A Guide To Roofing Materials

In The Aftermath Of Hurricane Sandy, Many Homeowners Need To Replace Or Upgrade Their Roofing. As The Summer Is Almost Here, This Is The Season For Roofing Contractors To Ply Their Trade. Whether You Are Upgrading Because Of This Devastating Hurricane Or Simply Want To Replace Your Roof, This Guide Should Help You Understand  The Difference Between The Various Roofing Materials. In This Chart, "Cost" Refers To The Relative Cost Of Materials Only ; It Does Not Include Labor Costs. Bear In Mind That The Labor Costs For Certain Types Of Roofing Installations - Like Slate, Tile, Wood Shingles And Shakes - Will Be Significantly Higher Than Today's Standard Roofing Materials Like Asphalt Shingles Simply Because Of The Special Skills And Tools Involved To Insure A Proper Installation. "The Minimum Slope" Is The Slope At which A Particular Roofing  Material  Begins To Provide Adequate Protection Against Water, But As The Slope Increases Other factors Such As Appearance And Durability Come Into Play. "Durability" Is The Manufacturer's Determination Of How Long A Roof Will Last With Proper Maintenance And It's Relation To Generally Temperate Climates.

                                             COMPARISON GUIDE

1. Asphalt Shingles
Cost : Inexpensive
Durability : 12 - 25 Years
Minimum Slope : 2 in 12
Advantages : Easy Installation ; Available In A Variety Of Colors ;  Easy To Repair ; Requires Little Maintenance.
Disadvantages : Poor Fire Resistance ; Subject To Algae And Molding In Damp Climates ; Crinkles And Curls From Excessive Sunlight Over Time.

2. Roll Roofing
Cost : Inexpensive
Durability : 10 - 15 Years
Minimum Slope : 1 in 12
Advantages : Easy Installation And Maintenance
Disadvantages : Poor Fire Resistance ; Drab Appearance

3. Wood Shingles/Shakes
Cost : Moderate To Expensive
Durability : 15 - 30 Years (Shingles) 25 - 75 Years (Shakes)
Minimum Slope : 3 in 12 ( Steeper In Humid Climates )
Advantages : Attractive Rustic Appearance ; Natural Insulator
Disadvantages : Highly Flammable Unless Specially Treated ; Shingles Must Be Installed Over Open Planks

4. Slate
Cost : Expensive
Durability : 50 - 100 Years
Minimum Slope : 4 in 12
Advantages : Attractive Traditional Appearance ; Fire Resistant
Disadvantages : Heavy ; Brittle ; Requires Sturdy Roof Support ; Long And Delicate Installation Requires Special Tools ; Needs Regular Replacement  Of Damaged Pieces ; Difficult To Repair

5. Ceramic Tiles
Cost : Expensive
Durability : 50 - 100 Years
Minimum Slope : 4 in 12
Advantages : Attractive Traditional Appearance : Fire Resistant
Disadvantages : Heavy ; Brittle ; Requires Sturdy Roof Support ; Time-Consuming Installation ; Requires Special Tools ; Availability Of Certain Styles Unreliable ; Difficult To Repair

6. Metal Panels
Cost : Moderate
Durability : 25 - 50 Years
Minimum Slope : 2 in 12
Advantages : Easy Installation And Patching ; Can Be Painted ; Fire Resistant
Disadvantages : Subject To Wind Damage, Falling Trees, Extreme Contact

Use This Handy Guide When You Are Deciding To Re-roof, Knowing The Pros And Cons Will Give You the Edge When Selecting  The Type Of Roof You Want To Install. Remember, Your Roof Is One Of The Most Important Components Of The Structural Framework Of Your House, And Having The Right Materials, Proper Installation, And Reputable Contractor Will Ensure The Life Of Your Roof For Many Years To Come !

Asphalt Shingles

A Soldier's Story.....

As A Contractor, I Am Able To Meet People From Different Walks Of Life, From Different Ethnic Backgrounds And Cultures, And Some People Often Stand Out Among The Thousands Of Clients You Meet Over The Years. They Share Stories With You About Their Life Experiences, And Trust Becomes A Bond That You Share With So Many Different People. I Remember One GentleMan In Particular Back In 2008, He Was One Of My First Customers As A licensed Contractor And His Name Was Mr. Williams.  Mr. Williams Was A Retired Soldier Who Lived In Rosedale, A Vietnam Veteran And Army Sergeant Whose Daughter Called Me To Make Their Bathroom Handicap Accessible. He Was A Nice Man With A Sturdy Build For His Age, Very Friendly And Jovial And Always Greeted Me With A Smile And Handshake When I Showed Up For Work. Unfortunately, He Also Suffered From Post-Traumatic Stress And He Was Confined To A Wheelchair From Injuries He Received During The War. He Often Shared Stories With Me About His War Experiences In Vietnam, As He Told Me The Stories His Eyes Would Widen And He Would Gesture With His Arms, As If He Was Actually Reliving Them. And There Is One Story He Told Me I Would Never Forget :

