called snap and strut accessories. They're not a product of ours, but they are made in the USA as are all of our products. We've added these to our line as an optional accessory. They are also on the special as well. 

Karen Edwards: I love that you are contractor driven. 

Dana Castle: Yes. 

Karen Edwards: That you listen to what the contractor is looking for, and then you come up with a solution for it. 

Dana Castle: Yes, and that's where we pride ourselves in. We've also do custom manufacturing. I had a person call me two weeks ago that had a two 12 pitch, and they had an air conditioning unit that we is literally sliding off the roof. Sliding off the roof, and took pictures of it. Within four days, we were able to develop a new solution, and a new pad to support that, to install, and be able to support their unit. It happened to be a roofing company. A lot of times our business is sold in the HVAC market, but this was a roofing contractor who had seen us at a show, and had just gotten a note that we were going to be at IRE, and reached out and go, "Can you solve this problem?" So, that made me very excited to know. 

Karen Edwards: That's fun.  Now you mentioned stopping by the booth, getting 10% off. 

Dana Castle: 10% off all metal head and metal head accessories. This is a show special. We'd love to start getting these out on a lot more roofs. We have sold probably 10, 15 roofs in the last week that are just using the metalhead support, which is very exciting. 

Karen Edwards: It is. What booth number are you in? 

Dana Castle: We are in booth... I'm going to have to look again, I'm sorry about that. 

Karen Edwards: That's okay. 

Dana Castle: 2954. 

Karen Edwards: 2954. 

Dana Castle: It's a walk from here. 

Karen Edwards: It is. I was just looking we're down here in booth 249. So yeah, that's all the way over on the other side. The show floor is- 

Dana Castle: If you see the Durolast booth, we're about straight back from it. 

Karen Edwards: All right. Our friends at Durolast. Yeah. Look for the hanging signs. 

Dana Castle: Yeah. 

Karen Edwards: Yeah. It's been a good show. It's been busy. Have you guys had a lot of traffic? 

Dana Castle: We've had... you know, surprisingly, this is a horrible story, but yesterday our crate was at the wrong spot. So I set up the booth, and there wasn't any number on the floor. They didn't have the placards up yet. I got a Fran to call from our office saying, you guys are in the wrong on booth, but it happens to be that the nice people here at Freeman helped me move the booth. I had to slide it across the curtain. So we have a lovely council that is on the other side of us. It's the Hispanic Council. 

Karen Edwards: Oh, nice. 

Dana Castle: I think that's their first time this year, and I know that the IRE is doing big push in the Latino industry this year, and it's really pleasant. We've had a lot of traffic because of their booth next to us. 

Karen Edwards: Oh, that's good to see them here. 

Dana Castle: Yeah. 

Karen Edwards: We'll have to get by and say hello. 

Dana Castle: Yeah. 

Karen Edwards: And yeah, wow. Lots to see and do here. If someone is not able to be at the show and visit the Green Link booth, you can learn more about them on the roof, their RoofersCoffeeShop directory. 

Dana Castle: Yes. 

Karen Edwards: Everything you need to know is there. Links to their website, how to contact the company, if you have questions. So we want to make it easy for you. If you are here or maybe you're planning to come tomorrow, and you're just checking our videos out today to see what's going on, be sure to visit Dana. 

Dana Castle: Yep. 

Karen Edwards: I'm serious, you need to feel how easy and lightweight, and these are just game changers. 

Dana Castle: Yes, and there isn't anybody in the market that makes things out of glass reinforced nylon. It has metal like properties, it's an excellent product. We also have accessory pads that go under these, and we do work with a lot of the major roofing manufacturers as well. So, please stop, take a look at our stuff. We're very fortunate this year, to be joined by our engineer, Andre. He's at the booth he has. If you have any question, or a special need, or a special project, he would love to address it for you. 

Karen Edwards: Problem solvers. Give me a challenge. 

Dana Castle: Problem solvers. 

Karen Edwards: I'll give you a solution. We love it. Well, Dana, thank you for coming by. 

Dana Castle: Well thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here. 

Karen Edwards: Yes. 

Dana Castle: As you know, we truly appreciate your support throughout the years as well. 

Karen Edwards: Thank you. It's wonderful to see you, and that being said, we'll be back again. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, ring the bell. So you get those notifications, you know when we're going live! 

