Finding a leak on a Metal Roof.

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     It's difficult to find a leak in a metal roof.  If you have a red iron building, you know the purlins run parallel to the eave.  These purlins have a tray that if you have a leak at the fastener, can hold water.  As the tray fills up, water runs both ways.  Some of these purlins are 30ft long.  The purlin acts as a gutter.  The leak from a fastener, 30ft away, may drip at the butt joint.  Very difficult to find, especially if you have dropped ceilings, or insulation.

     First thing to do, make a drawing of the building on something you can carry with you, on the roof.  Go inside and measure from the walls, where the drip is coming in.  Use something that you can spot from out side.  I like to pick windows, or a tree, fence, some spot of reference, so that when you are on the roof, you can easily measure it.

     When you are on the roof and find the area, take some chalk and mark the area.  Look at every fastener in that purlins area.  Check all the ones above it.   When I check leaks, I first check the field fasteners.  Very seldom do I find lap fasteners leaking, so unless something just jumps out at me, I'm checking them last.  I carry an impact with me, 3/8", 5/16" and 1/4"bits.  You never know what type of fastener your up against.  In the leak area, go ahead and pull the fastener.  If you see that the rubber washer is gone, smashed paper thin or see the galvanized fastener has rust on the shank, that's a good sign of a leak.
Put a new fastener in the spot.

     The photo above, is what I found on a building that was 10yrs old and leaking.  The far right fastener was put on so tight, that the washer, spun out.  The washer was still there, but barely. When the fastener was put so tight it spun the washer off, it dug into the metal.  This caused areas of rust on the metal.    The middle fastener was paper thin.  It was very tight, to the point it had to be replaced.  After replacing the fasteners, 30ft both ways from the leak area, I located the rusty fasteners and solved the problem.

     It's difficult to find these leaks.  Very hard to guarantee you have it solved sometimes, but always put it in writing.  Homes are just as difficult and you need to try at all cost, not to incur any panel changing.  Be prepared for some water clear sealant, where needed and close as possible fastener color when you have to change them.  Wood framed properties can be a problem when you find the leaking fastener.  It normally has leaked enough, the wood isn't going to hold a new fastener.  Increasing the diameter of the fastener works, sometimes, but not always.  If there is attic access, I take a block of wood and screw it to the bottom side of the purlin or decking.  Put a longer fastener in and your fine.  If its just a little loose from leaking, take some round, wood, toothpicks and put them next to the fastener and screw it in.  I've done this many times with great success.

     I am asked about longevity of metal roofs vs. shingle, tile, composite.  They all have their good points.  Foot traffic, fading, structure movement, trees, temperature changes, dirt etc.  These all have an effect on all roofing.  I find just as many calls for metal roof leaks, as I do shingle roof leaks.  Tile roof leaks are generally the most expensive.  All roofing products will require some maintenance over the years.  Just be prepared to do a little maintenance before you have a major issue.

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One day in a Roofers life

It's been cold and cloudy.  Mist most of the day.  First place of the day, a really good place to eat.  I've eaten at this place several times in my Roofing travels.  Love to sit at the bar and have my lunch special.  When I climbed on the roof, I was not happy.  Too many people, hire day labor to repair a roof job.  By the time I get there, an easy repair, turns into major crap.  There was so much tar, fabric, mystery stuff on this roof, I didn't know where to start. It hurts me to go down and tell the property owner, I have to charge more because the repair before me, hides alot of sin.


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Here is a prime example of what not to do when remodeling your garage into a bedroom.  Don't put the fireplace in the valley.  I bid this roof in 2009, when the chimney was leaking in the remodel.  I told them it was a bad idea.  No I didn't.  I told them it was a terrible idea.
I guess they didn't like my tone.  Sometimes the truth is hard to swallow.  Here we are, 10yrs later and I'm over here bidding the whole roof again.  First thing on the proposal, move the leaking, tar filled chimney, out of the valley. 
What a day.  What could be next you ask.

Thats right.  I dropped my favorite pocket phone that motorola doesn't make anymore.  3yrs and I finally killed it.  Why does everyone want a gigantic phone nowadays.  What happened to the late 90's when everyone wanted one that would fit in the palm of their hand.  Crazy.  Just give me my old Nokia, brick I got in 1990.  I thought it was great.  It had caller ID.  Caller ID!!!


