Welcome to our how to roofing blog post archives, where you will find any how-to articles that walk you through the process of doing various tasks related to roofing that you may end up taking on yourself.
We’ve discovered through years of speaking with homeowners and we also understand from being homeowners ourselves, that sometimes you just feel like putting on your work clothes and learning how to work on your own property yourself.
So, in this category our aim is to make you a pro at it, so that if you tackle any tasks related to roofing, you will be able to do it professionally, and without any snags in the process sort problems down the road!
Here are a few of our most helpful how-to roofing info articles that you may be interested in as a homeowner:
How to Install Attic Roof Insulation
How to Prepare Your Home for.a Tornado
We hope that you find our how-to articles to be helpful and enlightening. More importantly, we hope that the information that we share actually helps you get the job done easily and correctly on your own. If you should happen to run into any problems, or you think of any how-to articles that you would like to see published on our blog that we haven’t covered already, or you need our help or expert opinion for anything related to repairing, installing, or replacing materials on the exterior of your home, please don’t hesitate to call us during norrmal business hours at (651)703-2336 or fill out our contact form here to speak with us about your project. We have friendly experts in house and operators on standby to take your call, and our advise is always free!
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Identifying hail damage is critical for maintaining a standing seam metal roof. Standing seam hail damage usually shows up as fresh dents in the flat pans, bruised ridges near the seams, chipped coating that exposes bare metal, and bent edge metal or flashing. The quickest way to confirm it is to compare impact marks across…
A hail test square is a measured 10×10 ft square (100 square feet) section of roof used as a sample area to assess hail damage after a hailstorm. Inspectors mark the square, examine it closely, then count only the hail impacts that cause functional damage (dents, fractures, punctures, or bruising that shortens roof life). Those…
Short answer: Look for fresh granule loss, sharp chips, and small cracks right at the shingle’s outer edges and corners. Hail hits often leave random, uneven marks, not a uniform “worn” look. Check for bruising (a soft spot) under the granules, and compare several areas on different slopes. If multiple corners show fractures, the roof…
Short Answer: To find a commercial flat roof leak at an expansion joint, start by mapping where water shows up inside and when it happens. Then inspect the joint cover, roof flashing, and roof membrane terminations for splits, loose edges, or failed sealant. If it’s still unclear, use controlled testing (low-pressure water, infrared, or electronic…
Look for fresh, sharp-edged impact marks along the roof’s highest line. On asphalt shingle ridge caps, that often means round granule-loss spots from impact damage, “bruises” that feel soft when pressed, or cracked corners. On metal ridge caps, watch for dents, scuffed coating, and loosened fasteners. Compare both sides of the ridge, because hail usually…
Short answer: Identify synthetic slate hail damage by looking for fresh impact marks that don’t match normal aging: chipped edges and broken corners on slate shingles, star-like cracks, surface bruising (dull, scuffed “pock” spots). Then confirm the pattern makes sense for hail (random, wind-driven, on exposed slopes) and document it with clear photos and counts…
Short answer: On algae-streaked asphalt shingles, hail damage usually shows up as crisp, round spots of granule loss, small cracks, or “bruises” that feel soft when you press them. Algae staining looks like a surface smear or streak, not distinct impact marks. Confirm hail by checking matching dents on metal roof parts, then photograph patterns…
A TPO wall flashing leak, a common roof leak on a flat roof, is usually found by tracing water from the interior stain back to the nearest wall, then inspecting the roof to wall flashing where the TPO membrane turns up the wall. Focus on terminations (termination bars, counterflashing, reglets), corner patches, fasteners, and sealant…
Short answer: Detect an HVAC curb flashing leak by inspecting the curb’s corners, seams, and termination points, then confirming moisture paths with interior checks. Look for cracked roofing sealant, open welds, lifted membrane, rusted fasteners, and ponding that pushes water against the curb. If signs are mixed, use targeted moisture mapping or a controlled water…
A TPO roof leak at HVAC curb corners is found by narrowing the leak path from the interior, then inspecting every curb corner detail on the TPO membrane: welds, flashing, termination, fasteners, and sealant transitions. Finally, confirm the exact breach with controlled water testing or professional methods like infrared or electronic leak detection, because water…
Cedar shake hail damage usually shows up as fresh splits, broken corners, crushed wood fibers (bruising), and shaken-loose pieces that expose roofing underlayment or fasteners. Start by confirming a recent hail event using “collateral” clues like dented gutters and marked flashing, then inspect the wood shake shingles for random, storm-pattern impacts. Photograph everything and get…
Water stains on ceilings help you narrow the search, but they rarely mark the exact roof leak. Start by confirming the stain is active, then check what sits directly above it (roof deck, drains, HVAC curbs, or plumbing). Next, trace the most likely uphill water path on the roof to find the leaky roof, focusing…
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