Today’s blog post takes us to Dobbs Ferry, New York. The town is named for a ferry service that was used to transport residents across the Hudson River during the 19th century.
Our client’s home is situated in a beautiful neighborhood with tree-lined streets. They contacted us for a roof replacement, a skylight replacement, and some other issues, including a possible chimney leak.
Upon further investigation, it was discovered that there was a pretty bad leak around the chimney that was dripping into the interior (bathroom). The clients had noticed a stain on the wall, and it was the leaking chimney that was the cause.
Here’s some news you can use regarding issues with your chimney. You may hear water dripping, you may actually see standing water somewhere, or you may see a stain on the wall or ceiling near the chimney. These can be signs of a leak.
GAF Asphalt Shingle Replacement
Dobbs Ferry, NY
However, just because you don’t see or hear anything doesn’t mean you don’t have a problem. In fact, most problems with a chimney will not immediately make themselves known.
The best way to prevent water damage from your chimney is by scheduling regular maintenance. Yearly home inspections and periodic chimney sweeps can lead to early discovery of any minor leak issues. As such, these can be addressed and repaired before you have big issues with leaks.
There are couple of reasons why chimneys leak. Oftentimes we will have clients call us bewildered about what happened. One day the chimney was in perfect condition, and the next day there was an obvious leak.
Although chimneys are made from the some of the toughest materials on the planet, over time they are no match for Mother Nature. Constant exposure to weather elements like wind and moisture (rain and snow) and temperature changes lead to damage.
A damaged chimney leads to leaks, which ultimately can lead to water damage in your home.
For our client in Dobbs Ferry, the problem stemmed from damage to flashing. Flashing is any material, usually metal, used for weatherproofing key areas of a structure. In this case, around the chimney.
GAF Asphalt Shingle Replacement
Dobbs Ferry, NY
The flashing was weak and allowing water to seep through the gaps. That allowed the water to sit and damage the roof. More water was slowly dripping into the house, leading to internal damage.
Fortunately, the best time to install new chimney flashing is when you are putting on a new roof, which is what we were already doing. While replacing the roof, we were also able to easily replace the skylight that was sitting in a rotted-out frame. Rot is bad news.
As we’ve mentioned before, the best time to replace a skylight is when you are already replacing your roof. This allows for a smooth application without having to rip up existing shingles before their time.
The client also wanted to add solar vents to the attic. Since we were lifting the plywood decking anyway, it was the perfect time to add these. If you’re not familiar with them, solar vents help regulate the temperature in your attic by expelling the hot air. They are powered by sunlight.
For the roof, we used our favorites for cost and durability, among other things: GAF asphalt shingles, the most-chosen asphalt shingles across the country.
GAF Asphalt Shingle Replacement
Dobbs Ferry, NY
But the interesting part was the client had a hard time deciding on what color would be best. The shingle companies we work with offer a multitude of color options … there’s truly something for everyone. And that’s something to keep in mind if you don’t see something in standard roof colors that you like right away.
The client had a vision on what it should be, and we were able to deliver it with a custom color shingle: Golden Harvest.
This was a great call. The pictures show how gorgeous the Golden Harvest shingles custom color is. If you drove by the house before the work and then after, you would hardly recognize it. That’s how much of difference a new roof can make.
GAF Asphalt Shingle Replacement
Dobbs Ferry, NY
Something worth noting again is that we’re family-owned roof company. We realize how important family time is. During our consultation with this client, he asked if we could end our workdays early and not work over a weekend. That would allow his family to live normally during the roof renovation.
We did that one better, increasing the size of the team to work more quickly and with efficiency on those days. The roof shingle replacement job was completed in three days.
The client really appreciated this, even saying we were the first company that he worked with that made their family needs feel like a priority.
We’re always happy to work around a client’s schedule, and certainly love receiving feedback like this!
Whether it’s new roofing in Dobbs Ferry, New York, or helping to decide the best time to install a roof, or even some other home renovation advice, let us help you.
City: Dobbs Ferry
State: NY
ZIP: 10522
Category: Roofing
Materials used (manufacturer): GAF
Materials used (type): Asphalt
Materials used (color): Golden Harvest
Project Cost: $15,000
Time to Complete: Three days