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Low slope homes

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Quality has no MAXIMUMS

I'm not a fan of flat roofs, or low slopes. Over the years products have become available to homeowners that solve the leaking issues. Many times I see a flat roof, or low slope, shingled. The property owner insist it isn't leaking, but I assure them, it is. When we tear off, we discover the decking is rotted and some of the framing is bad. Why it doesn't show in the house? who knows. ( It's the same when I'm bidding a roof and I can see in the attic through the missing ridge, but the owner says it doesn't leak. ) Anyhow, we don't recommend putting shingles on any slope lower than 4/12. What's that? If you take a ruler and measure out 12". Now take another ruler and make a 90 degree angle with the end of the ruler. Measure out 4" up. Now the slope between the two ends is your pitch. (For those of us that went to government schools, that angle is also known as the Hypotenuse.)

When appearance is an issue, I have some other products that I will try, just to eliminate an ugly low slope product. With most others, I suggest either an EPDM or a self stick Modified on a base sheet. I like the EPDM because of it's ability to cover a big area and less seaming. It works very well for roofs that may have some small ponding issues. The modified is good for areas that have a small pitch. Especially around lots of pipes, skylights and penetrations. It drains well and has some granules for protection of small debris. The self adhered product elliminates us having to use a torch or messy black mastics (YUCK!) Most of it ends up on my feet, the ladder, my truck seat, tools, phone....etc. Everything has a use, I just hate Mastic. Self adheres have been out for about 10yrs, and I've used them many times without any problems. Happy owners and a happy contractor.

If you are in our area and are needing a low slope fix, call us. We can give you the best options, even if we feel we can eliminate it with adding slope. Drop us a line.
Conroe, Huntsville, Livingston, Willis, New Waverly, Montgomery, Coldspring, Shepherd,Cleveland, The Woodlands.

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936.756.9223

To file a claim or not?

FREE ROOF ESTIMATES AND REPAIRSIf you are new to filing a claim on your homeowners insurance, you might get your free report from CLUE before doing anything. Oh, you haven't heard of CLUE? Comprehensive loss Underwriting Exchange.....it's short for all the claims you've been denied on, or paid on are listed in a National Data Base. Doesn't that make you feel better?

When you are faced with deciding whether to file a claim or not. Look through your policy and see what your out of pocket expense will be. Out of pocket will be your deductible. If the claim you have is smaller than the deductible, don't bother calling. I've had many customers that called in a $300 dollar claim, when the deductible was $2500. Guess what? They now have an entry in the CLUE system. These are they type of issues that can cause your rates to increase and in some cases, cause your policy to not renew. Your CLUE report will have info such as your name, social security number, date of birth. It will list any insurance claims you've had in the past five years. Not just to the insurer you have at the time, but any.

Next time something small happens at home, don't pick up the phone and start telling your insurance agent all the problems your having. Back up and assess what the damage is, vs. what it would take to fix. Some insurance agents are obligated by the company to report any incidence, whether a claim is filed or not. Now if you have some sort of really good relationship with your agent, he or she might be someone you can discuss the question of filing or not. It's a tricky situation. It's a good time to use the off the record conversation. Discuss with your agent the difference in a claim and a simple inquiry. Your CLUE report may list property damage, or water damage even if your insurance company didn't pay anything on your claim.

You should get a free copy of your CLUE report. Call 866.312.8076

If you're not sure, call a contractor and have them give you an opinion on whether the damage is bad enough to warrant a claim. If it's a roof claim, give us a call or email us. We give free estimates. It's what we do.

Watch out for reject shingles

The economy is changing. When times are lean, we see the bottom feeders come in the construction area, touting great prices, but delivering alot less. With the recent hurricanes on the coast of Texas, we have 1000's of contractors that decided to become a roofer and remodeler the night after the hurricane. They move from other states with the sole purpose of scamming homeowners. When selecting a roofing company, make sure you know what you are buying. If your contractor delivers product to the job that looks like it was pulled out of the dumpster, it probably is reject material. Many of these will not be in wrappers. They will tell you that it's good material, but how do you know.

