Tips on How to Prepare Your Roof for Winter

One of the toughest seasons on your home is winter. Heavy rains, ice buildup, freezing temperatures, and heavy snow loads can cause a lot of damage if your home is not ready for them. Your roof is one of the most vulnerable areas as far as receiving damage over the winter. The good news is there are ways to avoid winter roof damage. Here are some helpful tips on how to best prepare your roof to handle winter weather. Failure to do these steps can leave you with some costly repairs in the spring or worse yet, lead to nuisance leaks over the winter. 

Clean Your Gutters 

This may be obvious but so many homeowners fail to do this before the winter months set in. That can have devastating effects on your roof. That’s because when gutters are filled with debris water cannot channel off your roof properly. When that happens the water from gutters that are blocked up must go someplace and it usually is an area that you don’t want that water. This includes soffits and other roof structures that are then prone to rotting and weakening. So, get those gutters cleaned out before winter and remember to use proper safety procedures when working on a ladder. 

Get Any Debris Off of Your Roof 

Tree branches and other debris laying on top of your roof can become hazards during the winter months. That’s because snow and ice will grab these objects and then they have the potential to damage shingle and puncture holes in the roof. To prevent this from happening get up on your roof and clean it off. Start by picking up large debris such as branches by hand and throwing them off the roof. Give the roof a good final cleaning by blowing it down with an air blower. That will easily get rid of smaller debris like leaves and pine needles. 

Have a Roof Inspection 

Most homeowners do not know what to look for as far as things to be concerned about with a roof over the winter months. Not to mention, that many homeowners are even reluctant to get up on their roof in the first place. That’s why it‘s never a bad idea to call a local roofing contractor and have them do a pre-winter roof inspection for you. Many companies like Evergreen Renovations & Roofing out of Beaverton, Oregon will even do a pre-winter roof inspection for free or for a very minimal cost. You will get no better peace of mind that your home’s roof is ready to handle the winter than when it’s been checked by a professional roofer. 

Don’t Put off Minor Repairs 

Such things as loose roof flashing and loose roof shingle can really create some big problems on your roof if snow and ice catch them over the winter. The repair bills can end up being quite costly. So, if you have gotten a roof inspection done, don’t put off any minor repairs the inspector pointed out that your roof needed.

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For more information, visit our website at https://www.evergreenteam.com or call us at 503-828-9616

Fall is a Great Time for These Exterior Home Improvement Projects

Many people are under the impression that it’s best to get exterior home improvement projects done during the spring and summer. That simply is not true in all cases. As a matter of fact, there are some exterior home improvement projects that are better left until the fall. Many home improvement companies will even offer good discounts on fall exterior home improvements in order to keep their cash flow going and their crews busy.  

Here are some exterior home improvements where the fall is a perfect time to get them done. 

Painting 

This is one type of exterior home improvement project that you don’t want to be doing in hot weather. That’s because the paint dries too fast and it causes a paint job to not look as good. So why not get that painting project done under cooler fall temperatures? It’s even easier on your body to paint during the fall if you decide to take on the project yourself. 

Gutter and Downspout Replacement 

Are your gutters hanging down in spots? Maybe there are long sections that look bent or out of place. Those conditions can cause your roof to leak or even worse, they can cause structural damage to your roof‘s support structure. Fall is the perfect time to have a contractor come and give you an estimate to install new gutters and downspouts. Many contractors like Evergreen Renovations & Roofing out of Beaverton, Oregon will even do an inspection and give you a gutter replacement estimate for free. At the very least get up on a ladder and paint your old gutters to make them look better and to make sure they are still securely attached. 

Roof Repairs 

Let’s face it. During the hotter months of the year, it’s tough on any roofing crew to be up on a roof. It’s even tougher to work with roofing materials when they are heated up by the sun’s warm rays. If you ask any shingle manufacturer, they will even confirm that asphalt shingles lay down better when it’s cooler out. That makes the fall a perfect time to get a new roof covering or the roof repairs done that you have been putting off. Once again you may even find some nice discounts out there on fall roofing projects. 

Window Replacement 

Cold weather can really wreak havoc when it comes to your utility bills. One of the worst places for heat loss on any home is around the windows. Do you still have the original windows that came with your older home? If you answered yes, then maybe it’s time to consider replacing those windows and the fall is a perfect time to do that. The money you will save on your utility bills will even help offset the cost of your new windows. New replacement windows also come with added bonuses. They will make your home look better and they are now designed to be easier than ever to clean. 

