Thank You for all of your Support

As we wind down the last couple of weeks of 2011, I wanted to express my appreciation for all of the support we have received this year.  It has been a very busy year.  Hundreds of Triangle residents and building owners trusted us to repair or replace their roofs and gutters.  We have exceeded nearly all of our expectations in 2011.

With that being said, what I feel is more important is whether we exceeded your expectations. I never want to lose sight of that goal.  I believe it is fundamental to our existence.

We at Allen and Deans want to thank all of you who have either considered us or actually contracted us.  We do not take that consideration or trust lightly.

Wishing all of Raleigh only the best this Holiday season.

Thanksgiving Blessings 2011

We hope everyone is enjoying Thanksgiving with their families and friends.  We at Allen and Deans are very thankful, as 2011 has been a very good year.

But much more importantly, I would also like to express my thanks, appreciation and gratitude for the men and women in our Armed Forces, past and present, who will not have the opportunity to share this Thanksgiving with their families and friends.  Because of their sacrifices, I have the opportunity to do what I do and live in the best country on the planet, in FREEDOM.

May God Bless and protect you all.

Chimney Cricket not Jiminy Cricket Installation

There are time when we receive calls at Allen and Deans about leaking chimneys.  In most instances the metal flashing has rusted or corroded allowing water to enter.  However, there are times when the chimney is positioned at the eave (bottom of the roof) and there is no cricket.  Rain water flowing down the roof hits the back of the chimney.  Over a long period of time, water will begin to infiltrate or penetrate in or around the metal flashing, which is the last line of defense for the chimney.  This is usually the case in older homes here in Raleigh.

Here is a photo of a brick chimney we worked on recently. Note how wide the chimney is.  It almost serves as a dam for water as the water runs directly into the back wall.

Add some pine straw or leaves behind the chimney and you can easily see how water and moisture can stay behind the chimney and not flow away to the sides and off the roof.

A cricket is nothing more than a wooden structure consisting of 2"x4" lumber for the base structure and 7/16" OSB for the angled platform.

The last photo is the cricket completed with "ice and water shield", new metal step and counter flashing and new, 3-tab, self-sealing shingles.

Now when it rains, the water is safely directed to either the right side or the left of the chimney falling harmlessly into the gutters below.

Roof Damage from Storm

From time to time, we encounter roof repairs in Raleigh from storms.  In this case, we were asked to repair a pavillion or shelter roof damaged from the tornado earlier this year.  Here you can see what we were faced with.  As you can see there was damage to the decking (sheathing), fascia board on both the eaves and rakes, trim, drip edge and the shingles.

Here is a picture of the roof repair upon completion. It features a GAF Royal Sovereign, Autumn Brown shingle.

Bradford Creek Golf Course

We recently had the opportunity to work with The Parks and Recreation Department of The City of Greenville..  The clubhouse roof at Bradford Creek Golf Course was severely damaged as a result of Hurricane Irene, earlier this summer.

The project featured a CertainTeed LandMark 30 architectural shingle.

Here is a photo prior to the start of the project.

Here are some photos after the roof was installed.

Roof Deck (Sheathing) Overlays

Due to the tornado we experienced in Raleigh earlier this year, Allen and Deans has had the opportunity to repair or replace many older roofs. In several cases, the roofs on these homes were over 40 years old.

When inspecting and measuring these roofs I could not help but notice numerous "soft" spots, especially between the rafters. In some extreme instances, you could hear the plywood sheathing starting to crack from the weight of my step.

Upon further inspection we discovered the following:
1) The plywood sheathing was only 3/8" thick instead of 1/2"
2) The rafters were 24" OC instead of 16" OC
3) There was no roof-top ventilation only gable-end vents

It has been demonstrated due to excessive heat build-up in the attic, combined with thin plywood sheathing and 24" OC rafters and time, plywood begins to show signs of stress and fatigue.

We discussed options with our client. It was decided to install a 7/16" OSB (Orient Strand Board) directly over the existing sheathing.

By directly nailing over the existing sheathing, there was no cost for labor to remove the original sheathing, nor was there any additional dump or landfill fees.

The roof structure is very secure and solid. It is now ready to accept new shingles in order to successfully complete the roof project.

Here is a post about our recent solar power roof ventilator (fan) installation. www.raleighroofcontractor.blogspot.com