Roofing Division

LOW-SLOPE ROOFING

There are five basic types of low-slope roof systems.

• Built-up roof (BUR) membranes
• Metal panel roof systems
• Polymer-modified bitumen sheet membranes
• Spray polyurethane foam-based (SPF) roof systems
• Single-ply membranes
• Thermoplastic membranes (e.g., PVC, TPO)
• Thermoset membranes (e.g., EPDM)

STEEP-SLOPE ROOFING

• Weatherproofing layer or layers — the weatherproofing component is the most important element because it keeps water from entering a roof assembly.
• Reinforcement — reinforcement adds strength,puncture resistance and dimensional stability to a membrane.
• Surfacing — surfacing is the component that protects the weatherproofing and reinforcement from sunlight and weather. Some surfacings provide other benefits such as increased fire resistance, improved traffic and hail resistance, and increased solar reflectivity.

There are six basic types of steep-slope roof coverings.

• Asphalt shingles
• Clay tile and concrete tile
• Metal roof systems for steep-slope applications
• Slate
• Wood shakes and wood shingles
• Synthetic

Roof deck — A roof deck is the structural substrate, and usually is a wood-based material such as plywood or Oriented Strand Board (OSB). Steep-slope roof systems typically are composed of individual pieces or components installed in shingle fashion.

• Underlayment — underlayment provides temporary protection until a roof covering is installed, and provides a secondary weatherproofing barrier. Sometimes underlayment is referred to as “felt” or “paper”.
• Roof covering — the roof covering is the external watershedding material.

Not everyone has the advantage of having a qualified professional roofer of the caliber of Segelman Shaw Roofing to call on for their roofing and exterior home improvement needs. But residents of Rockland County, New York, and the surrounding areas of Westchester and Bergen Counties do. When the time comes for you to find the perfect roofing contractor, we invite you to give us a call for a fast, free estimate.

ROOFING REPAIR:

9 Signs Your Roof Needs Repair

• The roof is leaking
• There are cracked or damaged tiles and shingles
• There are missing or loose tiles and shingles
• There are signs of mold
• Wood in your attic looks discolored
• Trees and vines are growing on or around your roof
• You’ve needed more heat to keep your house warm
• There is excessive dirt or residue in your gutters
• Age: The older your roof, the more likely it is damaged

The best way to save money on your roof is to make the one you have last longer.

A 20-Year roof, for example, will last 20 years only with proper maintenance. People have a life expectancy too, but that doesn’t mean they don’t require maintenance to get there.

Roofs don’t stay in pristine condition until the day they suddenly expire. They start slowly dying the minute you put them on. In addition, fallen tree branches, clogged gutters, and extreme temperatures from above or below can seriously decrease your roof’s lifespan.

Segelman Shaw does not just offer new roof and gutter installation. We also work to maintain the roof that you have. We help you save money on your roof by buying you additional years of service for your existing roof system. You already paid for it; let’s make the most of it.

BASIC ROOF AND GUTTER REPAIRS

Most roofing issues don’t require replacement of the entire roof. In most cases, your roof will last for years after the first leak is detected, provided you take care of it and don’t let the problem fester and grow. A small leak, for example, can leave water damage that will eat away at the surrounding areas and make those parts leak too. A small crack in a shingle can also become bigger under severe weather conditions.

We can provide all of your basic roof repairs, including:

• Fixing leaks
• Replacing missing or damaged shingles
• Adding shingles
• Repairing, replacing or adding flashing
• Securing loose shingles and flashing
• Replacing cracked or damaged caulking and sealants
• Patching seams
• Reinforcing and unclogging gutters

A leak in the ceiling doesn’t necessarily mean that there is a hole in the roof directly over it. Some roof leaks are more complicated than others, and can be difficult to diagnose and repair.

Most roof leaks, for example, spring from the places where your roof suddenly changes shape. In other words, the edges of dormers, gables, skylights, chimneys, roof valleys, seams, roof vents, protrusions, drains and the perimeter of the house. Most of those areas are protected by aluminum flashing, which may act as the only barrier in those areas.

We have years of experience, and are proficient in diagnosing the source of the problem and fixing it efficiently — as it occurs and before it grows.

REROOFING

Sometimes, if your roof has asphalt shingles, instead of replacing your roof, a roofing contractor can just overlay another layer of shingles on top of what’s already there. This saves money on things like removal of the old shingles, dumpster rental, and the cost of new underlayment. Putting in a second layer of shingles on top of the first layer doesn’t even void the manufacturer’s warranty. However:

• It depends on the condition of the existing shingles, as well as the wood decking itself, and whether or not it can support the extra weight.
• The most that can be put on, in optimal conditions, is a second layer. Shingles are heavy, and adding a third or fourth layer, combined with the foot or more of snow that collects on your roof in the winter, can cause more problems than you’re solving.

Roof Inspections

Prevention is the best defense. You don’t have to wait until things actually leak to call a roofer.

