Who's On Your Siding?

Vinyl siding is one of the most popular types of exterior siding in America. There's a good chance as you read this blog, you're sitting down in a house that has vinyl siding. It comes in all kinds of colors and has been a practical part of a house's exterior for a long time, but it's not invulnerable to mother nature. When hail is quarter-sized or larger, it's big enough to cause serious damage, in the case of vinyl side, it's capable of denting or even punching holes in the siding. This hurts the curb appeal of your home as well as possibly making your home vulnerable to water. 

The best thing to do when a hail storm hits your area is check your home for dents and holes. It's very important that you verify you have damage especially if a contractor knocks at your door wanting to inspect your home. There have been fraud cases in the past where "storm chasers" come to neighborhoods after storms and create their own damage when there wasn't before. A person taking their thumb and pressing it hard enough into the siding can cause dents that look similar to hail hitting it.

Don't be fooled by scam artists, go out and see for yourself if you have damage and call us to repair it. We are the real deal backed by the Better Business Bureau and customer referrals. Our storm specialists don't go around creating their own storm damage, we find legitimate storm damage and work with the insurance company to fix it. Call us at 1-844-5RESTORE for a free inspection or visit us at www.8445restore.com.

Breakdown of A Shingle

Most homes today are roofed with asphalt shingles; these shingle perform based on three key components. The first components is a fiberglass mat that is designed hold the base of a shingle together. The mats make up at the bottom of the shingle and help the shingle to resist tearing and warping. The second component, in the middle of the shingle, is the actual asphalt, Asphalt is put on top of the fiberglass mat to resist rain, wind, and other elements. The downfall for asphalt is that it doesn't hold on up well to UV rays which is why, the third component, a layer of ceramic granules, is put on top of the asphalt. The two problems shingles will run into on the roof are hail and wind. Quarter-sized hail can create dents in the ceramic granules of a shingle; this opens up the asphalt up to the sun and once the sun wears down the asphalt, the roof is vulnerable to leaks. As good as shingles can be at resisting wind, if wind picks up heavy enough, it can start to loosen the fiberglass mats on the shingles making it likely to fly off. This was just a look into what a shingle is made of and what causes roof damage. If you look up at your and think you notice damage, call us at 1-844-5RESTORE and we'll come for free to confirm it or put your mind at ease that your roof is not damaged. You can also visit our website www.8445restore.com.

The Great Features of Simonton Windows

Looking to save money on energy? Simonton Windows has a wide range of windows with several options. One of the options is Low E or Low emissivity glass which emits low levels of radient thermal energy, it keeps heat out so giving your air conditioner a break from cooling the house in the summer. Many selections come standard with Intercept spacers keeps warm air in, giving the heater a breaker from warming the house in the winter. Their multiple glass options include laminated glass which keep the outside noise out for a quieter home. Some windows like the StormBreaker Plus 300VL have KeepSafe Maximum laminated glass making the home all the more peaceful. The Stormbreaker has also been tested to meet the standard against high velocity hurricanes. Each Simonton window has a unique beauty and appeal to offer your home increasing the value of your home. Simonton windows are the only windows used and recommended by RCS. Call us today at 1-844-5RESTORE to start saving money with Simonton Windows. To learn more about Simonton and their products visit them on the web athttp://www.simonton.com/Home/Index. To learn more about us visit www.8445restore.com.

Facts About Atlas Chalet

In February 15, 2010, Atlas Roofing Corporation released a statement officially discontinuing Atlas Chalet shingles, but these defective shingles are still on homes in Georgia. Four years after their discontinuation, they're still all over the place in Atlanta. They affect the decision to buy a home, sell a home, or continue living in a home. It may seem like it's just a shingle, but shingles are meant to protect the house from the elements such as rain and wind, as well as add value to the home. When a shingle fails to protect your home it opens the door to leaks that damage the ceiling, walls and floors of your home and that's even accounting for if leaks start right above your valuables. A failure of your roof performing can be the cause of more extensive damage to your home, and Atlas Chalet from the time they were installed fail to perform. In this blog we're going to reveal the things homeowners need to know about Atlas Chalet and why it's urgent to get a home inspection if you've been told or you suspect you have these defective shingles and that's it's not something to wait around on.

