At what point do we say the sacrifice and attainment of that which is great and to be great is not worth the price? This I have fixated my eyes upon and have failed to reconcile the tension between average, satisfactory and great.That which is within me says, “In all this is done it should be our desire to function with a spirit of excellence. To say that it’s good enough doesn’t register right within me.” There are limits to our excellence and each should be aware of their limits. That in itself is a measure of greatness. To recognize ones frailty and limits of ability is a measure of wisdom and humility and that in itself is truly precious, priceless and great. With that being said, I know that I can not do this on my own. Life, business, greatness is not possible in a vacuum. With truth and reality set into motion I find myself at the place of knowing, realizing and experiencing depths of inability to answer questions, therefore I as a servant leader have no answers to certain questions that plaque my soul in this hour. I’ve seen things in human nature that have been revealed, exposed and brought to light in the aftermath of the largest hailstorm in Colorado Springs history.

Experience is a great teacher, yet there is great danger in our experience if it’s not properly filtered. Unfiltered experience may result in bitterness of experience resulting in increased tension and angry tones. First, I’ll share a recurring experience. Since the record hailstorm we’ve seen many of our clients break their word and refuse to honor contracts only to go after other roofers that were willing to commit fraud. This has broken my heart and wounded my soul. My new tendency is to quickly pass judgement on those that were willing to trade their word for money. It has become rather easy for me to see these ones as being mastered by money and a slave to it. That pronouncement of judgement although it may be correct is wrong. I repent to everyone in whom my heart has made this judgement. At the same time I hope that our community doesn’t see insurance companies incorrectly as a source of welfare, betterment or economic windfall. Please forgive me for angry tones and measures of bitterness in my soul. May I be granted the grace needed to work these things out of my heart.

We all see through the glass dimly and our filters either taint relationships or help relationships. Here at Integrity Roofing and Painting, LLC it is truly our desire to be a blessing to everyone that we meet and those that choose our roofing service and the way we go about the entire restoration process we truly want our relationship to be a win, win situation. If anyone doesn’t sense that we desire to give them our best in the aftermath of the largest storm in Colorado Springs history than I’d appreciate an opportunity to speak with this person. At this time I truly understand the demands and logistics of this season and would like to properly convey the current environment and depths of difficulty at this time for ourselves and every other roofer in Colorado Springs.

At this time I want everyone to know that we truly desire to be great, to do what’s right, to honor God and country. We really want to do this, but this is not business as usual for everyone that has been roofing Colorado Springs residences realizes that his storm has created very complex issues and some of these issues will only be revealed on a need to know basis. Other issues are common to every roofing contractor in our area at this time and it will impact their ability to deliver jobs at their highest level. Some companies may convey a different message at this time than what is reality. Rest assured that the aftermath of the recent storm has caused tensions, strains and logistical issues that are not only problematic, but reflective of some serious issues in our society.

Here at Integrity Roofing and Painting, LLC we have not been pursuing money, we’ve been pursuing relationships and excellence in service. This is still our pursuit, however external forces will limit our ability to develop relationships at the level that we normally are able to attain. In many ways some of our clients may feel abandoned, but that is not our attention. The truth of the matter is that no one had any idea that over 40,000 roofs were damaged in Colorado Springs from the recent storm. We commit ourselves to seeing this through and will learn from this experience. While I see we are not pursuing money allow me to elaborate. We will nor pursue money incorrectly. One of our mottos is, “We make roof replacements easy.” This is truly our desire and we do an excellent job at it. Today there are some misconceptions that pervade all streams of media. We have taken some heat for not giving inspections. This was my decision and it was the right decision. After 30+ years of construction and insurance experience I know that we are exercising integrity when we chose to only work off of insurance Xactimate pricing. Many people have been offended that we would not give an inspection. The volatility of pricing in our present market calls for wisdom on the contractor, therefore understanding the demand of the season, Integrity Roofing and Painting, LLC shall not be locked into a price when we know that our expenses may go up 10-20 percent during the aftermath of this storm. We have no desire to lose money. We desire to sustain wise business practices and sound accounting principles. Trust us when we say that it’s beneficial for everyone to not be locked into an exact price in this chaotic environment. Insurance companies know of the price increases and most are changing prices monthly to compensate roofers. We have to be in relationship with homeowners that understand this is agree to the necessity of allowing us the ability to supplement all roof scopes at this time with every insurance company.

