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.