Have a question? AskARoofer.

Find your local roofing contractor in the RoofersCoffeeShop® Contractor Directory.

By Cass Jacoby.  

MFM’s ready-to-use Roof Deck Tape™ will take waterproofing your home to the next level.

Did you know there is a way to give your roof a little bit of extra waterproofing? Sealing the seams on a roof’s substrate boards can make all the difference when waterproofing your roof.  

While it might seem like an unnecessary extra step, sealing seams on the substrate board offers another level of protection against Mother Nature. Should the main roof fail, Roof Deck Tape will prevent water from entering the structure between the roof deck panels. This means that Roof Deck Tape can be the difference between a leaky roof or a dry home.  

Already, several building code agencies have implemented codes to seal these seams with a roof deck flashing tape because of how well it waterproofs.  

That is why you need MFM Building Products Roof Deck Tape, the ready-to-use product that will prevent water, air and moisture from slipping through the cracks. MFM Roof Deck Tape is an easy and economical adhesive that prevents water from leaking into the building. This tape self-seals around all roof fasteners, from nails to staples, maintaining a waterproof barrier. 

This 40-mil, self-adhering tape is composed of a non-slip film coated with an aggressive asphalt-based adhesive system that won't crack or dry out. Further, Roof Deck Tape sticks to plywood, OSB, foam board, metal and most other roof deck materials so you can assure a good seal on the seams regardless of material.  

With MFM Roof Deck Tape, it is easier than ever to get an extra layer of water protection for your home and a greater peace of mind that your roof will stay leak-free no matter what weather is thrown at it. 

Have a question? AskARoofer. 

Find your local roofing contractor in the RoofersCoffeeShop® Contractor Directory. 

About Cass  

Cass works as a reporter/writer for RoofersCoffeeShop and AskARoofer. When she isn’t writing about roofs, she is writing about movies for her master's degree and dancing with her plants.   

By ATAS International.

Metal cladding, roofing and soffit products mimic elements of the great outdoors.

In Lexington, North Carolina, a boat dealership and outdoor lifestyle and apparel store was born out of the dream of a longtime bass fisherman.  Rock Outdoors sells everything from pontoons, fishing boats and paddleboards to fashion and technical apparel and accessories.  The community at Rock Outdoors is committed to a life lived outside, which is what the interior of the store needed to reflect.  Materials from ATAS International were specifically chosen to reference the great outdoors texturally and visually.  

Rock Outdoors was awarded first place in the interiors category of ATAS’ 2018 project of the year competition.  In addition to the use of Metafor panels in the Slate Grey color on the store’s interior walls, it also used the same profile in Hemlock Green for the exterior wall cladding.  As well, Linear Ceiling panels with round edges in Medium Teak wood grain laminate and black recessed filler strips were used in a soffit application.  Completing the metal building envelope, ATAS’ Field-Lok panels in Medium Bronze were installed on the roof of the building.

“This building is the launch of the Rock Outdoors brand, with its first location near High Rock Lake and Lexington, NC.  The Rock Outdoors brand is approachable while providing high performance products focused on an outdoor lifestyle.  It was important that the building interior reflects the brand, and that was achieved through material choices and forms.  The use of profiled metal panels, paired with wood elements, provide textural and visual references associated with an outdoor vernacular.  The interior metal panels helped create an environment that was familiar and inspiring. It was also important for the design to incorporate exterior materials on the interior,” stated Ben Schwab, Partner and Architect at STITCH Design Shop of Winston-Salem, NC.

The Metafor panel used on the interior and exterior of this building is a structural panel with a ribbed appearance and is installed using a concealed fastening system.  It is manufactured in aluminum, with a 70% PVDF finish, in anodized aluminum, or in copper.  The panel width is 12” with a 5/8” panel height, and is available in an embossed or smooth texture.

Metafor can be installed horizontally or vertically, and perforations are available.  Since it is a structural panel, it can be installed directly to solid decking or to open framing.  The panels have a positive panel-to-panel interlock and can be combined with other ATAS wall panel profiles to create interesting patterns and breaks.  Curved panels (convex or concave) are another option with this profile.