Any one that understands insurance knows that they only have to pay their deductible. As a result of this understanding our experience is that people want to try and figure a way to pocket some insurance money. We will not participate in insurance fraud, therefore we have not given roof inspections at this time. As a group we have a large collection of conversations and experiences with homeowners that exposed themselves by stating that they wanted to find a roofer that would do the work for less and than to have that roofer send false documents to the insurance company at an inflated amount. We are not that company so you may as well not ask us to do it nor should you waste your time in calling us.

If you’re are ethical and you’re looking for someone that has been roofing Colorado Springs ethically for many years than contact us. If you’ve filtered life in such a way that greatness is only about your bottom dollar or cheating the system than don’t call us and ask for a roof bid. We will not participate in any scheme concocted by a homeowner to defund the insurance process. If you want someone to help you in the insurance restoration process and you’re willing to work with someone that’s fighting a good fight, although we are not perfect it is our desire to be great. We know that we can’t please everyone and that not all people are meant to be in a relationship. If you’re a fit for the way we do business than we’d love to install a roof on your home.

If you chose to defraud the insurance company we will not judge you. Everyone has a choice. We’ve been in this industry for decades. Our perception will be different than most people and even other roofers. We just want to function with a sprit of excellence, even in our imperfection, knowing that we’ve done all that we can do to live life well and for lives to end knowing that we did life correctly. That’s our perspective.

We desire the best for everyone and hope that all have the discernment to do what’s right.

Consider the Following example of someone wanting an inspection when they already have the inspection from the insurance company:

Jamie Leigh
a month ago

I live near Security area where we had horrible hail damage. I called Integrity to get an inspection and Vince came out to my property to look it over. He said that he could either write me an inspection or base the inspection on my insurance claim. There is no reason that they should not provide an inspection. We wanted three inspections that detailed the scope of work to be performed and the cost so that we could compare as you should always do when hiring a contractor and then we could choose (not necessarily the best price) but the best value for what we needed done. When I called him back to ask for the inspection, he said “we have so many projects going right now, that we are not doing inspections for anyone unless you turn over your insurance information and we can write the inspection based on your claim numbers”. This is incredibly shady to me. There should be no reason for them to decline giving me an inspection for a re-roof. I will share my claim information with the contractor I choose to hire but for this company to even decline giving me an inspection without seeing the numbers on my claim is completely dishonest. Talk about zero transparency and honesty. I just cannot believe he said that. They wasted my time to come out and provide an inspection and then wouldn’t give me one. Other roofing contractors I have called, said it’s no problem, they can give me an inspection and then if we decide to hire them, we can go over the claim info and get everything finalized in the agreement. Integrity is obviously lacking in ‘Integrity’ because they won’t tell you what your roof should cost to replace up front. Not until they see your insurance claim. I would never trust someone that does business that way and I work in the construction industry. That is why I am taking the time to write a review.

Helpful?

Response from the owner a month ago
Jamie, thank you for calling me today to discuss this. While we will continue to disagree about our position to suspend generating inspections during this current storm, we will continue our position that it is ethical to work for what the insurance determines is the price for the roof. As we discussed, our estimating software is Xactimate so our inspections will end up matching the insurance claim summaries anyway. We are going to continue simplifying and streamlining the process by agreeing to work off claim summaries instead of generating matching bids. Thank you for your feedback and I appreciate that you are passionate about your view. I am glad you have multiple bids from other roofers and will have several from which to choose. Best of luck with your repairs.

