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Asphalt shingle cracks and splits can be a common issue in roofing systems usually because they've aged quite a lot, the weather in your area isn't too good, it was poorly installed, or they lack any kind of regular maintenance. It's quite easy to prevent cracks and splits from causing your roof an untimely demise – read more about it here.

Why Does Cracking Happen?

There are several reasons why cracks and splits occur:

Too Old

Over time, asphalt shingles become more susceptible to cracking and splitting due to aging and exposure to the elements. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, temperature fluctuations, and moisture can all contribute to the degradation of the shingles.

Changes in Size

It's not just you who feels chilly or hot when winter or summer arrives. Changes in temperature cause the shingles to expand and contract, changing their size gradually. Over time, this repetitive movement can lead to stress on the shingle material, its adhesive, and joints, resulting in cracks, splits, or both.

It Wasn't Well-Installed

Did you skimp by paying an unlicensed roofer or just really bad material? If the shingles were not properly installed or if there were errors in the application process, your shingles would get damaged sooner. One example of why this happens is the changes in size – manufacturers have a proper guidelines on proper nailing and nail spacing to minimize the damage of these size changes.

Hail Damage

Hailstorms cause both rackets and expensive roofing problems. This dreaded weather condition can cause significant damage to asphalt shingles. When large hailstones or other objects strike the roof, they can create cracks and splits in the shingles.

How Do I Prevent Asphalt Shingle Cracks and Splits?

Fortunately, you can keep your roof healthier and functioning properly for longer with these steps.

Regular Inspections

When was the last time your roofer checked your roof for hidden damage? Perform routine inspections of your roof to identify any signs of damage or wear. Your roofer will look for cracks, splits, or curling shingles. Catching problems early can prevent them from worsening and potentially causing leaks.

Proper Installation

Don't sweat it if a run-by-night roofer previously installed your roof. When something happens, ensure that your asphalt shingles are reinstalled correctly by hiring a professional roofing contractor. Certified roofers, like SJ Winn Construction, follow the manufacturer's guidelines and best practices for installation to minimize the risk of future issues and ensure you have full warranty coverage.

High-Quality Shingles

Poor material quality leads to substandard durability and dependability. That's the reason why you should invest in high-quality asphalt shingles that are designed to withstand the climate and weather conditions in your area. Cheaper or lower-quality shingles may be more prone to damage and deterioration.

Ventilation and Insulation

When your attic gets too hot and stuffy, it's going to pop and suffer from long-term damage sooner or later. Proper attic ventilation and insulation play a crucial role in maintaining the temperature and moisture levels of your roof. Adequate ventilation helps prevent excessive heat buildup and reduces the risk of thermal expansion and contraction, preventing significant asphalt shingle and roof structure damage.

It's a good idea to have your roof professionally inspected periodically, especially after severe weather events. Roofing experts can identify any issues and recommend necessary repairs or maintenance to prevent further damage. If you have yet to find one in your area, we're always glad to help. SJ Winn Construction is a GAF-certified roofing company with decades of experience and knowledge helping homeowners in your area with all their roofing needs. Call us today.

A roof replacement is a significant investment that can offer numerous benefits, including improving your property's resale value. In fact, a new roof can add significant value to your home while also enhancing its curb appeal. Here are five ways a roof replacement can improve your property's resale value:

Increased Curb Appeal

Your home's curb appeal is the first thing potential buyers will notice when they arrive for a viewing. A new roof can instantly improve your home's aesthetic appeal, making it more attractive to potential buyers. It can help to enhance the overall appearance of your home, giving it a fresh and modern look. If your roof is outdated or damaged, it can detract from the overall appearance of your home and create a negative impression in the minds of buyers.

Improved Energy Efficiency

A new roof can also help to improve your home's energy efficiency, which can be a major selling point for many buyers. A properly installed and insulated roof can help to keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter, reducing your energy bills and carbon footprint. This can be a significant selling point for environmentally-conscious buyers who are looking for ways to reduce their energy costs and impact on the environment.