The Linear Ceiling system is available in two distinct profiles: round edge or a square box with or without filler strips, which are available as a flush or recessed appearance.  It is a suspended ceiling design and each profile has a choice of two widths, 4” or 8”, that are interchangeable due to the 4” increments of the carrier systems.  Linear Ceiling panels are manufactured in aluminum in over 30 stock colors in a 70% PVDF finish or in anodized aluminum. Four standard wood grain laminates are available for this product, as well as polyester and mirrored finishes.  The panel texture can be smooth, perforated, or louvered.

Field-Lok installed on the roof of Rock Outdoors has a 2” seam height and is a mechanical field seamed panel system.  The double-locked structural panel can meet severe load requirements.  For aesthetic reasons or personal preference, the panel can be seamed with a single fold displaying a broader seam, or double-locked to create a 180-degree seam for additional wind uplift resistance.  The single fold meets the needs for a structural panel while providing the reliability of a weather tight roof.  The Field-Lok panel system is installed with a sliding clip.  It is available in aluminum or metallic coated steel with a 70% PVDF finish, in 55% Al-Zn alloy coated steel with acrylic coating, or in copper.  Panel widths are 15 ¼” or 19 ½” with a smooth texture.  A minimum roof slope of ½”:12 is required. Three other Field-Lok panels are available in different seam heights and panel widths to meet project design and performance needs.

All of the ATAS products were installed on Rock Outdoors by J.D. Clark Company of Winston-Salem, NC.  The panels were purchased through ATAS’ distributor, ABC Supply Co. Inc. of Winston-Salem, NC.

Learn more about ATAS in their RCS directory.

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By Cass Jacoby.

Learn about the companies that are driving the industry towards a greener future.  

It is no secret that now more than ever is the time to focus on greener roofing solutions and for companies to reduce CO2 emissions. As manufacturers innovate to provide products that work longer and use greener practices, consumers and contractors alike can do their part to make sustainable choices. We have rounded up some pioneering companies that are driving the industry towards a more sustainable future. 

Re-use and recycle 

Environmentally responsible materials are more popular than ever, which is why an endlessly recyclable metal that won’t lose its strength and durability is a key component in EXCEPTIONAL® Metals’ pledge to reduce their environmental impact. 

Malarkey adds upcycled rubber and plastic polymers from used tires and water bottles to help extend shingle life. The upcycled materials improve the shingle's resilience and strength, creating an incredibly durable material that will last through extreme weather conditions like intense wind, rain and impact. 

Often on a roof made of a thousand pieces of tile, there are only a few broken tiles. Rather than reroofing, which comes at a substantial environmental cost, All Points Tile & Slate makes it easy to simply replace the few bits of damaged tile. Completely re-doing a roof creates harmful emissions during production while unnecessarily filling landfills. This is why All Points Tile is driven to provide local, national and international customers with the ability to identify, procure, color-match, store and deliver tiles. These processes make fixing a roof and replacing tiles much greener, while also making it easier for contractors to quickly finish the job and deliver a beautiful roof. 

Certifiably sustainable 

Sika strives to be transparent about their products from a full life cycle “cradle to grave” point of view. As such, Sika products are certified sustainable and designed to meet LEED standards in order to build a brighter future for our environment. 

Sika has been publishing Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for its products since 2012 and its extensive EPD portfolio covers all of its construction target markets, from roof to basement. The only liquid-applied roofing and waterproofing systems that offer a fully disclosed cradle-to-grave EPD are Sikalastic RoofPro products. 

Duro-Last, Inc. is the first manufacturer to publish a product specific PVC environmental product declaration (EPD) for single-ply membranes, reporting the lifecycle environmental impact of each of their membrane products. Duro-Last also leads the roofing industry with the most certifications under NSF/ANSI 347, and is one of the only two manufacturers to achieve the highest-level platinum certification.  

Green technology 

Malarkey is committed to the environment and developed the industry’s first smog-reducing shingle by incorporating 3M smog-reducing granules. These granules are used in all of Malarkey’s shingles. You won’t even be able to tell the granules are there because they blend into the shingle’s color.   

Another way to reduce smog and the Urban Heat Island effect is through the use of green roofs. SOPREMA makes it easy to incorporate vegetated roofing systems into any low-slope roof with SOPRANATURE® green roof, which uses natural vegetation, like grasses and shrubs, to turn the roof, a usually neglected space, into a green oasis. 