Planning your roof’s slope

You already most likely know that there are many different choices to be made when it comes to constructing the perfect roof for your home. All roofs are different: they vary by style, overhang, pitch, and cover material. When you decide on your roofing options, make sure you keep in the mind the different benefits to be considered with your pitch and style of roofing.

Roof Slope

The slope of your roof is one of the most crucial points in your entire home. It will determine several different things: the slops will greatly affect the volume of space in your home or the amount of space you have to heat and cool. It affects water draining off, what roofing materials you can choose, and of course the style of your finished roof.

You may have heard the slope of your roof being referenced as the pitch. You can easily figure out the pitch of your roof by locating the rise in vertical inches for each twelve inches in horizontal length, also known as a run. When defining the pitch of your roof, there are several well known options: flat roofs, low slope, conventional slope, and steep slope.

Some advantages of a conventional or sleep slope is that you will have the option of using tile or wood singles as well as having an increased slope means less maintenance in the long run. These roofs also tend to last longer than others. While your initial costs of a steeper roof may be more in the beginning, you will more than earn it back in the long run with an extended roof life and lower repair and maintenance costs.

Measuring Your Roof’s Slope

As a general guideline for measuring your roof’s pitches, you will follow a given rise/run. For example: a measurement of 6/14 means your roof rises vertically 6 inches for every 14 inches of horizontal length.

Flat roof: 2/12
Low slope: 2/12-4/12
Conventional slope: 4/12-9-12
Steep slope: 9/12-greater

Types of Roofs

There are many different types of roofs that you can choose from when constructing your home. These are some examples of various roof type, but not limited to:

• Cross Gable Roof. Similar to the Gable roof, this certain type of roof has two sections that cross each other. These particular perpendicular areas are usually seen for dormers, garages, entrances, etc.
• Dutch Colonial Roof. A Dutch Colonial roof is a roof with a very steep pitch. This type of roof generally will extend down over the exterior of the entire second floor of the home.
• Flat Roof. Exactly known as its name, a flat roof. These certain roofs are easy to build and cost effective.
• Gable Roof. One of the more common styles in the US. A gable roof is known as a triangle shaped roof. This particular shape allows for snow and rain to easily flow off.
• Gambrel Roof. This certain roof type is well known as resembling a bell when viewed from the side. This side view is also similar to the Mansard roof. This roof is commonly seen on barns.
• Mansard Roof. A Mansard roof, also known as a French Gable roof, is a roof that has a flat top instead of forming a full triangle like the Gable roofs.
• Saltbox Roof. Similar to the Gable roof, this roof has two sides that are asymmetrical.
• Shed Roof. A simplistic roof style that slants down in one direction allowing snow and water to flow off in a rapid manner.

Contact

If you or someone you know is interested in any of these types or roofing, contact us today and let’s begin on working on your dream roof! If you are looking for a roofing company in Colorado Springs contact us for a free consultation.

There are several reasons why clay roofing can be a better choice for your roofing needs.  In this particular article, we will cover the top five reasons why clay roofing may be a better choice for you, personally. Nationwide you’ll find clay roofs installed on many historic buildings. Here in Colorado, roofers in Denver have the opportunity to install new clay roofs in upscale subdivisions besides repairing historic buildings. Clay roofs are a top notch roofing product for many locations. As a matter of fact I can’t think of too many reasons why someone wouldn’t won’t a clay roof if money wasn’t an issue.

Extended Lifespan

Overall, clay roofing has a longer life-expectancy than most other types of roofing materials. This is firstly dependent on the quality of the materials used. No matter what, though, it is more dependent on the climate, weather conditions, and other natural wear and tear. However, the basic life expectancy of clay roofing is up to 50 years. That’s longer than most people even choose to live in one home. There are few other roofing materials that can match that length of time. Slate roofing may be the only other exception, but that’s not always a cost-effective option for everyone.

