Roof Express Plus
We are a full service roofing contractor serving the Columbus Ohio area. We also replace gutters and downspouts and masonry work on chimneys
The process we use for roof replacement is as follows: First we meet with you to determine the scope of the job. This is an essential step in assuring your satisfaction. Every roof job presents unique circumstances and expectations that should be addressed at the initial stage of the project.
After you have received a detailed proposal and have decided to move forward; we will schedule a time to do the work. Prior to the commencement of the work we will order the materials. They will be delivered either a day or two before the job starts or the day of the job. Either way we will alert you to the delivery time. It isn't necessary for you to be there when they are delivered however.
The day of the job we will arrive at a pre-arranged time in the morning. We will usually want to park a trailer close to the house in front of the garage. It's a good idea to move your car(s) prior to us getting there. You don't want to block yourself in the garage or have them around the house or trailer.
We will remove the old shingles and place them in the dump trailer. The rest of the job will detailed in the proposal, but typically it addresses all issues. We prepare the decking by removing all the old roofing nails. We re-nail the roof decking. Install felt over the decking. Re-flash the chimney, walls, skylights, valleys, vent pipes. We also bring the ventilation up to current specifications. Install the shingles. We then clean out the gutters and the entire perimeter of the house.
We usually give a labor and materials warranty that is spelled out in detail in the proposal. It is important to note that the roofing warranty given by the roofing contractor comes into play more often than the warranty offered by the manufacturer.
If you decided to add gutters we install these after the roof is complete. The length of the job is dependent on the size of the project, but we typically complete the roof on a house in one day. We can give you an accurate idea of how long your job will take at the time of the estimate.
Please call or email to schedule a Free Estimate.
614-792-6797
EDPM Rubber Roof
EPDM Flat Roof
This flat roofing material is commonly referred to as EPDM rubber membrane or just rubber. EPDM stands for ethylene propylene diene monomer. EPDM has a wide range of other uses. In addition to roofing membrane, EDPM rubber has also been used in making appliance hoses, electrical wire insulation and even the seal around you refrigerator. It is a very durable material that can reset UV and huge temperature swings, making it an ideal roofing material.
It comes in sheets usually ten to twenty feet wide, but is available in rolls as wide as fifty feet. The two most common thicknesses of the membrane are .045 (45mils) or .060 (60 mils). It falls into the category of roofing material known as single ply membrane. That is, it is made from a single sheet of rubber and not multiple layers like the old traditional roofing was. It has withstood the test of time having been in use for over forty years and is the most popular flat roofing material installed in the US. A liquid version of EDPM is being made as well and is an excellent choice in what would otherwise be a difficult installation.
There are three ways to install EPDM. "Mechanically fastened" is fastening the material to the roof deck using the manufacturers hardware. "Fully adhered is using adhesive to adhere the material to the deck. It can either be by applying the adhesive to both the substrate and the rubber or using "self adhering" membrane (commonly referred to as peal and seal). The third way is to use "ballast", usually consisting of river rock or pavers, to hold down the membrane. In all cases there is usually insulation attached to the wood deck of the roof. The purpose of the insulation is to protect the membrane from fasteners and sharps edges.
EPDM is a much less disruptive and messy installation than hot tar built up roof systems.
The life of the roof is determined by a variety of factors. The climate of the area where the roof is installed and the quality of the workmanship are the two biggest factors.
614-792-6797
Click here to schedule an EPDM Rubber Roof Estimate
Solar Roof Vents
What is a solar vent?
A solar powered attic vent is an attic ventilation fan which runs completely from solar power. The traditional powered vent has been powered by AC current and had to be wired into the house. A solar vent operates identically except it is obviously powered by solar energy. There is a solar panel either attached to the vent or attached to the roof and wired to the vent. So a solar vent is a power roof vent powered by solar energy.
Powered vents are more effective than passive roof vents due to the volume of air they exchange over a given amount of time. The downside has been the expense to operate them and the effect that has on the environment. Solar vents eliminate this.
The benefit of cooling your attic space is that it will keep the house cooler. The insulation you have between the living space and the attic space is designed to keep the heat out, but the cooler the attic the better your insulation works. So you will use less energy to cool the house if you are using air conditioning or you will be more comfortable if you're not.
There are two ways to keep heat from entering your house. You can add insulation or you can exhaust the hot air out of the attic space. Most of the homes we inspect have adequate insulation, so the law of diminishing returns comes into play. You can reach the point where adding more insulation isn't going to produce much of an effect. Most roofs are ventilated but with passive venting such as gable end vents, ridge vents or other passive roof vents. There is room for improvement in that regard. By adding a solar powered vent you are lowering the temp of the attic because you are removing the hot air faster thus making the living space of your home without consuming more energy.
Solar Powered Vent installation considerations
The solar panel needs to be placed on the Southern or South Western side of the roof to get the proper amount of sun. Ideally you want to locate vents on the back of the house so this may play a role in your decision. Once you have determined the best location the next step is to cut a hole in the roof and install it!
Tax Credit
Solar attic fans qualify for a 30% federal tax credit if installed on your existing principle residence (new construction does not qualify). The IRS allows the credit to be applied to both the material and labor. You should consult your tax professional or see IRS Form 5695
Give us a call if you would like us to install a solar roof vent on your home.
614-792-6797
Click here to schedule a Solar Roof Vent Estimate
Porch Roof Repair
One of the more common leaks we see on our roof estimates are leaks at the roof pitch transition. These types of roof leaks are even more common on room additions and porch additions that were added after the house was built.
There are two factors at work here. One is the transition from a higher pitch to a lower pitched roof. If not tied in correctly this can be a leak source. The other is that we find that the construction phase of the addition was performed by folks that weren't all that familiar with roofing. We often find well executed room or porch additions that weren't tied into the existing roof very well.
We were recently called in to do such a repair on a screened in porch. The porch was added onto a house with a higher pitched roof. The shingles were installed improperly, that is they were installed onto the upper roof instead of beneath. On a sloped roof the shingles should always shed water onto the shingles below them.
They then used aluminum stock to span the gap. This, surprisingly, worked for a number of years, at least well enough to not allow water to appear inside the porch. We could tell by the rusty roofing nail heads that water was penetrating at the transition.
Roof Maintenance
Regular roof maintenance can give you more life from your roof and protect you from unexpected leaks. It is especially important after the severe winter we have had. The life of your roof can be lengthened by regular roof maintenance. A small investment can pay dividends in the form of delaying roof replacement.
When you perform a scheduled roof maintenance we first clean the roof of any debris such as fallen branches, leaves, pine needles or any thing else that is on the roof that shouldn't be. We then visually inspect the entire roof. We look at the condition of your shingles, checking for blistering, granule loss and pliability. Any missing or damaged shingles are replaced. The flashing gets inspected to make sure that it is not coming loose or is otherwise about to fail. The gutters are inspected to make sure that they are draining properly and the downspouts aren't clogged. We also make sure that no true branches are causing damage to the roof. Finally we inspect for chimney deterioration in the mortar and the crown.
We frequently see tiny defects in roofs that eventually cause damage to the interior of the house. It's much better to repair these early before they rot wood or cause enough damage to necessitate replacing interior walls.
You can schedule a roof maintenance inspection with us. We clean off the roof, apply sealant to any flashing that needs it and give a complete report on the condition of the roof, gutters and chimney(s).
We are offering a spring tune up special for $189.
Call to Schedule a Roof Maintenance Estimate
614-792-6797
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