Types of Home

Atlas Chalet was a popular shingle type in the mid 2000's. It was used by home builders as a cheap means of roofing houses, and it was used on several houses big to small, but the main target was upper class homes. We've seen all sizes of homes with this shingle type but our resident inspectors can usually determine an Atlas Chalet neighborhood based on if it has a big fancy entrance. The Richmond Place neighborhood in Loganville even had a gazebo at its entrance with, you guessed it, Atlas Chalet shingles on it that worked with the HOA to replace along with several homes in that neighborhood. Chances are if your home was built between 2005 and 2009, you have Atlas Chalet and your chances only increase with how much the house is worth.

Appearance

Atlas Chalet are a faux-laminate shingle, meaning they're flat 3-tab shingles meant to give the illusion of  architectural or 3-dimensional shingles. The architectural shingle typically has a step-and-repeat pattern with several squares stepping and repeating, while the 3-tab has a brick pattern. If you'll look at Atlas Chalet, they retain a brick pattern with mini squares are meant to look like architectural's step-and-repeat but where those are separate shingles with a true architectural shingle, they are just built up granules on Atlas Chalet. The architectural shingle also has a shadow for the shingle that "step out" of the roof, with Atlas Chalet there's a shadow only because they used darker granules to emulate a shadow. If the shadow is the same regardless of the time of day, it's probably the "painted on" shadow of Atlas Chalet.

Problems

The Atlas Roofing Corporation gave the Chalet shingles a 30-year warranty, but after discontinuing the product they did not honor the warranty which is because most Atlas Chalet roofs don't even last 10 years. They also lose granules much faster than other roofs causing problems for gutters and downspouts and exposing the asphalt to the sun. The shingles only wear within a few years and easily dent and blister without hail even causing it. The shingles are also vulnerable to heavy wind storms, creasing and tearing where even normal 3-tab roofs hold up.

Trust Us

If you see these signs on your roof, you should have a roofing contractor send a resident inspector to take a look of the home and give their opinion. If they discover it is Atlas Chalet and compromised by wind, they can work with your insurance company to get you a roof. We recommend calling us at 1-844-5RESTORE to come out and take a look, the inspection's free and we're licensed, insured, and are backed by the BBB. We can list all the reasons but you don't have to take our word for it, as are backed by our gallery and customer testimonials.

One More Thing

When getting a roof replaced, don't settle for less than a true architectural shingle. Some insurance companies try to replace the roof with 25 year 3-tab shingles which is alright but your home was built with shingles meant to be architectural so we make sure you get an architectural roof. We make sure you get the best as we only replace Atlas Chalet with GAF Timberline, they have a limited Lifetime warranty and they've been tested to protect homes the way they were meant to.

Building Code R905.2.8.5: Drip Edge Is Mandatory In Roofing

Building code R905.2.8.5 requires that drip edge be installed to a roof system. What does that mean for you? A drip edge is a type of flashing or overhanging component with an outward projecting lower edge, its purpose on the roof is to direct the flow of rain away from places on the home that vulnerable to water penetration. Without drip edge, water has another opportunity to find it's way into your interior. Something to think about when you're replacing your roof whether it be by catastrophe or remodeling purposes, when a roofing system is installed, it is required to install drip edge with a new roof. Not every contractor is upfront about this, because not every insurance company pays for it despite the building code. If your contractor hasn't listed drip edge in their estimate, demand it. Or better yet, call a contractor that lets you in on these things up front. For more information on this building code, check out 

http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/irc/2012/icod_irc_2012_9_par032.htm.

For more information about RCS, visit www.8445restore.com.

GAF Passes The Test

Why is GAF the only brand of roofing shingle we use? Because they test their products to the point of torture to make sure they protect your home. They have Advanced Protection Technology that is unmatched in toughness, granule adhesion, flexibility, wind resistance and fire resistance. They've passed the toughest wind resistance test in the industry, ASTM D7158 which means they've been proven to withstand 150 mph wind. 

GAF is also the first in the business to pass AC438, a torturous set of tests that determines how a roof holds up in the long term. Asphalt shingles worst enemy is the UV rays of the sun. When asphalt is exposed to the sun, it will erode giving rain an opening to leak into a home, but GAF's shingles hold their protective granules together in the continual heat of an Arizona summer. The tests also include wind-driven rain and the extreme cold of a winter in Montana, both of which GAF passed.