Clay Roofing is Not Affected by the Same Things as Other Roofing Materials

Clay roofing more resilient than other roofing materials, as it is resistant to rot and sun exposure. It is not able to be burned, and the naturally hardened composition of the clay makes it very resistant to mold and other fungi that may break down other roofing materials. On a positive note, as clay roofing ages, it is very tolerant of natural mosses. This can add to the aesthetic qualities of the roofing and show beauty through age. Clay roofs are seen throughout many sunny states in the U.S. What a great product for sunshine states.

Clay Roofing is Resistant to Insect Damage

Simply because of the way clay is, naturally, it is resistant to insect damage. There are no clay-eating or clay-nesting termites, beetles, moths or other pests. This makes clay roofing desirable to people who live in geographical areas where certain pests are a real problem. During the firing process of the clay roof tiles it is hardened and stabilized, which makes for an impenetrable barrier against all kinds of roof predators.

Clay Roofing is Very Aesthetically Pleasing

The shape and layout of clay roofing can make a bold statement. For most people, it is reminiscent of Europe. Linking back to Italian, Spanish and German architecture, clay roofing has been used for centuries and has withstood all kinds of wear and tear. For many, it brings a worldly feeling with it, along with it’s texture and visible density. No doubt about it, clay tiles are gorgeous.

Hail Damage to Clay Roofing?

Roofers in Denver know that it takes a large hail stone to damage clay roofing. Generally speaking the hail stones will need to be larger than 2-1/4″ before damage occurs. That large of a hailstone isn’t common in the Denver area.

There’s so Much to Choose From

Another great benefit to clay roofing is the variety of colors there are to pick from. Most people conjure and image of the typical Terra Cotta color when thinking of a clay roof. This is a common color, but do not be deceived by this stereotype. Clay roofing comes in a wide variety of colors that can enhance and beautify the outward appearance of your home.

Contact Us

Integrity Roofing and Painting is one of a few roofers in Denver that has experience with working with clay. There are times when our crews are not available for a clay roof install or repair. Please contact our office for current availability.

In just over a month, Santa will make his annual trip, landing his sleigh and the 9 reindeer that power it on your roof, and if you don’t have an impact resistant roof, you may be in trouble. It is believed that Old Saint Nick weighs approximately 220 pounds, but that is nothing compared to the weight of his reindeer and sleigh. Assuming that he is carrying roughly two pounds of presents per child, it follows that the jolly old man’s sleigh would weigh roughly 300,000 tons. Needless-to-say, if you don’t have a impact resistant roof, that kind of weight could cause serious problems for your home’s roof, and wind up costing you thousands in damage. Similarly, Mr. Kringle is tasked with climbing up your chimney and sliding on down in order to place the presents under the tree. If the flashing around your chimney isn’t properly installed, his little climb up it could cause you serious problems.

What kind of damage can the big man cause?

When Santa lands his sleigh on your roof it can cause the granules on your shingles to be stripped away, leaving them far less capable to defend your roof from the high wind, rain, hail, and snow that will follow. Beyond that, once Father Christmas hops out of the sleigh and climbs up the chimney, further granule loss can occur, and he may even disrupt your chimney’s flashing if it was not properly installed in the first place.

How to defend your roof against Father Christmas

Here’s how: get an impact resistant roof from Integrity Roofing and Painting. By having your roof upgraded with not only Integrity’s Integrated Integrity Roofing System, but also with top-of-the-line impact resistant shingles, your roof will not only look better than it ever has, but will also be ready for the big guy, is sleigh, and all nine of his reindeer. An impact resistant roof, made with not asphalt, but rather with Styrene Butadiene Styrene (SBS), is far better equipped to stand up the your Christmas visitor. When SBS is added to the asphalt used to produce roof shingles that asphalt becomes polymer modified asphalt. This powerful element of impact resistant shingles makes them far more suited to resist high impact and heavy pressure from rain, sleet, snow, hail, and yes, Santa and his sleigh.

