FAQ’s

FAQ

ROOFING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

Making Your House a Home

Have you noticed some loose shingles? Perhaps a leak here or there? If so, Summit Roofing of New England is ready to assist you in the replacement of your roof for your home. There are many components that go into the structural makeup of the roofing system. 

At Summit Roofing of New England, we use the finest quality of products and warranties to ensure the best possible workmanship and services. We also provide you with a variety of shingles consisting of wood, metal and asphalt to address your roofing needs.

 

MAINTAINING YOUR NEW HAMPSHIRE ROOF.

Keep the roof clean. Fallen leaves, branches and pine needles are very acidic and can damage shingles or tiles. If debris gathers on your roof, try to sweep it off within a week or so.

Keep your gutters clean. Gutters that are clogged with debris can fill with water that can seep up under your roof and cause damage. Consider installing a gutter protection system to keep debris out.

Make sure your roof is properly ventilated. A full-length ridge vent helps to balance out the roof temperature and prevent ice dams and avoid damage to shingles and the roof deck.

Your first step should be to call Summit Roofing of New England to schedule a FREE professional roof inspection. We’ll give you a complete assessment of your roof’s condition and make recommendations for repair or replacement.

Your roof is a critical structural component of your home. So it pays to keep it well maintained so that it can perform its function properly and to extend the roof’s useful life. The biggest challenge is the roof’s location! Climbing up and conducting a careful inspection can be difficult and should be left to professional New Hampshire roofers and Massachusetts roofers like Summit Roofing of New England.

Here are some tips for keeping your roof in good shape. Always use extreme caution when climbing up to or walking on your roof! Better yet, call the professional Concord roofing contractors from Summit Roofing of New England to do it for you.

Perform a thorough inspection every Spring and Fall. Look for wind and rain damage in the Spring, such as loose shingles, punctures, rotting soffits or leaky gutters. In the Fall, look for wind damage, loose shingles and flashing that may need to be resealed.

8 SIGNS YOU MIGHT NEED A NEW ROOF

Here are 8 signs that your roof might need to be replaced:

  • 1 . If your roof system is older than 20 years you might want to consider a new roof system rather than repairing your existing system.
  • 2. Your roof leaks in multiple areas.
  • 3. The shingles on your roof are excessively curled or buckled, or a number of tiles are cracked or missing.
  • 4. The roof is stained or covered with mossy growth.
  • 5. Stains are appearing on interior walls, ceilings and attic rafters.
  • 6. Sagging decking between the rafters. If the decking is sagging or deteriorating, the decking will also require replacement when a new roof is installed.
  • 7. Outside light that can be seen through the roof. This may be common (and not a problem) but it is best to have a professional make this determination.
  • 8. Signs of water damage or leaking (usually in the form of water stains, or sagging ceilings)—this could be due to an active leak in the roof or to condensation caused by poor roof ventilation

KNOW YOUR ROOF!

Roof Glossary: Your roof is more than just a large cap on your New Hampshire home. A roofing system consists of several components, all of which must be coordinated by your roofing contractor Nashua to provide the best protection against the weather.

This is the system of flat panels that are attached to the rafters of your home and form the base layer of the roof itself. Usually made of construction-grade plywood.

Specially made felt paper or rubber membrane is installed on all exposed roof decking. There have been technological advances that have upgraded this component resulting in greater strength and breathability, which prolongs the service life of wood decking.

This component is critical for watertight integrity in critical roofing areas, usually along the roof’s edge. The leak barrier is installed a minimum of 6 feet up your roofline from the edge of the roof at gutter/eaves (which is code), down valleys (where two roofing planes intersect), around the chimney, at the intersection of a roof plane and a vertical wall, and around any penetration through the roofline (soil stacks, vents, fans, skylights, etc).

Another critical component, the starter strip is specifically manufactured for installation at all edges of your roofline to prevent wind and water intrusion under shingles.

These can be asphalt (most popular), fiberglass, tile, wood, metal or slate. All shingles should have a written manufacturer’s warranty against defects.

Flashing is metal or copper seals that are placed around vent pipes, chimneys or other protrusions to prevent water from leaking through a gap between the object and the roof. Also used in high volume flow areas like valleys and joints.

Proper ventilation provides longevity to your wood decking and every other roofing component.

An overlooked area, this special shingle is manufactured specifically for different grades of shingles. It covers the peaks of your roof, enhances the roof’s look and often is required to validate the roof system’s warranty.

It is only as good as the company behind it! Summit Roofing of New England not only carries manufacturer warranties on the products we install, we also offer a warranty on our workmanship.

Frequently Asked Questions About Warranties

A new roof is a big investment, typically involving thousands of your hard-earned dollars and lasting 25, 30, 40 years or more. As with any big investment, knowing in advance what your warranty covers could save you thousands in the event that problems arise with your roof.

Based on GAF’s state-of-the-art manufacturing process, the odds of having a problem with a new GAF roof is about 1 in 1000! On the other hand, while serious problems with GAF roofing materials are rare, if you were to have a problem, it can be as expensive to fix as your roof originally cost. So while the risk of having a problem is low, the cost if you do have a serious problem can be high.

Studies indicate that more than two-thirds of the problems that people experience with their new roofs are due to the contractor’s workmanship, not the roofing materials. That’s why you should trust a GAF “MasterElite” certified contractor like Summit Roofing of New England with the installation.

Basically, there are two types of coverage that you should ask your contractor about: coverage against material defects and coverage against workmanship errors. Make sure you get both in writing.

Almost all roofing products come with a warranty against material defects, although your exact coverage will vary depending on the brand. For example, a typical shingle warranty will cover material defects for a period of 20, 30, 40 years or more. The warranty on the other components of your roofing system can vary from as little as a few months to several years. It is important to remember that coverage against material defects is provided by the manufacturer, so you should select a brand from a manufacturer who is financially strong and therefore more likely to be in business for as long as you own your roof, which could be several decades!

GAF’s warranties come with a special provision called the Smart Choice® Protection Period that covers you against material defects during the critical early years of your new roof. During this period, in the event that you experience a material defect on covered components, GAF will provide you with 100% replacement materials and the reasonable cost of labor to install them. This is important because some roofing warranties may only provide replacement materials, but not the labor to install them.

The GAF Weather Stopper® System Plus Ltd. Warranty provides coverage against material defects for all major GAF components on your roof (not just your shingles)—so you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that, if any covered roofing component fails, it will be covered by the warranty (see ltd. warranty for complete coverage and restrictions). The warranty is available through GAF certified contractors, and is a low-cost way to get up to 50 years of non-prorated coverage (against material defects) on your new roofing system.

Summit Roofing of New England participates in the GAF Golden Pledge® Ltd. Warranty, the first manufacturer’s warranty to cover both material defects and the contractor’s workmanship (see warranty for complete coverage and restrictions). GAF will stand behind our workmanship up to 20 years! The Golden Pledge® Ltd. Warranty is available only through GAF Master Elite™ Contractors, who are factory-certified by GAF. The warranty even includes an inspection by GAF’s independent inspectors after your new roof has been completed to insure proper installation. It is the strongest, safest warranty available in roofing today. Summit Roofing of New England can provide a price for the warranty when we give you a quote for your new roof.