GAF shingles have a low-profile fiberglass mat built for maximum strength and durability. They optimize the top layer of their shingle for a strong long-term performance against toughest weather. They created their filler with premium limestone for the best wind resistance. Finally, they use Propriety Dura Grip Adhesive to lock the shingles tightly in place so that they won't go anywhere anytime soon.

GAF shingles are also better for the environment. They use less asphalt and limestone than other shingles. They are also recyclable as they can be reused into roadways instead simply being thrown into a dump.

Of the shingles we use, we prefer GAF's most popular shingle Timberline HD; they're beautiful architectural shingles that stand out from other roofs. They've passed all the aforementioned tests with ease. They also come with a Limited Lifetime warranty further increasing the value of your home should you decide to sell it. For more information and see to their many color options check out their website at www.gaf.com. For more information about RCS, visit www.8445restore.com.

Don't Let Your Home Go Down The Drain!

Has your house been flooded? Don’t try to fix the problem yourself. If the property is soaked bad enough, it won’t dry on its own; your carpet will be like walking on a shaggy bathtub. There is a lot that has to be done to a house to get it proper order again, it needs to be dried, sanitized, and deodorized by a professional with the proper equipment. When water damage occurs, there are three types of water involved, clear water which is relatively safe, gray water which could refer to as water from the toilet or washing machine, and black water which is unsanitary and extreme health hazardous. You shouldn't take chances on your home and end up with a floor soaked in black water. We are specialists in water remediation with the right equipment for the job and desires to make your house livable again; give a call immediately at 1-844-5RESTORE or visit us at www.8445restore.com.

Are You Throwing Money Out The Window?

There are several reasons to replace your windows with Simonton energy efficient windows. They reduce your heating and cooling costs, with single pane windows, 30 percent of heating and cooling energy go literally go the window. They block the sun's Ultraviolet rays with low emissivity glass, keeping your furniture and carpet from fading. They give your home a more comfortable feel and are less drafty than single pane windows that let enough air in to blow the curtains around, even when the window is closed. Vinyl windows are resistant to dirt and pollution, and never need to be painted, saving you time and money in maintenance. The double pane reduces external noise transmission giving you a quieter home. The double pane window is more durable allowing it to stand up better against extreme weather and home invasions. They enhance the beauty, value, and “curb appeal” of your home. Simonton windows are the only windows we use and recommend for your home. Established in 1946 and innovators in vinyl doors and windows since the early 1980s, Simonton continues to be recognized through the many industry awards they have won throughout the years. If you're tired of letting heat in the window and money out the window, or if you want to improve the appearance of your home, Give us a call at 1-844-5RESTORE or visit us at www.8445restore.com.

Do You Know Who To Trust?

Hail storms have already hit North Georgia this year and now is the time to look for a contractor to repair the damage hail and wind can cause. Even if the storms haven't hit your home, it's a good practice to have a company if the storms hit and you need someone to repair hail damage on your house, here's a few questions to ask yourself when looking for a contractor:

Are they experienced professionals? Or are they new to the industry? You need a company of people who have experience in the storm restoration field that have the knowledge, skill, and expertise to get the job done.​​ You need a contractor that won't waste your time, that can tell you right away that hail has done damage to your home and that they can repair it.

Are they established? Or are they just working out of a truck? Serious contractors have a centralized address, a tax identification number, and a business license. If your contractor can not produce proof of these things, you're putting your house at risk.

Are they working safely? Or they cutting safety corners whenever they can? OSHA regulations are serious business and are put in place for the safety of the employees and clients alike. Take repairing hail damage on a steep slope roof, in some cases a pair of special boots have to be used to grip the roof, and on some cases a harass and rope. The best thing you can do is hire a contractor who will use the right safety equipment from inspection to cleanup.

Are they licensed for your state? Or are they just rolling into town with nothing? Depending on the state, a  contractor may need a license to practice any kind of work. Check your state’s licensing requirements, and then check to make sure that your roofer has a license. If your contractor; for example, is from another state and can not produce a proper license for your state, there's a good chance they're just there to repair some hail damage for a quick buck and take it back home with no little to no real concern for you, watch out and make sure they're legal to do business in your area.

If your contractor doesn't meet these qualifications, call us a call at 1-844-5RESTORE or visit us at www.8445restore.com.