The holiday season is upon us, and Santa will soon be landing on your roof. Be prepared for the big guy, and contact Integrity Roofing and Painting for simply the best and most effective impact resistant roof solutions in the business. At Integrity Roofing and Painting, we make roof replacements easy!

Metal roofs, while not a particularly wide-spread choice among home owners, for the standard standing seam roof can prove to be a valuable and cost effective investment. The standing metal seam roof is simple in beauty and has a wide variety of colors. It is a gorgeous roof and one the consider if money isn’t an issue. One of the reasons why people are deterred from getting metal home roofs is the price, as metal home roofs tend to be about three times the cost of standard asphalt-shingle roofs. This extreme price difference can be attributed not only to the fact that metal roofing materials are more expensive than asphalt-shingle roofing materials, but also because the installation process of a metal roof is far more technical and requires more time and more high- skilled laborers. In this post we’ll dive a little bit deeper into the reasons why a metal roof may or may not be the best choice for your home.

Life expectancy and durability of metal roofs

We briefly touched on some of the draw-backs of metal roofs, including the fact that they are far more expensive than standard asphalt shingle roofs, and due to the technical  nature of the installation process they also tend to take far more time to install than the standard asphalt shingle roof. However, one of the reasons that many home owners decide that installing a metal home roof is the correct decision for them, has to to do with the life expectancy of metal roofs compared to asphalt roofs. Metal roofs typically last two to three times longer than asphalt shingle roofs, the average life-span being anywhere from 40 to 60 years. Compare that to the average life-span of an asphalt shingle roof which ranges from 12 to 20 years.  Going hand-in-hand with the long life-span of metal roofs is another advantage that is gained from that same durability; less frequent repairs. In fact, most high quality metal roofs almost never are in need of maintenance. These reasons are why many homeowners who plan to be in their home for many, many years decide that a metal roof is that best option for them.

Insurance Cosmetic Clause for Metal Roofs

I think many of the metal roofs that are available today for residential properties are simply beautiful. The biggest downfall for a Colorado resident to a metal roof is what happens after a hailstorm? The recent trend in the insurance industry is to not pay for cosmetic damage to a metal roof. Now, if you have the money and you can take a financial hit from a hailstorm and your able to pay for a new roof out of pocket, skip this part. Most people in Colorado will factor this truth into their grid for considering whether or not a metal roof is worth it. Most roofing companies in Colorado Springs have witnessed the shock when a homeowner gets a report from the insurance adjuster that the roof will not be replaced after a hailstorm. The cosmetic clause in an insurance policy will not pay for aesthetic damage to the metal roof system. What this means is a metal roof can appear as though someone beat the entire surface with a baseball bat and the insurer would technically not owe to replace the roof. Another way to describe this is by taking an opposite approach. The insurance adjuster assigned to a hail damage claim will look for functional damage to the metal panels or metal shingles. This is understandably just because the language the insurance policy clearly states that they will only owe for functional damage. Here’s the catch, it’s unlikely that most metal roofs that go through a hailstorm in Colorado Springs will be damaged. The reason is functional damage to a metal roof must be such that it diminishes the roof systems ability to shed water or it significantly decreases the life expectancy of the roof system. Neither one of these will occur from an average hailstorm. In order for the roof to an experience potential leaks the hail stone would have to punch through the surface of the metal. The other potential is that the hail stone would cut, tear, puncture or rupture the metal roof system. On metal roofs the seams could be functionally damaged from a hail stone that is around the size of a baseball. So, there you have it! Take this information into consideration before purchasing a new metal roof on your home. The brown metal roof to the left is an example of cosmetic damage. This roof wouldn’t qualify for roof replacement because of the cosmetic clause.