Periodic roof inspections can greatly prolong the life of your roof and prevent your having to pay for damage repair, which is alway smore expensive than inspections. Even if your roof isn’t showing signs of leaking, or is only showing those signs in one specific area, it is a good idea to inspect the entire roof, just in case.

The best times to inspect your roof are right after big changes in the weather:

• Spring: Right after the winter is a good time to look for issues the harsh weather may have caused.
• Fall: It’s a good idea to fix any damage from windy summer storms (and the debris that comes with it) as well as heat damage, in preparation for the winter.

We provide extremely thorough roofing inspections to identify and correct future problems in their early stages.

Some things we look for:

• Lifted shingles (due to winds)
• Lifted metal flashings
• Missing or broken shingles
• Cracked shingles (cracks can get bigger as weather worsens.)
• Bubbles and blisters on roof surface
• Lifted roof-ventilation systems
• Improperly-sealed roof vents
• Exposed nail fasteners
• Damage to roof by animals
• Soffit damage
• Hail damage
• Clogged, bent, or broken gutters
• Moss or algae appearing on roof
• Rust and deterioration on flashings
• Weather cracking on sealants and caulking
• Clogs and damage to gutters and downspouts
• Curling shingles
• Loss of granules on shingles
• Debris
• Clogged or damaged vents
• Heat damage to tiles cause by the sun or an inadequately-ventilated attic below
• Tearing of chimney flashing, as chimneys tend to settle at a different rate than the rest of the house

We also inspect, repair, and clean gutters. Gutters aid the flow of water from your roof to an area on the ground away from your home’s foundation, so a backed-up or damaged gutter is bad news for one or the other. Also, if the water can’t get down, it can freeze in the gutter itself, and the gutter fasteners may not be equipped to handle the weight.

We can even offer a regularly-scheduled program of inspection, which we can do either annually or semi-annually, so you don’t have “take care of the roof” constantly hanging over your head. We can also inspect your house before you buy it, so you know what you’re getting into.

Unlike you, your roof has zero protection against the elements. Shouldn’t you check on it once in a while to make sure it’s still okay?

Increasing Ventilation

We can also inspect your attic for adequate ventilation and take steps to fix it.

An inadequately-ventilated attic is not just an uncomfortable inconvenience when you need to go up there in the summer. In fact, proper attic ventilation is one of the most critical factors in keeping your roof alive, to the extent that poor ventilation can void the warranty of your roof altogether.

In the summer, the heat from insufficient ventilation can cause your shingles to soften, buckle, and curl.

In the winter, poor air circulation can cause some parts of the roof to be warmer than others, causing some of the snow to melt, flow to the other parts of the roof, and reform as ice, which in addition to being heavier, can create serious ice dams.

We can recommend and install the best attic ventilation system for your roof to help circulate and regulate the air:

• Attic fans
• Solar attic fans
• Power fans
• Ridge vents
• Gable vents
• Soffit vents
• Roof Cleaning Services

It’s important to keep a clean roof. Loose items on your roof can prevent water from flowing off, and pooling water is not good for the roofing surface.

We can clean your roof, valleys, flashing areas, gutters, leaders, and downspout elbows:

• 1. We remove all debris from the surface of the roof, including branches, nails, and dirt, as well as all debris that has gathered behind HVAC units and chimneys.
• 2. If your roof is starting to collect algae or mold, we get rid of it and install zinc control strips if necessary. Mold can weaken surfaces, and some molds are toxic and can cause health problems for you and your family.
• 3. We clean gutters and keep them free of debris. Debris in a gutter can cause water buildup on the roof, and water can overflow too close to your foundation. Keeping gutters clean will prevent leaks in the roof and flooding in the basement.

EMERGENCY REPAIRS AND ICE REMOVAL

No matter how much you take care of your roof, the unexpected can still happen. Roofs get more abuse from the elements than any other part of your home.

If your roof has been damaged by severe weather, snowfalls, pests, fallen trees, wind or hail, or in any case where immediate action is required, we can perform emergency repairs on short notice to prevent interior damage to your house.

We can also come by after a storm to perform emergency ice and snow removal and prevent disaster.

Maintaining a sound roof literally tops the list of crucial home repairs. Any sign of leakage or wear can be indicative of problems that you aren’t seeing. And these are not problems that go away if you stop thinking about them. But they do if you call us.

Segelman Shaw Roofing, Siding and Gutters has been the preferred licensed roofing contractor in Rockland ,Westchester County and Bergen County New Jersey for over 20 years. We understand the complexities of roof and gutter systems, and can quickly diagnose and correct your problem. We can stop small problems from getting bigger, and buy you time to set aside money for when your roof actually has to be replaced.

You can also visit our About Us page, where we’ve provided addresses and phone numbers of previous residential projects so you can see our handiwork. Contact us today for a free consultation, and we’ll go through all of your options, from the least expensive to the longest lasting.