The roof layers act as a soil and drainage system, compensating for the hampered ecosystems resulting from urban development, offering a multitude of economic and environmental benefits to building owners and communities. 

In addition to their innovative green roofing solutions, SOPREMA is deeply engaged in developing sustainability initiatives within their communities. For instance, they have a company recycling program and employees who have worked at SOPREMA for 20 years get a tree planted on the property in their name. 

Energy efficiency 

Western Colloid's Cool Roof Systems can make a huge difference in the heating and cooling costs of your building, specifically with Fluid Applied Reinforced Roofing (FARR) systems. The cost of upgrading or restoring your roof with this system is offset by the cost savings for your building. Additionally, your roof upgrade may qualify for government rebates, tax deductions or write-offs. 

Similarly, ATAS has a variety of cool roof products designed to reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat, bringing a new definition of “cool” to sustainability by bringing down the temperature.

Conclusion  

These are just a few of the ways that the roofing industry is working towards ensuring a brighter, cleaner and certifiably greener future. Roofing products that extend the life of the roof, promote efficiency and save materials from landfills are smart choices for contractors and homeowners and show just how much you care about our planet and making sustainable choices to preserve it.  

Have a question? AskARoofer.   

Find your local roofing contractor in the RoofersCoffeeShop® Contractor Directory.  

About Cass  

Cass works as a reporter/writer for RoofersCoffeeShop and AskARoofer. When she isn’t writing about roofs, she is writing about movies for her master's degree and dancing with her plants.   

By DaVinci Roofscapes. 

Why homeowners trust and invest in Class A rated composite roof tiles.

Manmade composite roofing tiles are generally known for both their beauty and low maintenance features. But what about standing up to Mother Nature? When the winds blow and hail drops from the sky, how does composite roofing handle severe weather? 

It helps to start by understanding that the roof is a “system” on your home. For most roofs, there are six items that are installed to help protect your house and valuables. Those are the decking, self-adhering membrane, underlayment, drip-edge, flashing and nails. These are all installed before the roofing shingle itself. 

Benefits of Class A rated composite roofing 

Fortunately for homeowners, there are a number of industry tests that all roofing products must go through and be rated on. If you’re specifically considering a composite roof, this gives you a way to understand how a composite tile can stand up to hail. Just as when you were in school, there’s the ability to pass the test with flying colors, or limp along with average ratings. 

State Farm Insurance reports that Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and FM Approvals are two organizations generally used to rate the impact resistance of roofing materials. Either steel balls or ice balls — in different sizes — are launched from varying heights and speeds at composite roofing (see video). Those roofing tiles with the least impact damage earn the highest rating — a Class 4 impact rating. 

Here’s another reason we’re mentioning insurance companies. When you invest in composite roofing that has achieved Class 4 impact rating, like the slate and shake tiles made by DaVinci Roofscapes, you should talk with your insurance company. Many of them offer long-term discounts on homeowners insurance for homes with composite roofs. 

They offer year-after-year savings because they understand that Class 4 impact rated composite roofing will stand up to hail. That makes it unlikely they’ll have to repeatedly replace your roof in the future when Mother Nature calls on your area. 

What homeowners are saying  

It’s not unusual for strong hail storms to sweep through Texas several times a year. The Taylor family got tired of it. Tired of replacing their roof. Tired of the hassles. To stop the “hail headaches,” the homeowners installed a Class 4 rated DaVinci Single-Width Slate roof. 

“We decided to invest in a DaVinci roof because we liked their slate look that has lots of depth and character on each shingle,” says Larry Taylor. “The choice of colors was terrific, and we liked the low maintenance and fire resistance of the product. But most importantly, this roofing has been tested and warranted for impact. We don’t want to have to replace another roof again in our lifetime.” 

In Jefferson City, Missouri, baseball-sized hail demolished the cedar roof on Samuel Baker’s home. After the storm, Baker was in a quandary. He loved the look of his old cedar roof, but never wanted to worry about another hail storm again. That’s when his roofer suggested a top-of-the-line Select Shake roof. 

“I’d never heard of a synthetic roof until Black & White Roofing brought it to our attention,” says Baker. “We need a roof we can count on to handle future storms. However, we also want to keep the same cedar shake look that was original to our almost 70-year-old home. The durability and natural appearance of the Select Shake roof allows us to do that. 