Aesthetic variety 

Metal roofing materials come in a variety of shapes, colors, and styles, which makes them an attractive option for home owners seeking a unique look for their roof. Metal roofing panels are available in steel, copper, aluminum, zinc or terne metal, and all of those materials can actually be press-formed or pre-painted to appear similar to slate, tile, wood shake, or conventional shingles. This variety of appearance is extremely attractive to many home owners, as they are able to achieve the look that they want, and at the same time reap all of the practical benefits that go along with metal roofing. There are several roofing companies in Colorado Springs that are willing and able to install a designer product that is named Decra. Integrity Roofing and Painting will occasional install this product. Debra is another one of the metal products that looks exceptional stylish, however the insurance companies typically have a cosmetic clause on their policies.

Over the past few years we’ve installed several metal roofs and they turned out gorgeous. I personally appreciate the appearance and variety of metal roof products on the market today. If the insurance companies took a different approach in writing insurance coverage on metal roofs we would install many more of these roof systems. As it is the insurance companies will not reverse their decisions, therefore we will personally recommend to our clients to consider allowing us to install a class 4 hail impact resistant shingle on their home. One of the things that we’ve been doing for our clients that our set on metal roofs is to mix some metal products with asphalt which makes for a striking roof.

At Integrity Roofing and Painting we offer a variety of roof options. We are one of the roofing companies in Colorado Springs that occasionally installs metal roofs. Contact Integrity Roofing and Painting, we make roof replacements easy!

When buying a house, one of the factors that you must consider is the durability of its roofing system. No matter how beautiful the architectural design is, if the roofing construction is not built for extreme weather conditions, you will surely experience problems in the near future. Be wary if the previous owner seems to be in a hurry to sell the house and is more than willing to give it at a bargain price. There might be some hidden defects that he purposely did not inform you about. Sometimes the shingles, metal panels, tiles or flat roof could meet the stated life expectancy if only they were installed correctly. On the other hand the Architect that designed the property may have some fatal flaws that actually are causing a roof to age prematurely. I’ll share on this in a moment.

How long do roofs last? This is probably the question that is playing in your mind right now. If the house that you are going to purchase was built 10 years ago, when is the right time to replace the old roofs? The answer mainly depends on what kind of material was used for the roofing system. Various materials have different lifespan.

When the American Society of Home Inspectors was asked “how long do roofs last?” their answer is not universal. They said the answer depends on the following factors:

• Type of materials – as mentioned above, the kind of material used of building up the roofing system is crucial. The best experienced roofing companies in Denver agree that slate is the most durable of all roof types. It can last from 30 to 100 years. Metal and wood can last of up to 40 years, while asphalt and clay can last up to 20 years.
• Proper maintenance – if the owner is vigilant and is taking care of his house by hiring professional roofers for annual inspection, the roofing system tends to last longer. Minor faults are given immediate attention hence prevented to worse up.
• Weather and natural elements – sometimes even if the roofs are firmly attached to the walls or properly nailed to the frame, there’s still a possibility for them to collapse or be destroyed by natural calamities. So, how long do roofs last? The kind of climate in the area where your house is located is an important factor. If hurricanes and blizzards are a frequent visitor in your place, don’t expect your roofs to withstand such weather conditions for a very long time unless your are doing everything you can to maintain the good status of your roofs.

As you can see, there are many aspects to look at if you want to determine the number of years your roofing system is going last. That is why if the house that you are considering to buy is not brand new, meaning another person previously owned it, you may want to hire a certified roofing company in Denver that can inspect the roofs for you. They have the necessary expertise to know whether a roof only needs a repair or if it already needs a total replacement.