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For more information, visit our website at https://www.evergreenteam.com or call us at 503-828-9616

Evergreen Renovations & Roofing - Beaverton, OR

Evergreen Renovations & Roofing - Beaverton, OR

The Major Causes of Commercial Flat Roof Leaks

One of the biggest fears of any business owner that has a building with a flat roof is leakage. That’s because even the smallest commercial flat roof leaks can cause extensive damage. Especially if they are let go for long periods of time. Here are some of the main causes of commercial flat roof leaks. These are not roof leak causes that you should put off correcting for a long period of time at your business.  

Ponding/Puddles 

People always talk about the amount of damage that moving water can do. Don’t be fooled by the destructive power of water that stans still either. Ponding on a roof is one of the leading contributors to major roof leaks. Over time it breaks down roof coverings, seams, and other means of making a flat roof watertight. It’s easy to identify these spots even after the water has gone because as the water seeps into the roof or evaporates it leaves a ring of dirt in the area.

Displaced or Corroded Roof Flashing 

Even the best commercial roof coverings will do no good if the chimneys, vent pipes and fans that come up through the bottom of them are no longer doing their jobs. This happens when flashing becomes damaged, corroded or misplaced by strong winds. The amount of roof and other structural damage that leaks around flashing can cause is staggering. That’s why it’s best to have a professional roofing company come check your commercial flat roof at least once per year. 

Exposed Seams 

One of the biggest areas of concern on any commercial flat roof is its seams. Even the smallest seam separation in a commercial flat roof membrane can cause a substantial leak. Checking flat roofs seams is another great reason why you should have a commercial flat roof expert periodically inspect the roof at your business. 

Membrane Damage 

Although most commercial flat roof coverings are tough, they can still be damaged by heavy objects being dropped on them. They are particularly susceptible to damage from falling tree limbs and general abuse from maintenance men and other people that work on AC units and other rooftop apparatus. 

Age 

Unfortunately, age takes its toll on commercial flat roofs just like it does everything else in life. There simply is no way to get around it. The older a commercial flat roof is the better the chance that its roof covering is worn, damaged or has simply started to deteriorate. 

How to Best Handle Any Commercial Flat Roof Leak? 

What’s the best way to get your commercial flat roof leak problem taken care of? It’s to call a local flat roofing expert to come to look at it and give you an estimate for fixing the problem. Commercial roofing contractors such as Evergreen Renovations & Roofing out of Beaverton, Oregon are experts at identifying and repairing commercial fat roof leaks. Professional roofing companies also tend to repair flat roof leaks in a way that the repair will hold up for a very long time. 

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For more information, visit our website at https://www.evergreenteam.com or call us at 503-828-9616

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Interesting Things You Can Do with Your Unused Detached Garage

There are a surprisingly large number of homes that have detached garages. Either you built it for such things as garaging additional vehicles or maybe they were built by the previous owners of a home. It may surprise you then that many detached garages just sit there and become places to store junk. That’s a shame because these are structures on your property that have value and you can put to good use. Here are some of the things you can do to make your detached garage work better for you. 

Tear it down and landscape 

Is your open yard space a little cluttered in your opinion? Maybe you would like to build an inground swimming pool in your yard, but you don’t have the extra space. Tearing down that unused detached garage just might be the answer to your problems. Once it’s down you can reclaim the ground area that it once rested on. This is an excellent way to add extra space to your overall landscape. 

Convert ½ of it into storage space 

Are the closets in your home overflowing? Maybe you are having monthly yard sales because clutter is building up inside your home. Every time you open your closet you are afraid the contents are going to come out at you like an avalanche. Well, your unused detached garage may be the answer you are looking for. You can section half of it off to become extra storage space. Not only will it resolve your overflowing closet storage situation, but it will also be much easier to keep your home clean, clear and comfortable. 

Add a man cave inside it 

Does your significant other get mad when you yell at the TV when your favorite sports teams are losing? How nice would it be to have space where you did not bother them and they do not bother you when you are watching sports? Maybe you just want some extra space where you can entertain your friends. That unused garage can be a great solution to these things. You can turn it into your personal man cave or add a bar and make it into an entertainment area. 

Rent it out 

Do you need a little extra income? Well if you don’t mind a little extra traffic on your property you can rent out that unused detached garage and make some extra money. People are always looking for space to do such things as work on their cars or to store classic vehicles that are seldom driven. 

Turn it into an accessory dwelling 

Do your adult children seem to always find their way back to live with you? Maybe you have elder parents that need to be looked after but a nursing home is not a good solution. That unused detached garage can be the answer to these things. You can call a contractor such as Evergreen Renovations & Roofing out of Beaverton, Oregon to help you turn that unused detached garage into a nice accessory dwelling for family or for rental income. 

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For more information, visit our website at https://www.evergreenteam.com or call us at 503-828-9616