Increased Home Value

A new roof can also add significant value to your home. Many realtors have seen new roofs on the homes they've sold increase their return on investment by 109% or beyond. Many buyers value newly replaced roofs because they won't have to be the ones to call a roofer, find compatible and excellent roofing material, and have it professionally installed and ensure that it's protected under warranty. 

Increased Safety and Security

A damaged or outdated roof can pose a safety risk to you and your family. A new roof can provide improved protection against the elements and reduce the risk of leaks, which can lead to water damage and mold growth. It can also provide better protection against high winds and other weather events, reducing the risk of damage to your home and improving your family's safety and security.

Reduced Maintenance and Repair Costs

A new roof can help to reduce your home's maintenance and repair costs over time. An old or damaged roof may require frequent repairs or maintenance, which can be costly and time-consuming. A new roof, on the other hand, can provide years of worry-free protection, reducing your long-term costs and making your home much more attractive to potential buyers.

The Right Time to Have Your Roof Replaced

Replacing your roof in a timely manner prevents many disasters that shorten your home's lifespan and protection. Signs to look for are minor damage that you should fix right away like curled, cracked, or missing asphalt shingles. If a recent storm passed, your roof probably has hidden issues that only a reliable local roofer can help with, so make sure you have them check and inspect your roof as soon as possible.

If you are considering a roof replacement, it is essential to work with a professional roofing contractor to ensure that your new roof is properly installed and meets your needs and expectations. SJ Winn Construction is a renowned GAF-certified team who genuinely cares about roofs in your neighborhood. Call us today to learn more about what we can do for you.

Durable roof systems can protect your home for decades. Their freshly installed materials won't wobble, shake, or dislodge, especially if a reliable roofer installed them. With a sturdy roof, you can withstand severe weather for decades. You can even sell your property at a high value with a sturdy roof.

Determining your roof's age is crucial to selling your property at a high value. Here are the benefits of learning your roof's age.

Save Up for a New Roof

Learning your roof's age helps you quickly save up for a new roof. You can quickly save enough cash to pay for a modern roof system. Without an idea about your roof's issues, you might end up with a leaking roof that damages your property's interior and end up paying more to replace your roof and restore your property.

Avoid Issues During a Severe Storm

Your roof's age will leave you vulnerable to storms. 

A new roof can protect you against severe storms. You will replace the asphalt shingles, sheathing, rafters, and other components that reinforce and keep your roof sturdy during the most severe storms. Furthermore, manufacturers guarantee their product's workmanship if you use certified roofers to install your roof. For instance, GAF Master Elite roofers ensure your roof has top-notch warranties that can last for 50 years if you install qualified products.

Prevent Costly Repairs

Old roofs are more likely to suffer from severe damage after a storm than new roofs. Its aged support systems may fail and suffer from structural issues after a severe hurricane or windstorm passes. The asphalt shingles may go missing due to strong winds, and your sheathing may collapse due to severe mold and water damage.

Learning your roof's age helps you time roof replacements. You won't have to go through mold damage and indoor air quality degradation afterward.

Increase Your Home's Resale Value

You can increase your home's resale value in the right areas by knowing your home's age. Buyers will likely consider properties with excellent roofs than otherwise. They feel these roofs will protect them against severe weather conditions for decades. Most new roofs can have transferable warranties, but buyers often prefer a home with a new roof that can protect them for a long time and look great in photographs.

The amount you invest in your roof is helpful because it would ensure you and your realtor will have solid leads who might provide top offers for your home.

Pass Home Inspection Tests

Learning your home's age lets you know if you need to have things inspected and repaired. Home inspectors will evaluate your home's reliability and durability. They will look for insect infestations, mold colonies, rotting wood, health hazards, long-term building issues, and other factors. If they find any major issues in your home, your buyer might think twice about buying your home due to the hassle.