Fatal Flaws from the Builder or Architect

Contemporary improvements in the building industry are a result of years of  a fatal failure in an overlooked area of building construction in many geographical areas throughout Colorado and many other states. A relatively new construction topic that builders and architects are focusing on and rightly so is the important of attic ventilation. Even as recent as 1980 track homes were being built with inadequate ventilation. In certain areas even no roof vents or soffit ventilation was being installed by the builder or planned by the architect. This is a fatal flaw for many roof systems and possibly a health hazard for the inhabitants. In 1970 throughout the entire United States there were only a handful of mold claims. In 1980 we had an explosion of mold claims throughout our nation. One of the reasons this occurred is that many roof systems and attics were not ventilated properly. Most of this homes that experienced mold growth were probably recent construction. As a result of the explosion of mold claims the building and insurance industry took a close look at this growing problem. One of the main culprits for mold that was found in attics was the lack of soffit vents and roof vents. In addition to mold damage to the property many people were getting sick because of mold. Today builders and architects understand their legal responsibility when designing a home. Many of the architects and builders design their building to vent properly.

The good news is if a roof system is properly ventilated according to building codes and the manufacturers installation requirements than a asphalt roof system has the greatest change of reaching it’s projected life span. Today asphalt shingle packages list life expectancies of 30 years, 40 years, 50 years and lifetime. Now I really don’t think many shingles will achiever 50 years, but it may be possible. Certainly if an asphalt shingles has a fiberglass mat than it has a possibility of achieving 50 years. Historically shingles were manufactured with an organic or paper based mat. The organic shingle failed in most environments and is no longer manufactured in the United States. The asphalt shingles made with a fiberglass mat is saturated with bitumen and overlaid with granules. The process is more complicated than this but this is a simple explanation of the anatomy of an asphalt shingle. The impact of an attic that has inadequate ventilation to an asphalt shingle may be little or substantial. If a shingle is negatively impacted from improper ventilation than we may see a significant increase of blistering in the asphalt. One of the reasons blisters occur is when volatile gases that are trapped in the asphalt vaporize when heated. Another way of seeing this is when the roof is overheated in the summer because the attic space is not venting out the trapped heat. This will occur when a building doesn’t have soffit vents and roof vents. You should a balanced number of intake vents with soffit vents.

Another issue is when a builder or an architect designs the roof to where it pitches water into the wall with little possibility of being able to install proper flashing to divert the water from the interior of the structure. This is rare, but I’ve seen this. Barring builder issues, weather issues and if the building is in the perfect climate for the roofing product than the following rough guideline may help. A roofing company in Denver may be able to help.

Roof System Age Expectancy (rough expectations)

• Slate roof system – 75-100 years with the environment not being a major concern. The only concern is hail.
• Wood shake roofs – 50 years of life can be achieved in the Northwest states. Be wary of the fire hazard.
• Metal roof panels – 30 + years can be achieved if you don’t care about the fading paint.
• Asphalt shingles – 20 – 50 years may be possible with great attic ventilation and no hail.
• Tile roofs – 50 years can be achieved with some roofs that are actually older.

What is a roofing system?

Sometimes a homeowner selects a high quality brand name shingle, without considering the other components required to complete an integrated roofing system.  An integrated roofing system is more than the shingles.  It consists of all of the roof components that are being replaced on the roof. This system requires proper application methods.  The job workmanship and type of materials used are critical to an integrated roof system when selecting from local Roofing Companies in Colorado Springs. If you have one without the other the system will be incomplete.

The contractor should explain how the various components work together, and why each is being used in designing your roof system solution.  You will want to ask specific questions about each of the items used.  A professional will want you to spend the time that is necessary to discuss designing the best roof solution for you. Ask your contractor about the roofing system and how it will protect your property from the normal weather patterns in your area.

The following components are items to consider for your roof system.