He Was Drafted In 1971 When He Was 22 Years Old, After Boot Camp He Was Assigned To A Combat Unit Near Saigon, One Of His Duties Was To Engage In FireFights With The Vietcong. One Night, About 3  Months After He Arrived In Vietnam, His Unit Was Patrolling Near A Village Looking For Vietcong Fighters. It Was A Dark, Moonless Night, And You Could Not See Your Hand In Front Of Your Face.  Mr. Williams Told Me You Could Actually Smell The Fear In The Air, Not Knowing Exactly Where You Are, Not Knowing If You Are Going To Walk Into Boobytraps. Suddenly, There Was A Loud Explosion, As One Of His Fellow Soldiers Had Triggered A Tripwire, And You Could Actually See The Soldier's Body Being Blown Apart In The Darkness. They Were Ambushed By Guerrillas Who Surrounded Them, And Opened Heavy Weapons Fire On His Unit, Killing Some Of The Soldiers In The Fight. In The Darkness, He Told Me, Is One Of The Worst Conditions For Combat Because You Cannot See Who You Are Fighting. Finally, About 8 Members Of His Unit Was Captured, Along With Himself, And Made To Lie Face Down In A Rice Paddy With Their Hands Bound With Wire Behind Their Backs. They Heard Talking In Vietnamese, And All Of A Sudden They Saw A Lantern And The Sound Of A Gunshot. Then Again. He Looked Up, And Realized That The Vietcong Soldiers Were Executing The Surviving Members Of His Unit.

His Friend Next To Him, Named Tim, Was A Caucasian Guy From New Jersey About 19 Years Old. He Started Crying, And Mr. Williams Thought To Himself That This Was The Night He Was Going To Die. He Thought Of His GirlFriend, His Family, His Little Daughter, And He Would Never See Them Again..... The Vietcong Were Making Their Way Towards Him, Shooting The Soldiers In The Back Of The Head. With Each Gunshot Mr. WIlliams Heart Beat Faster, And He Began To Pray. When They Reached Tim, They Grabbed Him By The Hair And Put The Lantern To His Face. His Last Words Were "No, God, Please ! "As They Shot Him In The Back Of The Head, His Blood And Brains Splattering Everywhere.  Mr. Williams Knew He Was Next, They Grabbed Him By The Hair And Shoved The Light In His Face. They Said Some Words To Each Other In Vietnamese, And Then One Of Them Said To Mr. Williams, " Black Man, Go Home. This Not Your War." They Cut The Wire Loose, And Made Him Run Through The Rice Paddy, Firing Shots In The Air....Only 3 Guys From Mr. William's Unit Made It Through That Night, And He Told Me It Was The Most Terrifying Experience He Has Ever Had. Then He Smiled, And Leaned Toward Me And Said," That Was The Only Time, That Being Black Has Actually Saved My Life ! " And We Laughed.........

I Have Recently Learned That Mr. Williams Passed Away In March, 2013 At The Ripe Old Age Of 64... I Could Not Help But To Feel Sorrow For Him, No Human Being Should Have To Endure The Horrible Experience Of War...He Sacrificed His Youth, His Physical And Emotional Well Being, To Fight For His Country As Well As Many Other Brave Soldiers Who Gave Their Lives For Our Nation, From The Revolutionary War To The Wars In Iraq And Afghanistan.... Mr. Williams, This Is For You !

How To Repair Tile Grout

Everyone Loves The Look Of Ceramic Tiles In Their Home. It's Beauty, Durability And Variety Of Colors Have Made It A Favorite Among Homeowners And Contractors Alike. But For All Of It's Appeal, A Tiled Surface Does Has It's Weak Points -- The Grout Lines. Whether It's Walls Or Floors, Grout Can Chip Or Crack For Any Number Of Reasons, The Floor Or Wall Supporting The Tile May Flex Or Shift, Mildew, Temperature Changes In A Bathroom, Dropped Objects, Or Just A Bad Installation, Can Cause Your Grout Lines To Become Dirty, Cracked Or Missing. Grout Helps To Protect The Surfaces Under The Tile -- Plywood, Backer Board, Drywall -- From Moisture And Water, So The Regular Maintenance And Upkeep Of Your Grout Lines Is Essential To Protecting The Integrity Of The Tile Installation.

Tools And Materials.  There Are A Few Tools You will Need To Help Remove And Replace The Grout. You Will Generally Need : A Grout Saw, Grout Float, Grout Sponge, A Small Bucket, Rubber Gloves For Tile, Liquid Latex Additive, Tubes Of Caulk, Square Or Point Trowel, Paint Brush, And Caulking Gun.

Remove The Damaged Or Loose Grout From Between The Tiles, Preferably The Full Depth Of The Tile, Using A Grout Saw Or Similar Tool. Then Sweep The Crack Clean Using A Paint Brush Or Dry-Vac. If Possible, Use Any Left Over Grout From The Original Installation, Otherwise You Can Get Samples Or Brochures From A Tile Store Or Home Center To Match The Grout As Closely As Possible. Mix A Sample Batch And Let It Dry For Three Days To See How The Color Compares To The Existing Grout.

Porcelain Floor Tile Installation

Mix The Powdered Grout With The Latex Additive Using the Trowel To Make The Grout Stronger And More Flexible. Allow To "Slake" For About 5 - 10 Minutes, Remix And Apply To The Grout Lines Using A Grout Float. As The Grout Begins To Set, Usually In About 10 - 20 Minutes, Use The Grout Sponge To Wipe The Joint Cleanly Using Warm Water. Be Careful Not To Pull Or Dig Out The New Grout. Clean The Surrounding Tiles With The Sponge, And Wipe Clean With A Terry Or Cheese Cloth.

If You Are Replacing The Grout Near The Threshold Of A Door, Use Silicone Caulking That Generally Matches The Grout Color Instead Of  Re-grouting It. Caulk Can Absorb The Impact Of A Slamming Door Better Than Grout Will. Finally Protect And Seal All The Grout Lines With A Grout Sealer. Latex Sealers Usually Can Be Applied In 24 hrs, However, Wait Approximately 2 to 3 weeks If You Plan To Use A Silicone Based Sealer. Have A Great Day, And God Bless ! ^_^