You can trust SJ Winn Construction to learn your roof's remaining lifespan and when to have it replaced. Homeowners in your area trust our team for quick roof replacement turnarounds with outstanding quality and warranty coverage. Call us today to get started.

A new roof is important to protect your interiors. Modern roofing systems from reputable manufacturers have top-notch moisture and algae resistance and help your property extend its lifespan and performance.

Unfortunately, a new roof is a huge financial commitment. It will cost thousands to tear off and replace the entire system – more so if it includes replacing rotted sheathing and rafters. Furthermore, if you don't know when to replace your roof, it can be tricky to save up cash for it.

Financing has been helpful for many homeowners to fix their roofs and restore their condition. Here is everything you need to know if you intend to use them.

Financing Options

You can use four ways to finance your new roof. Here is each one of them.

The Perfect Financing Option

The perfect financing depends on your circumstances and regular income. For instance, mortgage refinancing is optimal if you have a stable income that can handle the interest rate and principal payment. Alternatively, a HELOC is helpful if your property's value is high and you can handle its interest rates.

Keep in mind that financing with equity or debt can be stressful if you fail to pay. An equity loan, for example, gives banks and creditors repossession rights to your property if you default on the financing. Another is a personal loan's immense interest rate burden from several missed payments.

About In-House Financing

Some roofing companies work with creditors to provide roof replacement payment plans. It is advantageous for homeowners because of the simplified process. They will explain the terms of their financing contractors, and you just need to sign the best one for you.

However, a major disadvantage of in-house financing is you're limited to one interest rate and regular payments. The roofer will look for the best rates among their creditors, which means you're also limited only to their offers.

Consequences of Delaying Roof Replacement

The roof's issues will worsen the longer you delay roof replacement. Small roof leaks can evolve into torrential passages that cause severe attic water damage and mold growth. Furthermore, it can drip to your interior walls and ceiling and damage your electric lines, appliances, and more.

Mold growth and small animal infiltration are added costs to restore your roof's condition. Mold can cause allergies with their spores upon maturity, while small animal infiltration will let mice and squirrels burrow and nest inside your attic.

You've saved and found the best funding and installation payment for your roof, so you want the best roofers to install it. With SJ Winn Construction, your roof is in good hands. Our roofers have successfully installed and maintained roofs in your neighborhood. Contact us today to get an estimate.

Rough weather will cause asphalt shingles to suffer severe damage. Strong winds can lift them off their nails. Plus, tree branches can come from anywhere and damage your roof. If you're unsure about what to do after a storm passes, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Identify the Different Types of Roof Storm Damage

Storms cause various types of damage. Let's learn more about each of them below.

Wind

Winds higher than 74 miles-per-hour, also known as gale-force winds, will loosen asphalt shingle nails and blow them off. Roof geometry and material dictate the roof's resistance to strong weather. For example, gable roofs with narrow overhangs have good wind resistance, but an aerodynamically designed hip roof endures wind damage better.

Wind damage signs to watch out for include torn, curled, and bruised shingles. Outside the roof, check the local surroundings for toppled trees and power lines.

Hail

Hailstones can cause dents and bruises on asphalt shingles. They also cause small hidden pockmarks that dislodge protective shingle granules and weaken the material. That said, hailstorms are a homeowner's nightmare because it causes severe aesthetic damage to roofing systems. 

Hailstorms are destructive; even a 15-minute deluge can cause severe roof damage. That said, call a local certified roofer to inspect and assess your roof's current condition.

Pooled Water

Water runoff can clog gutters with dust, debris, and leaves. The pooled water on clogged systems will cause lipping and sagging by pushing against all directions. Furthermore, the water can soak your underlayment, sheathing, and fascia.

Your roofers will use ladders to head up to your gutters, clean the debris, and remove clogging. Then, they will inspect the gutter's structural condition and other issues. After their maintenance repairs, your gutters will work well and effectively by the next storm.

