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Here are a few easy steps you can take to prepare for the winter and prevent a potential leak or expensive repair later

             1. Trim back any trees that hang over or cover the roof

2. Use a blower or broom to clean all debris off the roof (never pressure wash your roof!)

3. Clean out the gutters and inspect for rust or holes (be careful not to bend the gutters)

4. Clean debris from all downspouts using water pressure from a garden hose

5. After you are finished, perform a visual inspection of the roof by either walking on the roof or with binoculars from the ground or a ladder. Look for cracks in    composition shingles, or holes in shakes or wood shingles where black felt paper is exposed. Also look for any missing shakes or composition shingles.

6. If you find any of the items in #5, it’s time for a professional roof evaluation and repair. If caught early, you can  often prevent small problems from turning into major repairs.

If you have a tile or flat roof system, we recommend you hire a professional for the above maintenance. We would  be happy to help, just give us a call at 408-971-9000 or visit our website at www.eastmanroofing.com.

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Why select Eastman Roofing & Waterproofing?  Service!

Our people and systems take care of our customers from the moment a request for service comes in. The estimate is scheduled, the customer is contacted the morning of the scheduled appointment, if needed. The estimate is completed and typically the typed report is sent out within 24-48 hours of the appointment date.

When work is authorized, a work order is generally processed the same day. The Production Department calls within 24-48 hours and sets up a projected start date (weather, additional work on jobs in progress, material delays, etc., can cause the start date to change). Calls to adjust the start date are made when needed. If a pre-site of the work is needed, the Project Manager calls and meets with the customer to make sure everything runs smoothly.

The morning the work is to be done, the Project Manager calls the customer with an approximate time of arrival. Upon arrival, the Project Manager introduces himself and discusses anything of concern with the customer, such as debris removal, if indicated, and then posts a lawn sign. When the work is completed, the Project Manager will review the work with the customer if they are at home, and collect payment. If the customer is not home, the Project Manager will leave a door hanger with his business card attached so the customer may contact him with any questions.

Usually within a few days, customer care will call to make sure the customer’s experience was satisfactory. Generally within a week or two, someone from the Production Department will stop by to review the work to make sure it was completed and meets our standards. If it is determined that something more needs to be done, he may do it himself while he’s there, or the Production Department will schedule a time for a roofing technician to return. We are driven to provide excellent customer service.

If the customer is not home when the job is reviewed, the Reviewer will leave a door hanger with his business card attached so he can be contacted with any questions. He will remove the lawn sign while he’s there.

Every 2 weeks all estimators and Project Managers meet with the Production Manager for a Total Quality Meeting. All jobs are reviewed and discussed. Procedures, technical data, policies – everything is on the table for discussion. Our goal is 100% customer satisfaction, clear communication, and education. A safety meeting is always part of any TQM.

Our people make the difference!

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Emergency Roof Leak Instructions

Your roof is leaking — now what? First, visit our website at www.eastmanroofing.com for our “Emergency Leak Instructions” on how to handle the leak while you’re waiting for a repair technician. Our instructions will also help you to minimize any potential interior damage. Second, call for a temporary storm repair or schedule an estimate for a leak repair. Third, grab a cup of coffee, take a deep breath and read below while you’re waiting for the estimator. Read more »

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Repair, Maintain, or Replace?

Contrary to what one might expect, there are no building codes for roof repairs; there are only some repair manuals available from NRCA and certain manufacturers/independent sources, acceptable trade practices, and rule of thumb procedures. Repairing a leak can be as simple as seeing the hole or defect in the roof and fixing it. Sometimes it will require a number of process of elimination roof repairs to stop the leaking and/or performing a water test to help identify the cause of a leak or leaks. Read more »

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If debris is found on your roof, we recommend having it removed professionally. The objective of debris removal is to prevent it from impeding the flow of water off the roof.

Debris may be removed from the roof in a variety of ways depending on the type of debris, how much debris and whether or not some of the roofing materials (such as tiles) need to be removed in order to remove the debris. One of the most common ways debris is removed is to blow it from the roof using a leaf blower. Although an attempt is made to control the debris as much as possible, it is not uncommon for the debris to sift into the attic or garage spaces through skylights or vents as well as litter the grounds.

A little bit of debris in the wrong location(s) can do a lot of damage. It is important to prevent water from backing up into structure, causing leaks, rot and/or damaging the roof or interior of the home. Eastman Roofing & Waterproofing can provide this semi-annual/annual service. See attached note given to customers before we remove debris for more details: Read more »

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Can a broken tile allow water intrusion? Yes! No! Read more »

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FLAT ROOFS

There are a variety of materials used for low slope applications. Data compiled by Western States Roofing Contractor’s Association, in the July/August 2011 Western Roofing magazine indicates the following percentages of material types installed for new roofs:

TPO – 18.2%
Built-up Roofing (tar & gravel or cap sheet) – 17.9%
Modified Bitumen (SBS) – 12.5%
Modified Bitumen (APP) – 9.9%
EPDM (rubber) – 9.4%
Liquid Applied (urethane, acrylic, asphalt emulsion) – 8.6%
PVC – 3.5%
Polyurethane foam – 2.3%
Other types (steep slope) – 17.7%

Installation and method of repair varies with material type. Diagnosis, repair techniques and material ‘basics’ are as follows:

1. Surface should be dry and clean for all types.
2. TPO: Re-weld; weld a patch; apply EternaBond type material; Chemlink sealant or comparable.
3. Built-up roof: Apply asphalt adhesive and/or asphaltic mastic, and/or modified mastic or urethane extended asphalt with reinforcing fabric.
4. Modified bitumen SBS: Same as built-up roofs.
5. Modified bitumen APP: Same as built-up roofs and/or weld seam(s).
6. EPDM: Apply EternaBond type material or re-glue seams, or glue patch of EPDM, or apply Chemlink sealant or comparable.
7. Liquid Applied: Urethane – reapply urethane; Acrylic – reapply acrylic or apply urethane extended asphalt and reapply acrylic; Asphalt emulsion – Apply asphaltic mastic or urethane extended asphalt.
8. Polyurethane foam: Apply urethane extended asphalt and/or acrylic.

The diagnosis of a leak in order of probability is the first step in the process of elimination.

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Although it is possible that tile roof materials can last for many years, contrary to popular opinion, they do not last ‘forever’ and some types of tile roofs, or their underlayment, can be problematic as far as leaks are concerned. There was even a period of time some years ago when no underlayment was required by the building code for some tile. It has been changed back to requiring underlayment on all tile roofs, especially since the underlayment is a crucial part of the roof and the lack, or improper installation of it can cause many leak issues. If your home is one of the homes built, or re-roofed during that period of time, you may have experienced leak problems, especially problems with wind-driven rain leakage. Read more »

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Underlayment is installed on top of the roof deck/sheeting before the roof is installed. Its main purpose is as a vapor barrier. However, in the process of installing a new roof, it can act as a temporary roof covering. In some instances, such as tiles roofs, with wind-driven rain, it can act as a roof covering. Read more »

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Any legitimate business has numerous expenses related to the normal day-to-day functioning of that business, costs that are not very obvious but which are all part of any price charged for either services or goods by that business. Just like when one visits a physician, it is understood that the patient is not just paying for the few minutes spent with the doctor. They are paying for everything from the doctor’s office staff, to paper, to office rent, the skyrocketing liability insurance costs, to even the doctor’s education costs and/or continuing education.

Similarly, businesses like ours have a myriad of expenses in order to keep our doors open. Read more »