Basic maintenance is an important part of any household. In order to keep your investment in great condition for as long as you can, basic maintenance is required for any part of your home. This includes keeping your roof looking great and functioning properly. As your Chattanooga roofing provider, want you to be able to keep your roof looking amazing for years to come.

Basic maintenance for your roof takes place in every season. In the height of summer, it may seem like there is little that you can do to keep your roof in good condition, but there is always the need to check and make sure everything really is okay above your heads. That's why, as your Tennessee roofing company, we suggest always being vigilant for what's going on up on your shingles.

One of the most common problems your roof will face in most residential areas is the presence of leaves. Those leaves are so aerodynamic that you may not even have a tree in your yard, yet have a blanket of them up there on your roof. These malicious kite-impersonating objects can get caught on the slightest breeze and whisk their way up to land on your roof.

The problem with leaves is that once they get wet, they take on the consistency of paper mache. You get a good layer of them up there and do nothing about it, and you'll be calling your Chattanooga roofing experts in to repair leaks before you know it! Once those leaves get stuck up there, they will start to rot almost immediately. If left to their own devices, that rot will pass on to the shingles themselves, and start turning into moss and mold on the shingles.

The problem with summer is that American home owners associate fallen leaves only with the fall season. They aren't vigilant for leaves that have been blown down in recent storms and become stuck on the roof in the meantime. These storm-removed leaves will begin to rot just as readily as the bright orange and yellow variety that you see in the fall.

In order to keep your roof in the best condition possible, you need to keep the leaves off of it all year round. Whenever a summer storm blows some leaves down onto your roof, keep an eye on them. If they don't remove themselves in the coming days, you must climb onto your roof and remove them yourself.

This should always be done with safety in mind. Be careful while you are cleaning the roof off, and don't use a method that could damage your shingles such as a shovel or a rake. Instead, use a broom for the task. And, as always, if it is something that you can't handle on your own, don't hesitate to give your Chattanooga roofing specialists a call to take care of the problem for you. More blogs about roofing just click here

Your current roofing material isn't going to last forever, and you are going to need to make the right choice not only for your home, but for the environment as well, when the time comes. As your Knoxville contractor, Weather Tamer would like a chance to review the environmental impact of your decision with you.

When it comes to Tennessee roofing choices, the materials that you can select from are varied. Which each provides your home with a certain look, some are friendlier on the environment than others. Your Tennessee roofing contractor would like you to consider the difference between some of these common roofing materials before you make your decision.

Shingles are, regrettably, a wasteful type of material. Modern shingles have been made stronger and more durable by the addition of a stronger Core, but this same strengthener also means that shingles last longer when they are ripped from your home and tossed in the local landfill. Granted, they will last a very long time on your home, but their non-recyclable nature does mean that they will eventually become a hardship on our planet.

As your Knoxville roofing professional, we encourage you to consider a more planet friendly alternative for your future roofing needs. Metal roofs of all types have a lower environmental impact than you realize. When they are taken off your roof and replaced decades from now, they will still be the same metal that they were when they went on your roof.

Metal has one massive environmental impact: it can be recycled easily. When it is no longer fit for your roof, it can be removed, melted down, and be formed into new metal that can be used again and again. As your Knoxville contractor, we at Weather Tamer don't need to tell you how big of an impact this can have on the environment. You may be thinking to yourself it's only one roof, how big of a difference can it make? Think about what would happen if everyone in your city chose metal roofing options instead of shingles next time around?

The beauty of metal as a Tennessee roofing material is that it functions well under even extreme circumstances. Metal can be fashioned to look like shingles, giving your home the shingled feel while maintaining the friendliness of the metal usage. The best part of all is that many forms of metal roofing material are cost equivalent to the shingles that you are used to having on your home.

No structural changes need to be made to switch your roof from shingles to metal, by the way. Just as if it were a shingle roofing job, your Knoxville contractor will arrive, pull off the old shingles, and lay down an Earth friendly metal version in their place. Since modern metal roofing is every bit as insulating, durable, colorful and strong as shingled roofs are, why not give the environment a hand the next time you need to replace your roof.

You may have noticed a few shingles on the ground after that last big storm or some bare spots on your room – not a good sign. Worse, maybe you have some leaking or water damage. Well, it just might be time to get a new roof. After some of the crazy weather we’ve had, particularly in Knoxville roofing should be a priority for any homeowner. But how do you know when it is time to replace? It is rather simple, actually.


Experts advise that you should inspect your roof twice a year, usually in spring and in the fall. Start inside, go to the attic, trusty flashlight in hand and look for these telltale signs:

• ·  Sunlight shining through the ceiling (the roof) – not a good sign

• ·  Signs that water has been leaking or is leaking

• ·  Signs if water damage such as dark spots on the wood, ceiling, walls or anywhere inside (a note, you may see water damage in your ceiling as well which is also a sign of your roof leaking)
  

• ·  Sagging of the roof deck

• ·  Discoloration of the roof deck or supporting structures

Next you want to check out the outside which means actually getting up on the roof. Look for missing or loose shingles or shingles that are cracked, curled or buckled. Really, if your shingles have anything but a normal, smooth appearance, you want to check it out. Also look for any signs of rotting or greenish stains (or they may be dark) which indicates algae growth. In more humid climates such as in Tennessee roofing can be more prone to moisture related damage such as algae.