What to Do After a Storm?

Storm damage can shorten your roof's lifespan without immediate repairs. However, if you follow these steps, you can claim roof insurance and restore your roof's condition without paying for anything. Learn more about each step below.

Roof Inspections

Call your local roofer for roof inspections. They can identify visible and hidden roof damages. Most offer free roof surveys and will bring ladders to check your roof's exterior condition. Their assessment serves as initial data you can use to make an insurance claim.

The roofer will check your roofing system's top layer of asphalt shingles or roofing materials for damage. Then, they'll check the gutter, vents, windows, attic, and ceiling for possible damage and issues.

Contact Your Insurer

After your roofer assesses and makes emergency storm damage repairs, you can contact your insurer. Refer to your policy's claims guidelines with this step. Most often, insurers will have you call them and then send them the roofer's photos and documentation of damage. Then, your insurer will conduct their own inspections, discuss repair or replacement details with your roofer, and set a date for repairs and replacement.

Count on SJ Winn Construction to help you with storm damage roof repairs. Our experienced team of professional roofers ensures excellent results in all our roofing projects. Call us today for emergency storm damage repair and general roof services!

A complete roof replacement is an enormous investment. Some homeowners use in-house financing or bank loans to fund their roof replacement if they couldn't save enough cash beforehand. This is why any homeowner will want the best replacement services to touch their roofs. Unfortunately, some would settle for uninsured roofers that many neighbors had referred due to their track record of excellent workmanship.

Uninsured roofers might seem like a cheap and easy fix, but they can cause big and expensive problems later in the project. Their lack of contractor's liability insurance won't give you any recourse for broken furniture or damaged walls during the replacement. 

If an accident happens, your roofer's worker that suffered the accident can hold you liable if they don't have worker's compensation insurance.

We highly recommend working with fully-insured roofers only because they can ensure the excellent condition of the new roofing material before and during installation. A manufacturer who did not certify the roofer you're using immediately disqualifies your roof from warranty coverage. 

Roof material manufacturers only trust certified roofers to do the installation correctly.

Learn more about why you should only work with reliable and fully-insured roofers for your roof replacement.

Contractor's Liability Insurance

The contractor's liability insurance is the roofer's pledge that they will hold their company accountable for any damage to your property caused by their operations while replacing your roof. 

Experienced professionals understand they have extensive knowledge and the right equipment to perform their duties. With this in mind, they know that they've minimized each method's risk to the best of their knowledge, but they cannot eliminate it. This explains why all roofers – including top-notch, certified ones – will always have insurance to protect themselves and you from any expensive liabilities.

All reliable contractors undergo in-depth training and certification programs from manufacturers to qualify for a contractor's liability insurance. Insurers are stringent in their guidelines to reduce the risks involved in every project the roofer does. In addition, certification from manufacturers automatically qualifies all the roofer's installation projects.

Worker's Compensation Insurance

Aside from contractor liability, your roofing company must also have worker's compensation insurance. This ensures the roofer and their employees won't hold you liable for any personal injuries and damages during the roof installation.

Roofing is a high-risk occupation. Worldwide, it is recognized as one of the most dangerous occupations. With this in mind, even experienced roofers take their time doing their tasks and operating equipment to avoid life-changing injuries. 

In most states and countries, the person who owns the property is liable for any accident or injury in their vicinity. Therefore, an uninsured roofer can hold homeowners responsible for their injuries. The homeowners hired the roofers, meaning they are their time-limited employers. 

With a worker's compensation insurance, the roofer takes full responsibility for employee-related accidents. Most worker's compensation insurance includes monetary compensation and hospitalization for the affected roofer.

If you need an excellent roofing company to service your residential or commercial roof, you can always count on us at SJ Winn Construction for your residential projects. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you.

CONTACT INFORMATION

156 Torrington Rd., Winsted,
Connecticut 06098

Phone: 860-379-8863
Email: sjwinnconstruction@gmail.com

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