As more homes go up in the Denver area, it’s important to consider how our homes are affecting the landscape. We all want to reduce our impact on the environment, and a little-known way to do that is to consider environmentally friendly roofing options for your new home or roof replacement service.
First, it’s important to think about what materials satisfy three key aspects of an eco-friendly roof: durability, energy efficiency and material. When it comes to durability and saving energy, many opt for metal roofs. These not only reflect light but also last virtually forever by today’s standards, beyond fifty years on average. They’re also recyclable if the time ever comes to replace them. Light reflection also is a factor in roofing options that are light-colored. There is roofing material refereed to as ‘cool’ roof, which can reflect most sunlight and improve air conditioning efficiency inside the home. This, by extension, saves energy and money for the homeowner.
In Colorado, traditional shingle or shake roofs dominate the market. And today, most shingles are actually recycled materials reclaimed into new shingles for new homes. Clay roofing options are also a good option, especially when tiles are reused. Slate is also a common roofing material to use over and over again, and fits well with any latin-inspired home design plans. Rubber roofing is also coated with slate and can last as long as a metal roof. Those do very well in harsh weather.
Eco-friendly, cost effective and durable corrugated roofing options also do well in various inclimate weather conditions. And, they often come in a wider variety of more stylish options nowadays. But the most complimentary roofing option for the environment, is of course, what’s commonly known as a ‘green roof’. That’s when various parts of the roof are fitted with plants or vines that can indeed thrive on the roof of your home and give back to the air outside and offset your home’s carbon footprint.
Contact Capital Roofing to see which material is best for your home and design.
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Spotting Leaks with Capital Roofing
If leaks are not spotted right away and find their way into your home, the bill for damages could skyrocket compared to what preventative maintenance or even a roof replacement could cost homeowners. That’s why finding potential and true leaks early on is important to maintaining your home’s value.
To find potential leaks you’ll need a few things for safety. First a reliable and bright light source that can easily be hung or propped if you need both hands to navigate spaces. And, because you’re often looking on your roof or in your attic, it’s best to have someone else present and helping assure your safety when checking for leaks.
If you can’t see any leaks with the light that’s available, use your flashlight while other interior lights are completely off, and attempt to use the contrast as a way of spotting inconsistencies or any outside light coming through at a leak area point. Be sure to also scour a space multiple times, since a once-over is often unsuccessful. If you still can’t see anything, shine your light down toward walls or the ground and see if any water droplets reflect the light. If you find water pooling in one place, it’s easy to go from there to pin down where it’s all coming from through your roof. If you keep the space quiet, you can easily perk up those ears and try listening for a consistent leak or water seeping or dripping from the walls.
From there, go outside and take a look at your pipes and gutters attached to your roof. This is more common after a snow-heavy winter season on the Front Range, but gutters can often be just as damaged after a lot of rain in the spring and summer and lead to water building up where it shouldn’t.
If you’re still having trouble finding where a roof leak originated, call us at Capital Roofing. We’re trained and experienced in finding and fixing these kinds of problems, and are happy to help when we can.
Ready for Winter : Ice Damage & Gutter Clutter
In Colorado, we know how to do winter. But, you’d be surprised at how many homeowners don’t properly prepare their home’s exterior for the colder elements—especially their roof.
Two of the most common forms of damage that requires roof repairs come spring time are broken or damaged gutters and leftover damage from snow and ice. Whether it manifests in cracked shingles, bloated and cracked drainage pipes, or direct damage from icicles as they melt and fall off homes after a storm, your home’s roof takes the brunt of any weather change and ultimately keeps your home’s structure and family safe. At Capital Roofing our job is to make sure that first line of defense stays as strong as possible, year-round.
Ice-filled gutters or other forms of ice blockages are the most common cause of roof damage and often lead to leaks inside your home. These can be avoided by two levels of regular maintenance. One is clearing or even removing your gutters before winter to avoid ice forming around things inside, like leaves or other debris. Second, clearing any snow or ice buildup as snowstorms move through is important. Of course, this kind of work should be saved for when conditions are generally dry and sunny, after a storm clears. We wrote another blog last month about safety and working on your roof if you have any questions about how to go about it!