“With the Aged Cedar tiles the roof will look new all the time. We feel this roof really modernizes the look of the house. Above all, the big bonus is that we can rest easy whenever future hail storms blow through our area!” 

Product specifics 

DaVinci Roofscapes makes both composite slate and shake roofing tiles, in a variety of styles and sizes. Every product line is tested and is UL2218 Class 4 impact rated, and also high wind resistant. This means that the roofing tiles can stand up extremely tough weather. 

As with all composite roofing from DaVinci, the tiles are impervious to freeze/thaw cycles, color fade resistant and Class A fire rated (with specified underlayments). They are also resistant to insects, fungus and algae growth. And, every imitation slate and shake tile from DaVinci is 100 percent recyclable and Made in the USA. 

Find a product comparison chart of DaVinci products to other types of roofing here And, to learn more about hail testing on all types of roofing materials, visit the hail research report from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety®. 

For more information on DaVinci Roofscapes, visit our website. 

Have a question? AskARoofer.   

Find your local roofing contractor in the RoofersCoffeeShop® Contractor Directory. 

When faced with replacing his roof, this Colorado resident wanted to know if he should also have his gutters replaced. 

Bob, a homeowner in Colorado, wanted to know if it was a good idea to have his gutters replaced when his roof was getting replaced, asking: 

When replacing a roof, is it best to also replace the gutters at the same time? Do gutters need to be replaced? 

Below is what our roofing expert, John Stout with Go Roof Tune Up™, had to say in response: 

It is not necessary to replace gutters at the time of installation of a new roof. The life of the gutters is determined by the quality of the gutters and the abuse they have suffered. 

If you have “built in” gutters (in other words, the gutters are installed within the fascia and starter board) at the time the roof is removed to install the new roof is an excellent time to replace the gutters if an inspection shows signs of deterioration. Generally, the gutters will outlive the roof.   

If the gutters are conventional sheet metal with standard hangars, they can be replaced at any time quite easily. At the time of installing the new roof, the gutters can be inspected and repaired as necessary, or replaced.  

Keep the gutters in mind as you do standard maintenance on your house. Keep the gutters clean and free of trash, leaves and debris. Paint the gutters as you paint the fascia with a good quality exterior paint. You will be rewarded with gutters that will give you many years of satisfactory service. 

Your friends at AskARoofer. 

Continue the conversation in our Forum!  

Have a question? AskARoofer.   

Find your local roofing contractor in the RoofersCoffeeShop® Contractor Directory. 

About Go Roof Tune Up™ 

Go Roof Tune Up™ is the premier provider of roofing services including repair, maintenance and replacement. We currently offer services in a number of states and the list is growing regularly. We work with homeowners, real estate professionals, property managers and home investors. Because of our extensive roof repair experience, Go Roof Tune Up™ can confidently offer you an exclusive five years no Leaks Limited Warranty — on your ENTIRE ROOF! 

By LP Building Solutions. 

Follow this expert guidance to find the best contractor for your home. 

So, you are ready to start working on your home, but don’t quite know where to start? Have no fear! Hiring a contractor can make a huge difference in figuring out the process and the steps that come with re-siding or renovating your home. Follow this checklist, full of expert guidance, to connect yourself with the right contractor who will work with you and your budget to achieve a look for your home you will love:

1 - Do your own research: Before hiring a contractor for your reside project, take a moment to look into options for siding materials and determine your budget. Think through what you can spend for the cost to put siding on a house and consider priorities for siding materials. 

2 - Use online tools and resources to select a contractor: Take advantage of the many online tools that can help to connect you to the right contractor for the right price. LP® SmartSide® Trim & Siding, for example, offers the Find a Contractor directory to connect homeowners with trained & experienced LP SmartSide Preferred Contractors. Visit LPCorp.com/Request-a-Quote to find local SmartSide Preferred Contractors in your area. 

3 - Schedule interviews: Choose a few contractors and set up times to discuss your project. By meeting safely in person or connecting over a video call, you can get important questions answered and determine whether you want to move forward. 

Before you hire a contractor for re-siding, there are a few questions for contractors that will be helpful during your initial conversations. Starting conversations about the following topics can be useful for hiring the right contractor and getting the look you want for your home:

• Proof of business license. Ensure your contractor is local to your area and registered with the proper licensing systems and state requirements. 

