Peninsula Roofing Contractor Offers Free Pre-Summertime Checklist

Online, April 7, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Winter may be over, but that's no reason to relax when it comes to your roof. Right now it's more important than ever to give your roof a pre-summertime checkup, says Jeff Childers, Founder and Owner of Exterior Experts of Virginia. His company installs and maintains roofs all over the Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, and Tidewater areas. "With the seasons we have, roofs really get a one-two punch," says Jeff. "Winter jams ice up everywhere. This can strip your roof of its defenses and leave you wide open to damage from summer."

Jeff has done a lot of roofing in his day. From commercial to residential, from Virginia Beach to Newport News, he has seen what happens when property owners neglect their roofs. "The results are pretty horrible when you don't keep after your roof," he says. "First a little water gets in. No big deal, right? You'll always get to it tomorrow. Problem is, that little leak turns into a lot of rot. That rot turns into even more leaks. Next thing you know, you're hiring an expensive Peninsula roofing contractor to give you a whole new roof."

So Jeff gives property owners some quick tips:

1.) Do a checkup on the state of your roof. If possible, climb on top. Walk back and forth over your roof, paying particular attention to areas around vents. Get down and finger your shingles. Healthy shingles feel solid and firm, and the granules are nicely embedded. "If it's starting to look and feel bald, that's a problem."

2.) Check your flashing. These are the strips of tin roofers place around vents, the edge of the roof, and anywhere extra water protection is needed. They should be nailed firmly and not corroded.

3.) Look for trouble spots before they become major. Nail down any loose shingles. Replace any rusty flashing. "Flashing is a critically important part of the roof," says Jeff. "If you're not 100% certain how it's done, do yourself a huge favor and hire a roofing contractor."

4.) Clean out the gutters and downspouts. "It's surprising how many property owners fail to recognize the dangers of dirty gutters," Jeff says. "I can't tell you how many times I've gotten a call from someone who needs professional roofing help and it all started with dirty gutters. Because maybe some maple leaves came spinning in, and next thing you know, you have little trees sprouting everywhere. And they're peeling back the shingles away from the flashing, and you have a terrible roofing repair mess."

5.) Be proactive. "Call up a group of guys from your office or church or gym and have a beer and pizza weekend while you fix the roof," says Jeff. "You don't need a professional roofer for every little job."

Jeff encourages property owners to call the expert roofing companies for big jobs, though. "We really know what we're doing," he says. "Plus, we have the equipment and training bring your roof up to code for Suffolk, or Norfolk, or Chesapeake, or wherever you are in Virginia."