Most people don’t realize that Michigan is one of the most aggressive areas when it comes to roofing technology.  Part of the reason may be the temperature and weather extremes in Michigan.  If something works in Michigan roofing, it works everywhere else.  That may be one reason Michigan was the site for the first rubber roof installation way back in 1980.  That near 30 year old roof is still in service, and rubber roofs are coming into wider use all over the United States.

One of the best sources of information for roofs in Michigan is the MRCA or Michigan Roofing Contractors Association.  This groups includes a number of chapters which are the ARCWM,  Associated Roofing Contractors of Western Michigan; the Flint PRO, Professional Roofing Organization; JLWRCA, Jackson, Livingston, Washtenaw Roofing Contractors Association; LRCA, Lansing Roofing Contractors Association; RIPF, Roofing Industry Promotion Fund; SVRCA, Saginaw Valley Roofing Contractor Association; and the SMRCA, Southeastern Michigan Roofing Contractors Association.  The MRCA lists roofing contractors and consultants, provides valuable information on roofing, and holds yearly meetings to keep its members up to speed on the latest in roofing techniques and technologies.

Michigan is one of the leading areas when it comes to using metal roofing materials.  This includes not only the older tin barn roof style, but the newer styles that mimic the look of other roofing materials.  Michigan’s cold, snow filled winters and hot summers test not only the shrinking and expanding ability of metal roofs, but their ability to shed water and snow.  But never walk barefoot on a metal roof.

One local Michigan roofing company is Hansons, a family owned company that prides itself on customer service and treating customers like family.  Hansons both honors manufacturer warranties and adds its own warranties to the products they sell.  Hanson’s extra warranties include a 10 year guarantee all the way up to a 30 year fully transferable guarantee.

Michigan State University is a leading research center for green roofing.  Green roofing is growing plants on a roof to replace the plants destroyed by the building’s footprint.  Green roofing includes deep soil, a variety of plants, and even trees on the roof.  Research continues to determine the benefit of green roofing to the environment, the benefit of green roofing to a roof and a structure, and any negative impacts a green roof may have on a structure.

From rubber and metal roofs to trees on roof tops, Michigan roofing is a wild subject to consider.

When people think of metal roofs they think of the corrugated “tin barn” look.  But using metal roofs has come a long way.  Modern metal roofing includes a variety of styles and materials so that the roof looks stylish, while retaining the qualities of durability, longevity, fire resistance and easy maintenance.

A variety of metals are used for modern metal roofs.  These include the traditional aluminum and steel, as well as copper and a variety of alloys.  Modern metal roofs can be formed into shapes that imitate Spanish tiles, wood shakes, and even slate.  They can be given a variety of finishes including granulated stone topcoats to complete a realistic imitation of almost any other material. 

Metal roofs have some downfalls.  One consideration is the cost, with a typical square running from $150 to $600.  Another is that metal roofs usually require professional installation and maintenance, which also adds to the overall cost.  Despite these negatives many people believe the benefits make metal roofs worthwhile.  A properly installed and maintained metal roof can realistically last as long as the house.  That means, over the typical life expectancy of a home, the cost of a metal roof is lower compared to the cost of other types of roofs that might need replacement after fifteen to twenty years.

Metal roofs are light, 50 to 150 pounds per square compared to seven hundred fifty pounds per square foot for tile or nine hundred pounds per square foot for concrete tile.  Metal roofs don’t require additional support when installed over existing roofs.  Metal roofs withstand high winds, snow slides off them, and they are resistant to mildew, insects and rot.

Another major concern with a roof is roof pitch.  Many materials require a steep pitch to ensure water flows off the roof so that the roof won’t leak.  The pitch for a metal roof can be more shallow, with a typical recommended minimum being 3-in-12, which is three inches of height for every horizontal foot.  Consider the benefits of a flatter roof next time you have to climb onto it to clean the gutters, or retrieve a ball or Frisbee thrown there by a child.

Word of mouth is perhaps the best way to locate a metal roofing contractor.  Talk to friends and neighbors, or look for metal roofs around the neighborhood and ask the home owners who installed them.  The Internet is a good source for pre-screened metal roofing contractors, as are architects who design homes with metal roofs.  The National Roofing Contractors Association can also help.  Their number is 1-800-USA-ROOF.

A cat on a hot tin roof may not be a good thing.  But if you want great roof for your home, remember that traditional wood and shingles are good, but metal may be better.

Residential roofing appears to be a boring topic.  Except for roofing contractors or other residential roofing specialists, who would want to talk about residential roofing?  Home owners should.  The roof is one of the most important aspects of a home.  Therefore it’s necessary for homeowners to be up to date on the subject of residential roofing at least when it comes to their own home.

Location, location, location is often discussed as the #1 rule in real estate, it’s just as important when it comes to residential roofing.  Roofing needs vary by region and include such considerations as need to withstand tree limbs, wind resistance, fire resistance, ability to withstand heavy snow fall, and even color when it comes to a good looking roof for the area.  Residential roofing needs are quite different in New Hampshire than they would be in Los Angeles.  For home buyers it’s important to understand the features and maintenance needs of the roof.  For home builders, particularly if they serve as their own general contractor, selecting the right roofing material for the region is essential.

Since it’s more common for a homeowner to purchase a home complete with a pre-installed residential roofing system, let’s examine some of the maintenance issues that are important to ensuring the best performance and longest life from the roofing system.  First amongst these issues is timing.  Proper maintenance should begin as soon as the roofing system is complete.  This will ensure a long term savings.  Immediate maintenance includes inspecting the work and checking the contractor’s license, insurance, and whether all aspects of the roof were installed to manufacturer’s specifications or to local government guidelines.