Look on the contract for wording that says something like all material to be delivered in the factory packinging or all material specified to be guaranteed. When the delivery is made, take a quick look to see if it has the wrappers still intact. From time to time, you may pick a color or year shingle that hasn't been sold in a few months. If the pallet has sat outside, the wrappers may be torn or faded, but they are still intact. It's easy to tell the difference. If you feel you are getting poor material, ask for new product. Get the suppliers name that sold the material.
Call them and find out the true details of your order.

Nothing wrong with being a prudent buyer. There are too many good contractors in this area to be conned by a few bad ones.

Hurricane Ike deductibles

I'm not sure that I like my insurance company or not. You never know what to really think. The guy or gal on TV always seems to have my best interest at heart, but why when you have a claim do they put on the armor of war and prepare to do battle? Your in good hands, or like a good neighbor.... What does that really mean? Storms bring, so many questions from property owners that I simply can't answer. Why does one adjuster file a full claim for roof replacement on one home, with no visible damage, and the second adjuster from the same company, denies the claim with a visible blow off? The problem, there is no set bible for claims. Sure the adjusters will tell you that they have guidelines, but I'll tell you straight up, BOLOGNA!!!



It really depends on how the adjuster feels during the day. I've had them guess the size of damage and never climb the roof. I've had them argue with the owner over replacement cost, only to find that they've never seen the project. Your insurance company is required under Texas law to handle your claim in a timely manner and to appoint a property claims person to handle your claim. When they ask you to get some bids, it's generally because they don't feel like figuring your claim themselves. They like to get several estimates from the homeowner, then they figure something up accordingly. It's amazing how contractors always have the time to give an estimate.

If it sounds like I'm harping on the insurance world, you right. I've just had it with adjusters denying consumers claims that deserve a claim. I'm really sick of hearing adjusters who want to inflate damage, to help consumers cover their deductible. These are truly the scum of business. Remember that you are a party to fraud if you allow your adjuster to claim loss, which you do not deserve. You are also a party to fraud if you allow your adjuster to help cover your deductible cost. According to the State of Texas Penal Code, “Offenses Against Property”Chapter 35 Insurance Fraud, you can be charged with a misdemeaner or felony, if your deductible, in full or part, is covered by your contractor or other person involved in the sale of goods or services. Why deal with someone who would deceive the insurance company. We all end up paying higher deductibles and premiums. We have now had the named storm 2% deductible. We could be looking at 5% deductibles if fraud is not stopped. If you you have a contractor or adjuster that tries to hide your deductible cost, stop them right there and report them to the Texas Department of Insurance. http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/fraud/onlinereport.html

Texas roofing.......it's just plain hot!

I don't know too many jobs that involve grabbing a product thats pushing the 130 degree mark, but Roofing in Texas is one of them. It's a delicate job to install a roof without tearing it up. Just the fact you have to walk around on it, while installing it, makes it all the more challenging. When the temperatures of the shingles, get to the soft stage, just the slightest twist of the foot, create swirls of tar on your newly installed shingles. It's sometimes unavoidable, but most roofers are very aware of it, and do many things to prevent it. Finding an old sofa and ripping out the foam pieces is probably one of the most popular ways to do it. Not only does a piece of foam keep you from scraping the shingles, it also keeps your hind parts from becoming well done. Being aware of what type of soles are on your boots or shoes is key. An agressive sole, made for climbing or dirt work, will not be roof friendly. Some of the best foot wear for roofing are made by RedWing and Dr. Martins. The soles are very friendly even during the heat of the day. The insulation between the user and the roofing tiles is very comfortable.
Although you can do everything possible to prevent damage, you probably will have a few scrapes here and there. It's just the nature of the job and temperature. If it damages the shingle to the point of product performance or physical appearance, change it. No since in angering a customer or causing a leak issue.

Texas Discount Roofing LLC.
Texas Discount Roofing LLC. is a roofing company serving the Walker, Grimes, Montgomery, Harris, Polk, Trinity and San Jacinto counties in the great state of TEXAS!

sales@texasdiscountroofing.com