ACB Roofing FAQ colorado springs

Frequently Asked Roofing Questions

How Do I Inspect my Roof for Damage ?

Spring is a good time to inspect your roof. Winter damage is fresh and often easier to access, and should extensive work be necessary, the summer months ahead provide plenty of good, dry weather. Start your inspection with a visual check from outside. Look for obvious damage first -- missing shingles, cracked tiles, warped or gaping wood shakes. Follow the roof line with your eyes, It should be perfectly horizontal. If it has a noticeable sag, you may have a structural problem created by a prolonged roof leak. If you suspect structural sagging, consult ACB Roofing immediately. With asphalt roofs, look for thin, weather-worn shingles. If the shingles are brittle, they may have lost their protective inner oils, and re-roofing may be required. If the roof only has a few bad spots, you may consider doing some repairs. Be sure to balance the cost of repair against the remaining lifespan of the roof. Traditional wooden shakes and shingles can warp, split, thin in the sun and rain, and be torn off by high winds, leaving the roof structure exposed to the elements. If only a few spots need work, a simple repair may be in order. If the wood is dry, extensively cracked or warped, re-roofing may be necessary. Roof damage is not always obvious from the outside. A comprehensive inspection also includes a trip to the attic or crawl-space. Look for dark water stains in rafters, sheathing, and insulation. With wooden roofs, you may notice light passing into the attic. Pin-holes are normal, as water normally swells the roof and closes the gaps. If you see signs of water leakage near pinholes, however, stick a piece of wire or pipe cleaner through the hole so you can inspect it closely from the rooftop. Once the inspection is complete, you must decide whether to do the repair or re-roofing work.Our experts at ACB can help you make the right choice for your home and budget.

Choosing the right Roofing Contractor?

Choosing the right contractor is as important as choosing the right roofing material. Roofers depend heavily on referral business, so you should ask contractors to see work done in the past two years or so. Inspect the work, ask if the residents are satisfied with the work. Roofing, with all the new materials and techniques has become a specialized field. You need Architects Choice Builders as a specialist for the roof you want. In the modern roofing industry, fly-by-night contractors are less plentiful than past years. Nevertheless, a little caution may save you a lot of aggravation. If you have any doubts about the contractor, call the Pikes Peak Regional Building Dept. and find out if any complaints have been filed against the contractor. Make sure the contractor is licensed and insured. Before any work is started, get a contract in writing that clearly spells out every aspect of the job -- from hauling away the old roof if necessary to replacing any garages and sheds. Make sure you understand all warranties Some cover only materials, others include labor as well. Ask not only roof type, but brand and premium as well so there is no confusion about exactly what roof you're getting. With some diligent planning and careful shopping, by ACB professionals a new roof can add significant value to your home both financially and aesthetically.

Will my Homeowners Insurance Pay for My Roof?

The first thing you have to find out is if the roof is included as part of the insured structure, the next thing you need to look at is the type of insurance policy you have. There are two types of homeowners insurance policies; named peril and all risk.Peril insurance policies provide coverage for damage that occurs as a result of one of the named perils (which include but are not limited to fire, lightening and hail). If the roof is damaged by one of the named perils, then the insurance policy will cover the loss or pay for a new roof. All-Risk Insurance Policies A homeowners insurance policy written on an all-risk basis will cover all types of loss except for those causes of loss which are specifically excluded. Therefore, uncommon causes of loss such as a young child playing with fireworks in the attic thus causing damage to the roof would be covered under an all-risk policy. It would not be covered under the named peril policy.If you have the right type of policy that will cover the loss, you then have to look at your policy's valuation clause. This defines how the insurance company values the loss. Policies are written with a replacement cost or actual cash value valuation. If you have a replacement cost valuation, the insurance company will pay the amount it costs to repair or replace the roof with one of similar "kind and quality" of the old roof. If you have an actual cash value policy, the insurance company will pay the amount it costs to repair or replace the roof with one of like kind and quality, but it must deduct depreciation from that check. In other words, if you roof is 10 years old, it would calculate how much it costs to replace the roof using today's value then deduct 10 years' worth of depreciation. ACB Roofing can help you claim your depreciation, our insurance specialists can guide you through the process.

Do I have to Tear Off my roof?

The Pikes Peak Regional Building Department requires that all roofs be torn off to the decking. their are no overlays allowed with asphalt shingles. The exception to the rule being metal over shingles or any type of coating.

What does it mean to be licensed and insured?

To be licensed in EL Paso county means that ACB Roofing has tested with the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department and was approved by the board of review for D-1 license. Insured means that ACB carries an million dollar Insurance Policy so that if any accidents were to occur and your home was damaged there is up to million dollars to pay for the damages. PPRBD is a holder on the insurance policy.