• Insurance credentials. How is your contractor protected in case of accidents or mishaps on the jobsite (your home)? 

• References and examples of their work. Ideally, they’ll be eager to show you work they’re proud of that showcases the material you’ve chosen and connect you with happy customers. 

• Experience levels with the material you are interested in using. Make sure your contractor has adequate familiarity with the siding material you have chosen. 

• Upcoming timeline and current projects to see when yours could begin. A contractor may be booked solid for a few months or have immediate openings. 

• Communication preferences. Do they communicate via email? Text? A user portal? Be sure you know how to get in touch. 

4 - Research references: Look into each contractor’s previous work. See if there are any homes in the area they’ve remodeled and check out what those homes look like. Make sure the contractor you choose has a history of great work. 

5 - Discuss your goals and budget: Be sure to talk about your project goals and your budget to get an initial sense if each contractor can complete the job for the price you need. 

6 - Pay attention to communication: Throughout the pre-work of choosing a contractor, keep an eye out for communication worries. Is the contractor you’re considering quick to respond, or are there long gaps between the times you talk? You want to hire someone who is easily accessible and attentive to your project. 

7 - Start the partnership: Now that you know how to hire a contractor, choose the siding expert you believe is best to complete your re-side project. Start making plans, select materials and get the job started! 

Got your contractor? Time to re-side with LP SmartSide Trim and Siding 

When you’re re-siding your home, you’ll want to choose a product that is durable, versatile and beautiful. LP SmartSide engineered wood siding checks all the boxes and more. Available pre-primed or in 16 prefinished colors, LP SmartSide Trim & Siding is made with the SmartGuard® process, which gives it four components of protection to resist hail, wind, moisture, fungal decay and termites. It’s also easier to install than other siding materials, which means your contractor may be able to complete your re-side faster. 

Have a question? AskARoofer.   

Find your local roofing contractor in the RoofersCoffeeShop® Contractor Directory. 

Original article source: LP Building Solutions 

By Trevor Underwood, DECRA.

Tips on finding the best contractor for your roofing project.

Before beginning your search for a quality roofing contractor, a professional roof inspection is a must for any homeowner. An independent inspector can take a look at your roof before and after you get a new one installed for the average cost of $200. Getting an outside, unbiased opinion can provide you and your contractor with the right information about what exactly you will need done to your roof.

Today’s roof inspectors rely on high-tech tools, such as drones and infrared sensors that detect leakage and damage points in the roof by precise variations in temperature. These advanced techniques can reveal hard-to-detect but common problems such as leakage around the chimney where flashing has separated away from the brick. 

If this problem is detected early in the roof inspection, the flashing repair can be included as part of the overall roofing job and your roofing contractor can adjust his bid accordingly. If it’s missed, even the new installation of the best roofing profile won’t correct the chimney leakage problem, and conflicts can arise between homeowners and roofing contractors about who exactly is responsible.

In cases of insured storm damage repairs and new construction, many insurance companies and lenders will require a roof inspection anyway. But even when it’s not mandatory, a timely roof inspection can avoid unexpected surprises and conflicts later on and provide peace of mind for everyone involved in the roofing upgrade or repair.

Naturally, as the roofing product manufacturer, it wouldn’t be ethical for DECRA to provide a list of local independent roofing inspectors, to avoid the appearance of undue influence. We can, however, point you to reputable inspectors and certification services that are readily available via the National Roof Certification and Inspection Association, (NRCIA). 

What to look for: Professional qualities of a great roofing contractor

Experience

DECRA roofing systems don’t require any special skills or tools to install apart from those already acquired by an experienced roofing contractor. That said, the key factor here is the type of roofing “experience”. Even the world’s best stone-coated steel roofing products are no guarantee of satisfaction against shoddy workmanship.

Roofing contractors with 99% of their experience coming from asphalt shingle installations alone are not on the same professional level as those with a portfolio of previous DECRA installations in hand. Reputable DECRA roofing contractors will be happy to show off their previous successes and advise you on which DECRA products and roofing installations are best suited for your home or business. They’ll be intimately familiar with your local building codes and capable of advising you on the best choice of DECRA roofing profiles for your roofing project, whether it’s a remodel, upgrade, repair, or new installation.