Tha Calm Before The Storm

Here in Georgia, the most dangerous time of the year is almost upon us, and I don’t mean the end of tax season, I mean the beginning of storm season. The effects of weather during this time have the potential to cause minor to great to your house. Here are some tips on how to prepare for the different types of effects storms may bring.

Rain – We’ve all been there, you’re shopping at the grocery store some time after the bottom fell out of a monster rain storm. There’s a large trash can in the middle of the aisle collecting water leaking from the ceiling. If you’ve had a rain leak at your house you can understand that it’s out of the staff’s hands that they have to fix the problem until the leak can be repaired. Leaks can be a result of a roof that’s too old, damaged, or defective, a flaw has been exposed to the rain and it’s getting through that flaw and onto your floor. There’s not much that can be done about it during the storm, but it is best especially if you know you have an old roof, to have buckets ready to be put in place. To prevent leaks from happening before the storm, consider the age of the roof, a 3-tab roof is known to last anywhere from 15 to 18 years and an architectural roof is known to last 24 to 30 years. If your roof hasn't been replaced in the past 25 years, it may be best to consider replacing it before the storms come.

Lightning – When dealing with lightning, there’s always the possibility of a power outage. The proper precautions are elementary, keep flashlights and candles ready. There are also other things to consider in the electronic department, power surges can mess devices such as TVs and computers. Unplug these devices that aren’t connected to surge protectors. While power strips are convenient for connect multiple devices, not all power strips are surge protectors, make sure power strip your computer station power strip is surge protected before you keep working on it during the storm, if it’s not surge protected, it’s best to turn off the power strip, unplug it, and wait out the storm, it’s a minor inconvenience compared to what could happen if a surge reaches your computer.

Hail – Hail is a common subject here at RCS, even if the damage caused by hailstones is minimal, it can play a major role in letting rain leak through whether it be tomorrow or six months from now. If you have electrical boxes in your neighborhood, check them for dents after a storm. If the hail is capable of denting metal, it’s capable of knocking granules off asphalt shingle roofs.

Winds – A tale-tell sign your home has been affected by wind is when your shingles are in your neighbor’s lawn, unless your neighbor has a thing for using asphalt as a lawn decoration and you’re helping him, but let’s be honest who does that? The more subliminal way wind affects the shingle is that it is still on the roof but is loose. In a heavy storm, you’re surely not going to go out and see if they’re flapping around. Naturally we recommend you call us to send a storm damage specialist to take a look, when the wind dies down loose shingles is not obvious, but those compromised shingles are a window for leaks.

Fallen Trees – Speaking of windows, trees near house run a risk of falling and crashing through windows, heavily damaging homes and property inside the home. Trees can fall from the wind building up and knocking the tree down, lightning also strikes a heavy branch tree causing it to fall. During the storm, it’s best to stay away from windows where trees are. A tarp is a good thing to have ready in case a tree does fall, it provides temporary protection from the elements until the damage can be repaired.

Finally, we at RCS hope and pray no harm befalls anyone at any time, especially the storm season. With the unpredictability of weather, we hope for the best but prepare for the worst. If your home is damaged during the storm season, we hope you would keep us mind, give us a call at 1-844-5RESTORE or check out our website www.8445restore.com, and let us help you undo the damage.

Roof Leaks & Warranties

As mentioned before in the blog, weather can play a major role in the stability of a roof, hail usually as big as a quarter can knock granules off of shingles, wind can blow shingles away. Age also plays a factor to a roof leaking; sometimes the weather be calm for years and a heavy rain storm hit the area and your home is leaking. Part of this is because hail or no hail, and regardless of the brand of shingle; granules will wear down. This is an unfortunate drawback from the aforementioned slate shingles which were more durable; all asphalt shingles have a life expectancy; many 3-tab shingles; for example, are installed with a 25 year warranty because they are expected to last that long. A good thing on to study up on when a roof leaking is find out when the roof was installed; if the roof is 20 years old or older, it’s usually time to replace the shingles.Sometimes it’s not the age of the roof that is the reason for leaks; sometimes it’s the workmanship. Sometimes a new roof can be installed on a home and it can leak in the next rain storm; this is because even the most professional roofers can make mistakes in the installation process. Any gap in the roofing system can let rain through the wood and eventually through the ceiling onto the floor and in the case of a new roof; something as simple as improper nailing, or can be the culprit for a leak. Flashing is the most common problem for roof leaks; installation errors or bad product quality can be the result of rain on the floor.In a perfect world, there would never be a need of a new roof, all homes would be perfectly built with no need for repairs, but it is an imperfect world and unexpected things happen. This is why GAF covers their Timberline shingles with limited “Lifetime” warranty meaning as long as the homeowner who originally had the roof installed resides in the home or another owner after him or her; this warranty is transferable between owners once. RCS crews are the best at what they do, but even so they’re not perfect installation may have a flaw or two every now and then, that’s why we offer a 10 year workmanship warranty to correct any mistakes that occur during the installation process. There’s no need to be worried with RCS because if a problem does occur, it always shows up in that 10 year window. Find out more at www.8445restore.com.