After six months to a year the roof should be inspected for debris such as sticks, leaves, and even garbage such as aluminum cans, and those debris removed.  This should continue at least once a year.  Also make sure the gutters are cleaned at least once a year to ensure proper drainage.  Leaks will develop if the roof can’t properly drain.  Leaks cause a great deal of damage, including the possibility of mold that can completely destroy a home.

After only a few years the material at the bottom of vent and other roof protrusions, called pipe boot, may need to be replaced.  This is particularly true in states like Oklahoma that don’t require pipe jacks to be made out of long lasting lead.

A roof needs inspection twice a year.  Keep in mind a simple practice of having the roof inspected when the clocks spring forward and fall back.

When choosing the roofing material for your roof, take the roofing material’s lifespan into account because this dictates the overall lifespan of the roof.  And that has an impact on long term cost.

A roof’s lifespan depends on a number of factors, including roofing style, materials, and the climate in the area where the home is located. It’s wise to choose roofing products that have nearly the same lifespan to avoid piece by piece repairs throughout a ten to fifteen year period.  In most cases, roofing materials last for about twenty years. This is if the roof has been maintained properly and there has been no significant damage to the roof from the weather. Some materials have a lifespan of up to 50 years while some others last only 10 years.  Here is a list of some common roofing materials along with lifespans.

The average lifespan of asphalt roofing is from 15 to 20 years with proper maintenance. Asphalt roofing materials are one of the most common types of roofing materials used throughout the nation because of the low cost of the materials and the ease of repairs.

The average lifespan of fiberglass roofing is from 15 to 20 years. Fiberglass roofing  requires little maintenance and can be manufactured in many different colors and styles to give the homeowner the desired look. Fiberglass roofs resist water and mold because they don’t have organic components.

Wooden shakes and shingles are common in the north eastern United States. These roofing materials will generally last for about 15 to 20 years, and could last for as many as 30 years if the shakes and shingles are well maintained.

With an average lifespan of 40 to 75 years, slate roofing materials are amongst the longest lasting roofing products.

Metal roofing lasts nearly 50 years. Metal roofs come in a variety of colors, finishes and styles, and can even resemble tiles and wooden shingles. These roofing products are nearly indestructible from weather and can be installed over the current roof.

A less well known option is rubber roofing.  It’s easy to install, to maintain, and it lasts a long time.  It comes as a roll or as individual shingles.  In 1980 the very first rubber roof was installed.  It was in Wisconsin.  It’s still doing its job after nearly 30 years.

Roofing materials come in many varieties and styles.  Pick the one that’s right for you.

Gutter cleaning is an important aspect of maintaining your house on a regular basis. Not cleaning your gutters regularly may lead to the gutters getting clogged and downspouts which can many times result in leaks.

Water from a gutter that is leaking can find it’s way into your home causing heavy water damage which may even cause decaying leaves and other parts of your home.

Where as certain people may decide to clean the gutters by themselves, it is much easier to have an experienced professional to do the gutter cleaning.

Gutter cleaning is a pretty hazardous activity, and statistics from the World Health Organisation reflect that there are 355 deaths from ladder falls each year in the United States alone.  Many more are also injured.

Instead of cleaning the gutters yourslef and risking an acident, you can hire gutter cleaning professionals such as Northwest Window Maintenance Inc to take care of all your gutter cleaning needs.  Professional gutter cleaning services employ many ways of cleaning your gutters safely.  The easiest and most cost efficient method that gutter cleaning professionals use is to usually use a blower to remove the leaves from the gutters. 

One benefit for you of using this approach is that the leaves are bio-degradable and can be used for mulch in your garden. However, if you don’t want the leaves for your garden, the gutter cleaning professionals can also collect and dispose of the leaves for you, leaving your property free of decaying leaves.

You can also get these professionals to remove the leaves from your gutter by hand and dispose of them in this manner.  In all cases, you can ensure that the gutter cleaning professionals that you get will take steps to make sure that your gutters and downspouts are free of blockages and performing properly.

With so many injuries and fatalities annually that resulted from from gutter cleaning, it is easier to get gutter cleaning professionals who are properly trained and backed by tons of experience.  They will also have all the desired safety equipment for the job that you may not.

If you are in need of having your gutters cleaned up, save yourself the trouble and call up the pros. It’ll save you a whole lot of pain.

Do you own a flat roof?  If you do have one in your home then a reality that you have quite probably found out is that they are inclined to leak more often that other roofs in a home.  Flat roofs are not really architecturally well-grounded.  Pitched roofs - meaning normal roofs that are sloped - ordinarily last a lot longer and need a lot less upkeep than flat roofs. 

Slanting roofs work better in all respects because water naturally slides off them, which protects the layers from further damage.  They don’t tend to leak as much and water will not collect on them as it can on a flat roof which can then dribble through the layers of the roof and onto the plasterwork ceiling below. This is an issue with all flat roofs, even with those like the epdm roof that use the new modern materials.

Despite the disadvantages of flat roofing many house designs still employ them in some part of the structure.  For instance it might cover a kitchen extension or some other type of extension at the back of a house. 

Since flat roofs are so likely to often leak its very important that home owners knows how to keep them maintained in good order and to preserve their life and functional use for a long period.  This kind of maintenance is covered in detail at the flat roofing site. When maintaining a flat roof one advantage you’ll find is that you can easily and safely move on the roof surface and carry out work and maintenance. 

The extra accessibility of a flat roof can also be a disadvantage because a problem you have with flat roofing is how easily rubbish can fall on it.  Debris can be things such as leaves or branches.  A vital part of flat roof maintenance is that you should sporadically clear branches, soil, weeds or similar that settle on it.  If you don’t you can actually find weeds, grass and other plants growing on the surface. These will go on to to cause surface damage and cracking.