• The roof underlayment is part of the core of every roof system. There are many types of underlayment and each one performs differently. This is an important part of the system and the contractor should explain why a particular underlayment has been selected. You may want to do a little research on felt underlayment or a synthetic underlayment and how it might impact your roof system. I can share with you that if you’re roof system is not properly ventilated than a synthetic underlayment may lead to larger problems. In addition, if felt underlayment is being installed on very steep roofs than that may lead to another issue.
• Valley flashing is a necessary part of any roof system that contains valleys. It’s important to know what flashing material will be used by the contractor. Some old school contractors are only installing a layer of felt in the valley. Others install a double layer, Savvy roofing companies in Colorado Springs install ice and water shield underlayment in the valley. This product isn’t water resistant it is water proof. In an area where you experience snow loads and ice dams the only way to go is with a water proof underlayment. Many building codes may not require ice and water shield, but it’s our product of choice. Finally, there is the possibility of using metal in the valley. We do install metal valleys on some roofs and it serves that particular application well. The system components must match the roof planes and field shingles.
• Wall Flashing is either applied or re-used. The contractor needs to explain which method is going to be used in the roof system. Many builders only install a 4×5 flashing along the wall. This often times works well for the first roof. However, when the roof needs to removed and replace the old 4×5 flashing may be inferior. Installing step-flashing along wall abutments may be the better choice. For a final layer of defense ice and water shield can be installed underneath of the wall flashing.
• All flashing will either be new or re-used. It’s important to know how this will be addressed. Old chimney flashing is an extremely vulnerable area for water penetration. Chimney flashing should be addressed as an integral part of the roof system. The same goes for skylight flashing and it should be addressed with proper flashing procedures.
• Eave and rake flashing are part of a roof system. Water proof underlayment may be part of the roof system along eaves and rakes.
• Drip edge can be used on the eave and rake.
• Roof ventilation may be addressed when the roof is installed or replaced. Proper ventilation should be a consideration in selecting a roof system.
• The type of ridge cap is part of an integrated roof system and should be a dedicated ridge cap.
• Most roof systems will drain into a guttering system. The water diverter along any wall abutments is critical for proper performance of a roof to shed water off of the eave and into a gutter. This is an ofter overlooked area which leads to interior water leaks or soffit damage.
• The field shingles are the most focused on part of the roof system and they are extremely important. However, a premium field shingle installed with inferior or old components doesn’t raise the level of the roof system to the same level as the premium shingle. The roof system is only as good as the inferior component.
• Fire rating of all of the roofing components is an essential part of a roof system. On low slope roofs a fire resistant sheeting may be required in order to achieve a class A fire rating.
• Class 4 integrated roof system will require all field shingles and ridge shingles to be class 4. There are some insurance companies that will allow only class 4 field shingles, however that’s nor a true integrated roof system.

Application of Roof System May Impact Overall Performance

The various methods of application will determine whether your roof system reaches the optimal potential of its components.  There are minimum standards created by the shingle manufacturers and local building departments.  These standards have to be met in order for the roof to pass required inspections.  Some governing bodies require no inspections and leave the choice up to the installer.  These minimum requirements are the building block to a good roof.  Often times there are choices that the homeowner can make which will give them a great roof.

A great roof that is optimized saves the homeowner money, provides peace of mind, extends the life of their roof and resists storms.  Certain types of applications and roofs can reduce the homeowner’s insurance costs.  In addition, there are certain designs and application methods which will reduce the chances of having mold in your home.  Air ventilation methods oftentimes increase energy efficiency in a home and extend the life of the roof system.   Properly nailed roof systems increase the shingle holding power during a Hurricane or high winds. If nails are over driven or under driven over a large portion of the roof system than some measure of failure may occur. During a high wind event shingles may blow off due to improper installation. The products potential will only be as good as the level of installers and installation techniques. You will want to ask each contractor about specific details about the application process. Optional upgrades can provide cost savings, peace of mind, roof longevity and storm resistance.  The contractor should be willing to provide options that will benefit you.

Integrity Roofing and Painting is one of the best roofing companies in Colorado Springs and we are here to help design the best roof system for you. Contact Integrity Roofing and Painting for your roofing needs. We make roof replacements easy!