GAF Roofing: Extreme Shingle Testing

This is why we use only use GAF roofing products when replacing a roof. Check out this video that shows off what types of crazy tests GAF puts their Timberline series through.

When The Hail Storms Hit, Do You Know Who's Repairing Your Damage?

Hail storms have already hit North Georgia this year and now is the time to look for a contractor to repair the damage hail and wind can cause. Even if the storms haven't hit your home, it's a good practice to have a company if the storms hit and you need someone to repair hail damage on your house, here's a few questions to ask yourself when looking for a contractor:

Are they experienced professionals? Or are they new to the industry? You need a company of people who have experience in the storm restoration field that have the knowledge, skill, and expertise to get the job done.​​ You need a contractor that won't waste your time, that can tell you right away that hail has done damage to your home and that they can repair it.

Are they established? Or are they just working out of a truck? Serious contractors have a centralized address, a tax identification number, and a business license. If your contractor can not produce proof of these things, you're putting your house at risk.

Are they working safely? Or they cutting safety corners whenever they can? OSHA regulations are serious business and are put in place for the safety of the employees and clients alike. Take repairing hail damage on a steep slope roof, in some cases a pair of special boots have to be used to grip the roof, and on some cases a harass and rope. The best thing you can do is hire a contractor who will use the right safety equipment from inspection to cleanup.

Are they licensed for your state? Or are they just rolling into town with nothing? Depending on the state, a  contractor may need a license to practice any kind of work. Check your state’s licensing requirements, and then check to make sure that your roofer has a license. If your contractor; for example, is from another state and can not produce a proper license for your state, there's a good chance they're just there to repair some hail damage for a quick buck and take it back home with no little to no real concern for you, watch out and make sure they're legal to do business in your area.

If your contractor doesn't meet these quaifications, call us a call at 1-844-5RESTORE.

Discontinued Shingles, They Seemed Great But What Went Wrong!?

Atlas Chalet & CertainTeed Horizon shingles, I can't tell you how often we replace these shingles due to wind damage. Both Atlas Chalet and CertainTeed Horizon are similar in appearance and problems. When these shingles were used, they were a 3 tab shingle but presented the appearance of a dimensional shingle and as such were passed off as dimensional shingles. Atlas Chalet was a cheap way for builders to roof houses. It all goes south within the first few years. Especially with Atlas Chalet, the granules wear down ten times faster than they should. A tale-tell sign of having either Atlas Chalet or CertainTeed Horizon, if a house was built between 2005 and 2009 and a large amount of loose granules are found in the gutters and downspouts. Both these shingles can be replaced by minimal amount of wind damage.

While they’re not so common, there’s also T-Lock shingles which were once pretty popular. Rather than be glued together, T-Lock shingles were interlocked together using the T formation of the shingles themselves to snap the shingles into place. This made the shingles very resistant to wind; however, when hail storms came along, it was clear the T-Lock shingles were weak to hail damage. 

In the same way wind affects Atlas Chalet and CertainTeed, if minimal hail damage is found on T-Lock shingles, the insurance will replace the roof. If you have Atlas Chalet or any defective product on you home and we find enough damage, you qualify to get a new and improved roofing system. If you've talked to the insurance company before about Atlas Chalet and they did not accept the claim, our best advice to talk to them again. It may not be an easy process, but with persistence the insurance company will grant your request to protect your biggest investment. When a claim is accepted, we work with the insurance company as well. In most cases, we’ll communicate directly with the team or adjuster assigned and the process of putting on a new roof as soon as possible, and we try to make the process as financially painless for the homeowner as possible.