Funny Stories

    Going off-topic from the usual information, it's Off The Roof Friday where I try to be a little entertaining to break away from norm because it's the weekend time to have fun. Today, I want to share some stories that I find hilarious in hindsight. You know, RCS is the best contractor out there, when you trust us to with your home restoration project, we do everything to get the job done right the first time, and most of the time we do just that. there are; however, times every once in a while, when things just don't according to plan.

    When I was still new to the business, I rode with a claim specialist to get some field experience. We went to a house where he got on the roof and couldn't get off, so he told me to bring the ladder to another part of the house. I didn't have a lot of experience with a 28-foot extending ladder and when I retracted the ladder, everything was going well... until my arm got caught in the retracting latch. The pain disoriented me and next thing I know, the ladder was riding my back like a rodeo bull. Thankfully, I got the ladder on the ground without breaking anything except for my pride, for the record I still not have lived that down.

    One evening we were working on a water remediation job and after we spent seven days extracting all the moisture from the home, someone in our crew who very skilled at plumbing saw an issue with the toilet. He went to go pull the toilet out, and the guy in charge said, "I don't think that's a good idea." He replied, "I been doing this for 20 years." And as soon as he said "20 years" he pulled that toilet and the water come running out of the pipes, undone one third of the work we did to get the house . The moral of this story: It doesn't matter if you have 20 years experience in plumbing, make sure the water pressure is turned off before you take something out of a bathroom.

    I was out hanging advertising flyers in a neighbor and I came up to a door, put a flyer on the door and I went to leave. As I was leaving the garage door, I heard the homeowner saying, "Don't you dare ring that doorbell!" I about jumped eight feet in the air, I turn around and he asked, "Can I help you?" And I said, "Oh I was just hanging some information on your door, sir." And he chuckled and said, "Oh okay, sorry to startle you, just got a sick wife inside and I didn't want someone ringing the bell bothering her, you have a great day." From that day on, I learned to be on guard when entering and leaving someone's property when door hanging.

    These are just a few rare stories that I gotta look back and laugh at. I turned 29 years old about a week ago, and ten years ago when I was working as a bagger in a grocery store, if you told me I was going to be part of the best restoration contractor around, I would have said, "No way, I don't even know what contractors do." But it has been fun working with Johnathon Rosser, the only boss I've ever worked for who can properly execute a chokeslam.

Restoration

     

     

     Dictionary.com defines restoration as the act of restoring; renewal, revival, or

reestablishment, the state or fact of being restored, a return of something to a former,

original, normal, or unimpaired condition, the restitution of something taken away or lost.

There are several types of home restoration as well as several reasons for home

restoration.

     Restoration is important to your home after a storm for so many reasons. Your home

needs restoration because it needs a renewal of its original appearance. When a storm

damages your home it takes the dignity of your home, restoration gives back that dignity.

When a tree hits your home, restoration is needed to repair the hole in your house. If your

roof is banged up, your home will eventually need restoration, because those roof dents eventually become ceiling leaks. The same goes for your siding, your home needs restoration to restore the first impression your siding provides.

     Sometimes a storm doesn’t have to be the reason for restoration, sometimes age plays a factor. Carpet restoration is a must when your carpet is fading, but did you know your windows could be to blame? Window restoration is a must when your old windows aren’t blocking the UV ray that cause the carpet to fade. Interior restoration spruces up your home and keeps it dignity for house guests. After a leak, a house typically needs two types or restoration, roof restoration for the exterior and ceiling restoration for the interior. When people look up they don’t want to moisture stains from a roof leak, especially when the roof that caused the leak was fixed years ago.

     We are a trusted restoration contractor. We have customer testimonials real by people who really had home restoration work done by us. We’re backed by the BBB, a Simonton Windows preferred contractor, and a GAF certified roofing contractor. If you’re ever in need of a home restoration of any kind, we cover them all, so give us a call at 1-844-5RESTORE or visit us on the web at www.8445restore.com.

GAF Testing Is EXTREME!!!

Why is GAF the only brand of roofing shingle we recommend? 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.

We could tell you about GAF and why we only use them. We could tell you about their warranty and how they test and test their shingles until they know they have the best product for your roof. We could tell you all these things, but you don't have to take our word for it.

GAF Timberline shingles also has a Limited Lifetime warranty that's transferable when you sell your home. GAF is the only roofing company trusted, used, and recommended by RCS and GAF roofing products are the products we use to replace defective roofs like Atlas Chalet and CertainTeed Horizon. Check them out at www.gaf.com. If you're interested in a roof restoration with GAF Timberline, call us at 1-844-5RESTORE or visit us at www.8445restore.com.

Floor Wars: Episode 3 Revenge of The Termites

You can’t have a good trilogy without a good part 3. The past two parts have revolved around hardwood, but now it’s time to discuss carpet problems. Here are some facts about carpets.

• In some carpets, a problem occurs known as fluffing or shedding. This is where small balls of fluff start showing up after a carpet is installed. This isn't a big deal as it happens with a lot of new carpets.