Pay close attention to the shingles that butt up against pipes, vents, gutters and chimneys. Look for shingles that appear to be worn or loose. If you see a lot of shingle granules in your gutters that can be a sign that the shingles are worn. Shingle granules are coarse, like large grains of sand or finely chipped granite. Check your gutters and make sure that they are securely attached. Make sure that your gutters are clean and that all drains are clear so that water can run off your roof and isn’t left to sit on any part of it. Standing water can create a lot of problems.

You want to be on the lookout for any signs of moisture. This may include mold or rot. But beware, water can travel, so where you see water damage may not necessarily be where the problem shingle is located. Fungi, bacteria and mold all grow rapidly, usually within 24 to 48 hours of the water leaking in. You don’t want to play with that. Look for signs of mold and fungi on the inside as well as the outside. If you see crumbling wood or fascia inside or out, you want to investigate further, particularly if it feels moist to the touch. Wood can hold water for a long time.

You should also check your roof after storms, especially if there were high winds or pounding rain. Extreme weather can cause a lot of wear and tear on a roof and it is better to find a small problem early than correct a large problem later.

If you're looking for a way to increase the overall value of your home and improve the durability of the house, take a second look at tile roofing. With a look that is just unparalleled , tile roofing gives any home curb appeal.

Any Nashville roofing contractor will tell you that tile roofing is going to add a great deal to the overall home value and that it's going to make for a roof that will last longer and look more attractive. In fact, most Tennessee roofing contractors will tell you that these very stylish roofs can stand up to some of the harshest weather that mother nature can throw at you. They will overcome wind, rain, hail, and even fire. Roofing made of tile will stand up to more hard use than most of the other roofing materials that you'll use and in addition, most of them have a far hardier warranty because of that. They are typically quite cost effective and since you won't have to replace them as often, or even repair them, you'll save money on the overall home improvement chores that you have to accomplish for your home.

In addition, the tile roofing can be a far more environmentally friendly choice. Take a closer look at tile and understand what makes it such a wonderful choice for any area, not only the Nashville or Chattanooga or Knoxville roofing will benefit from it. The life of tile roofing can be as long as 40 years. In some cases, depending on the tile that you choose, your roofing may last you from 25 to 50 years, making it not only environmentally friendly, but certainly home owner friendly because you're not going to have to replace it. 

Tile roofing comes in a wide range of different styles, colors and materials. For example, concrete tile and clay riles are very unique and remarkably lovely. They last a very long time and they are available with finishes on them that create different looks that are as interesting as the homes upon which they are installed. Tile roofing does initially cost a bit more, but overall, it has to be replaced far less often, making it the more economical choice when the cost is divided among the years that it will last. Tile can also prevent the heat from getting through to your home, saving you money on the utility bills as well as money on the repair bill. With all of this going for it, your tile roof may be the best thing that you've added to your home-- so far as resale value and home improvement --in a very long time.

Asphalt is the most common type of roofing used in the United States today. Low priced and generally quite cost effective, asphalt roofing is usually effective in any climate, but may require more replacement and repair, depending on your weather patterns.

Asphalt is made of crude oil. That is the same oil that is used to make kerosene, gasoline, and motor oil, as well as vinyl products. It is the leftover components that are residual in the production of oil and gas products. The asphalt is about 80 percent carbon based, which will explain why it typically has the dark black color and has an oily feel to the touch.

Asphalt tiles for roofing are created from this crude oil by mixing them with substances called aggregates, such as gravel or sand. That finished product is what we call asphalt. The dark black tar grips very firmly to the aggregate which makes asphalt tile a very durable product, suitable even for Tennessee roofing where the weather can get a little wild at times. When the tar that it is created from is used in roads, the asphalt is poured over a heavy bed of gravel or crushed stone. It is then pressed down hard into the surface very firmly. When it is used in roofing, much the same kind of compression takes place which makes it sturdy enough to last on your roof for several years.

It does harden a bit more over time but there is still enough flexible behavior to ensure that if the tiles have to bend they can do so. It's quite popular as a roofing surface. The tiles are bendable, and it can take a great deal of wear and tear or even a vast amount of the rays of the sun and still come out strong. The typical asphalt roofing material will last between five and ten years when not subjected to high winds or to heavy storms.

There are a few drawbacks to using asphalt roofing. It will burn much more easily and it can be very tiles are subject to tearing as anyone who has worked on roofing knows. It can, over time, harden and become quite brittle, breaking very easily and allowing water to hit the roof itself where it may lie below the remaining shingles and cause some water damage.

While asphalt roofing is a very cost effective way to cover your roof, you are reminded that no matter what kind of roofing you are using, a yearly roofing inspection is always a good way to ensure that your roof and the furnishings below stay dry and undamaged.