Repair or replace roofing skillsets

It’s important to choose your roofing contractor based on the type of roofing project you have in mind. Some roofing companies specialize in partial roof repairs and maintenance, while others handle complete installations only. Quite frequently those different skillsets aren’t interchangeable.

Ask about the roofing contractor’s follow-up and maintenance policy after the installation is complete. Some companies offer repair services only for the installations they’ve done, and some roofing “installer specialists” don’t handle repairs or maintenance at all. This can be troublesome when, as happened to one DECRA homeowner, careless house painters spilled paint on 36 square feet of an otherwise pristine 1998 DECRA roof and the original installer didn’t provide repair services.

For new construction, the roofing contractor will need experience coordinating the installation timetable with other contractors on the job and establishing with the general contractor exactly who is responsible for overlapping work such as installing the roof deck sheathing or any special energy-efficient underlayments specified by the architect.

References and reputability

For any major home improvement project, the homeowner is well advised to interview and receive bids from at least three reputable contractors. This is even more crucial for your DECRA roof installation. Get it done right the first time and you’ll enjoy peace of mind for a lifetime, so time vetting roofing contractors is time well spent.

The best DECRA roofing contractors are proud of their previous DECRA project accomplishments and are more than willing to share them with potential roofing customers. These accomplished roofing contractors won’t hesitate to provide at least three references to verify the quality of their previous work with DECRA roofing and they’ll show up for the estimate with a portfolio of previous work under their arm.

Some due diligence tips for homeowners

Be wary of extremely low bids as well as out-of-sight high bids and be sure to compare quotes from local roofing companies. Additionally, look at websites you trust that post ratings and reviews of contractors. You also can check out a contractor's online reputation by searching for the company's name with words like “scam,” “rip-off” or “complaint.”

Once you’ve chosen your reputable roofing contractor some basic best business practices apply. A good faith deposit should be sufficient to get work underway. Establish a firm timeline for the job progress and completion with allowances for unavoidable weather delays.

Many roofing contractors are fine with a “pay as you go” payment schedule, especially for large jobs where a complete tear-off of the existing roof or work on the underlying roof deck is required. Many homeowners choose to pay contractors with a credit card to make money easier to recover in a worst-case scenario, but if you’ve done your due diligence in selecting a reputable roofing contractor this scenario should be avoidable.

DECRA technical knowledge

DECRA homeowners have different priorities for making DECRA their roofing profile of choice. For some, aesthetic appeal and the ability to replicate nearly any traditional roofing material with the strength of multi-layered steel is the deciding factor.

Others focus on the incredible gains in energy efficiency that are possible with space-age underlayments, ridge vents and DECRA batten installations. For many homeowners and businesses, a speedy upgrade or remodel without requiring a complete tear-off of the existing roof is most important. Others require the most durable roofing profiles to meet the rigorous building codes in hurricane zones. The ideal DECRA roofing contractor has the experience and technical know-how to handle all of these variations from the direct-to-deck roof overs to enhanced hurricane-resistant batten system installations.

The best possible DECRA roofing contractor is one who has availed himself of the vast technical support resources we at DECRA provide for our roofing contractors, architects and construction professionals. They’ll be able to advise you on the best DECRA profiles to meet your roofing goals, provide you with material samples, and use our estimating sheets to calculate fair and accurate bids.  DECRA supports roofing contractors with a vast archive of detailed installation guides for each DECRA roofing product and DECRA accessories such as ridge vents and debris guards.

Operational excellence for roofing contractors and homeowners

DECRA has been providing the first line of defense for sophisticated homes and buildings since 1957. DECRA roofing products are proudly manufactured in the U.S.A at our state-of-the-art facility in Corona, California. As the walk-away champion in every roofing material comparison category DECRA’s product superiority is matched by our operational excellence.

With fully stocked inventories we’re able to ship within just 72 hours after receiving a purchase order which helps to keep your DECRA roofing contractor on time and on budget. When you’re ready to join the ranks of over one million DECRA homeowners please don’t hesitate to request a call from a DECRA advisor today.

Have a question? AskARoofer.  

Find your local roofing contractor in the RoofersCoffeeShop® Contractor Directory. 

Original article source: DECRA