• Pile reversal is a change in pile direction of a direction; this can make the carpet look lighter or darker. It’s a type of pile distortion that is not considered a problem and has no cause or cure except for a carpet replacement.

• Matting is the untwisting of carpet fibers. It has two main causes, heavy foot traffic or wrongly specified underlays or underlay failure.  If you experience this problem, it’s best to find the problem behind the matting early on.

• Draught markings or filtration soiling can occur along the edge of a room. This is caused by airflow over the carpet bringing airborne dirt particles to settle into the room. Sometimes poor installation of the ventilation system can be to blame for this problem.

• Carpets will begin to fade over time from being exposed to the UV rays of the sun. If you decide to replace the carpet due to faded colors, it’s a must to prevent this problem again by replacing your windows with Low-E windows that will block UV rays from hitting the new carpet.

These are some of the common problems with carpets, some warrant a carpet replacement and some do not. If you have a problem with your carpet causes you to want to replace it or if you’re just overdue for a carpet restoration, give us a call at 1-844-5RESTORE.

Do You Know Who's Trying To Get On Your Roof?

     Exhibit A:

     If hail storms have already hit your area this year, now is the time to look for a restoration and roofing 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 restoration and roofing contractor in mind if the storms hit and you need someone to repair hail damage on your house. There are many "stormchaser" contractors out there that say their perform the home restoration work and never they do. Some even create their own damage leaving a legitimate contractor to have to perform the restoration on a vandalism claim and not storm damage. So who do you trust with your home's restoration? Here's a few questions to ask yourself when looking for a restoration 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 and roofing field that have the knowledge, skill, and expertise to get the job done.​​ You need a restoration contractor that won't waste your time, which 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 restoration and roofing contractors have a centralized address, a tax identification number, and a business license. If you have a restoration and roofing 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 restoration and roofing 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 you live in, 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 restoration contractor has a license. If your restoration contractor; for example, is from another state and cannot 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.

     Will they let you watch the inspection? Some scam artists claiming to be restoration experts will get on your house and create the damage if you're not looking. A representative will pressed their thumb against the siding or spin a dime on the roof to create fake hail damage. Watch the inspector to see what he or she does, it's a good way to avoid filing a restoration claim for vandalism.

     Is the contractor asking for money up front for your home restoration? You can choose to pay for home restoration yourself but in most cases, your insurance company will cover the cost of a home restoration. A legitimate restoration contractor knows this and will instead work with your insurer. If they are asking for money up front, odds are they have no intention of doing any restoration work for you and you'll never see them again.

     Are they accredited with the BBB? The BBB is to restoration contractors what Carfax is to pre-owned cars. It says a lot for a restoration contractor if they have no complaints on their profile, but it kills their credibility if they don't have a profile at all.

     If your restoration and roofing contractor doesn't meet these qualifications, call us at 1-844-5RESTORE instead, or check us out at www.8445restore.com.

Floor Wars Epsiode 2: Attack of The Termites

Sorry for the hiatus, the site was down but it's back up now with more content, check it out www.8445restore.com.

• Abnormal gaps stay in the floor after seasonal changes. This problem could be caused by hot spots in the subfloor, debris between boards, cracked tongues, or improper nailing.

 

• Normal gaps appear between individual and open and close with changes in humidity.

 

• Termites and other insects may eat up the wood causing the holes in the floor or cause the floor to sag.

 

• Overwood and Underwood happen when there’s a difference between boards.  This could be caused by an irregular subfloor, insufficient subfloor holding power, or a tongue fracture.

 

• Picture framing or “Halo” happens when the edges of the room appear a different color from the rest of the floor. Sometimes this is a sanding issue and other times it’s when too much finish is applied around an area of the floor.

 

• Sanding marks are imperfections seen as scratches and drum marks usually caused by the problems with the sanding machine during the sanding process.

 

• Shellout is where there is uneven wear between segments of annual rings. This is caused by heavy walking traffic or repeated sliding of heavy furniture.

 

• If the entire floor appears uneven, it could be due to a cracked slab, uneven subfloor, or the flooring was installed over uneven screeds.

 

• When dried bubbles are visible on the floor, it’s usually due to overworking finish during application or too much air movement across the floor.

 

Whew! That’s a lot of problems with flooring and that’s just hardwood flooring. If you’re having any of these problems, we can help. Give us a call at 1-844-5RESTORE today!

Floor War Episode 1: The Denting Menace

Windows can have a number of problems that can affect your standard of living. From costing energy to making the house look bad, these issues need to be addressed so that be your quality of life is not compromised. Here are some common window problems.

• Inefficient windows will sometimes gather moisture and keep fog up easily. This usually means the sea; between panes is broken'

• If the window is leaking, the windows are not sealed properly.

• As windows age, their mechanical parts get dirty and grimy making them hard to open and close.

• Windows can be easily scratched which can lead to compromised view and a poor presentation of the home.

• The sill is essential to a window, but if the sill is rotten or not slanted properly, it will be an open window (no pun intended) for stray rain water.

If you have old windows with any of these problems, they can be solved by replacing them with new Simonton Windows. They are at the top of their class and they’re the windows used by RCS.  Check them out at their website http://www.simonton.com/