As we get closer to winter weather on the Front Range, it’s also time to think about scheduling an inspection for your roof. To avoid any lingering damage from last season, spot problems before they manifest into leaks and safety hazards, it’s good to plan preventative maintenance on your home’s roof rather than backtracking later.
And, it’s not worth waiting around for that service either. When it comes to performing work on your roof or ordering a repair service, waiting tends to cause bigger bills in the long run, and your safety is our first and biggest priority. At Capital Roofing, we offer repair diagnostics and services as well as roofing replacement that’s sure to last.
What NOAA’s Winter Outlook Means For Your Roof
The predictions are in, and as we mentioned in earlier blogs, a warmer-than-average winter may be upon us in the Mile High City. According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (NOAA, for short), Colorado can expect a slightly warmer winter season, along with most of the mainland United States.
Now, this doesn’t mean we won’t see snow or freezing temperatures on the Front Range by any means, but we can at least expect snow to avoid sticking around near Denver and general temperatures leading up to and away from the dead of winter to be more pleasant than shiver-inducing.
Of course the winter outlook does not signal a long-term change in climate, but zooming out, data collected by NOAA’s office in Boulder from the past few decades does indicate a general ‘heating’ effect in the Rockies and across North America. In the roofing business, certain materials are best for certain climates, and the premiere roof in Colorado could change over time.
For now, that perfect material is most likely standard asphalt or EPDM shingles. They’re dependable, work in all types of weather conditions, are easily repaired, cheap and abundant. Other commonly used materials in denver are slate and even metal in some areas. Metal roofs are in fact great to have during heavy winters due to their sheer strength and ability to not only hold up snow, but also speed up that snow’s melting, putting less weight on your home structure throughout the season. Plus, they reflect light and heat, bringing down cost for you and your family. After all, homes eat up more energy heating themselves than cooling down in the summer months.
What we can say with confidence is if NOAA’s outlook is correct and warmer winter temperatures are on the way, Capital Roofing will be able to offer our full range of services to our customers throughout the winter months, without hesitation or hiatus. As mentioned in our last post, there are a plethora of repairs and even replacement work that’s easy to accomplish during the winter season.
Raising the Roof in Denver Colorado
We all know the allure of a big, beautiful home. But what’s even better is the unique luxury of walking into a room with vaulted or high ceilings and feeling like the space is so much bigger than the tape measure would suggest.
Even though our speciality at Capital Roofing is making your home improvement dreams a reality up on the roof, we can’t forget the layer just below it. And in many homes, the key to tasteful, impeccable interior design has to do with what’s just above eye level.
In Denver, a big trend that isn’t going anywhere soon is the exposed-beam or open ceiling concept. In residential spaces, these often manifest as metal or wooden accents on a ceiling’s corners or built out as visible cross-beams to add dimension and color. In commercial spaces and more urban areas, painted or original ductwork is often left exposed, along with poles that hold up space lighting and fluorescents. These kinds of accents not only add historic or decoratively worn-in vibe to a space, but also add a bit of character and credibility to its structural integrity or manufactured functionality.
To utilize the space to it’s fullest potential, consider adding functionality to low-traffic wall space or higher-reaching areas in your home. For the booklovers, a library reachable by ladder or staircase. For natural light gurus, long, flowing drapes that reach from floor to ceiling despite the size of the windows behind them. There are many possibilities to either create the illusion of a stretched space or cozy, comfort-filled home.
Next, consider the best lighting to use when your ceilings reach higher than most. Oftentimes, a light placed too high up can actually cause a space to feel darker. Whether your bulbs hang down on extended wires or you consider adding supplemental light at eye-level, be sure to make the area nearest your own eyes the brightest, for ease and an inviting environment for all.
The last high-ceiling design trend to consider is to add color or a sort of crown molding to the space for dimension and setting the mood. If you want your space to feel open and airy, consider a pale yellow or blue-sky color. For dramatic and powerful spaces, opt for a deep purple, beige or even slate, depending on your light sources and window placement.
To keep your indoor space safe and comfortable year-round, turn to Capital Roofing for all your exterior, roof-related repairs, replacements, remodeling, and home improvement projects. We’re happy to serve our clients on the Front Range! Give us a call to schedule an appointment today.