Summer is the ideal time to replace your roof, beating the fall rain and snow
By Mitch Allen
The long days of summer are the ideal time to replace your roof. The extra daylight hours mean workers can start early and stay late, and no one has to worry about spring rains and autumn snow falls interrupting progress.
How do you know if you need a new roof? The signs include damaged shingles, missing shingles and evidence of water leaking into your home. If you see these indications, don’t wait too long because fall is right around the corner. And because so many homeowners are staying at home this summer and shifting resources to home improvement projects, it’s been a busy season for Roofsmith Restoration founder Mike Farist and his team.
“If a roof is damaged, a little rain or melting snow may be all you need to finally see a leak,” Mike says. “That’s why it’s important to have your roof repaired or a new roof installed as soon as possible. It’s been a relatively dry summer, so we’ve been able to stay on schedule even with all of the extra work associated with the spring hail storms and Covid-19. Now is the perfect time to start the process.”
If you’re worried about your new roof being expensive, don’t be. It may be covered by your insurance company.
Fighting For You
If you do have damage, the folks at Roofsmith are absolute bulldogs when it comes to getting your new roof covered by your insurance company. Daily, they are on the phone arguing with insurance adjusters or at the post office mailing another damaged shingle to another industry laboratory.
“They’re going to deny you,” Mike says. “Or they’re going to offer you $300 to replace a few shingles that don’t match the rest of your roof. It’s unconscionable. That won’t even cover your deductible.”
Mike and his team are also Haag-certified inspectors, which means they know precisely how wind, rain, hail and sunlight affect shingles—and insurance companies trust their judgement.
Northeast Ohio’s Best Roofer
According to the independent research firm GuildQuality, which has surveyed virtually every Roofsmith customer over the past seven years, Mike’s company has a 94% referral rate—the best in the country. But let’s put that in perspective. In an industry where Roofing Magazine says 62% of homeowners would NOT recommend their roofer, 94% of Mike’s customers would.
In addition, Roofsmith is a regular Angie’s List Super Service Award winner, including in 2016 through 2019, maintains an A+ BBB rating, and has twice been named Northeast Ohio’s Best Roofer. Plus, the company is an Owens Corning Roofing Platinum Preferred Contractor, which means they can offer their customers an enviable lifetime warranty.
And because Roofsmith employees are salaried project managers instead of commissioned salespeople, you won’t feel pressure to “sign today.”
Roofsmith attracts top-quality employees precisely because of its founder’s work ethic. Mike pays his employees well, trains them relentlessly, and maintains a culture of growth and respect.
Continuous Improvement
Mike and his team regularly attend the International Roofing Expo to stay current on industry trends, and last year he joined an elite national contractors network, spending two weeks in Baltimore to learn how to implement best practices. For example, instead of their job estimates reading “replace roof,” Mike’s customers receive a multi-page, detailed quote explaining exactly what his company is going to do.
“There should never be any surprises,” Mike says. “Like every business, roofing is all about the customer experience.”
Quality Materials
Mike is also meticulous about the materials he uses.
“Every other roofer I know uses a tar paper underlayment which you can tear with your pinky,” he explains. “We use a synthetic underlayment that you cannot tear with a pair of pliers.”
And don’t get him started on nails.
“We use hot-dipped, ring-shank nails which have double the holding power of smooth-shank nails and will never rust. Nobody else does that. We do.”
And you’ll also find Mike and his team going where most other roofers wouldn’t dare.
In your attic.
“A properly insulated and ventilated attic is important to the life of your roof,” he explains. “But it’s also important to the health of your family. All this matters when your air quality is good and your attic is dry. I can’t tell you how many rusty roofing nails I’ve seen on the inside of damp attics.”
Roofsmith also installs seamless aluminum gutters custom-made on-site. And Mike says his leaf protection system comes in at $8 a foot—not the $13-$22 other systems charge.
Roofsmith Restoration serves all of Northeast Ohio. For a free estimate or roof inspection, visit Roof-Smith.com and complete an easy online estimate form or call 330-822-4245.