We are pleased to shine the New Year’s spotlight on newsletter advertiser Real Estate Roofing, a full-service roofing company providing professional evaluation and analysis of properties at no charge (see ad on this page). Owner Mike Gardner has lived in the area for 60 years, enjoys working and living here, and loves his pets! In fact, when asked for a photograph of himself to accompany this article, Mike opted for a snapshot of his three dogs, noting, “These are our dogs who come to work with my wife and me every day. We actually have two resident cats as well; however, it was tough to get them in the picture with the dogs.”
We asked Mike what local residents should keep in mind during the winter months, and he shared the following tips:
- Moss, debris, and overflowing gutters can cause leaks, flooding, and frustration. Be proactive and have inspections done now, before there is an emergency. Even just a visual inspection can help to see if anything looks out of place; missing shingles, roof debris, overhanging tree limbs can all pose potential problems in the winter. Ongoing preventative maintenance will save you time and money and increase your roof life.
- Emergency repairs are just that: an urgent call for service. As you might imagine, you won’t be the only one calling, and even if it’s a vendor you consistently use, it may be some time before they’re able to come out.
- As winter approaches, we tend to button everything down by closing the windows to stay snuggled in. There is a more significant threat of mold growth due to the lack of airflow and ventilation. While roof leaks can indeed lead to mold growth in the attic, a lot of mold is caused by improper venting and high humidity.
- Since mold can grow in 24 to 48 hours, it is essential to inspect your property at this time of year for proper ventilation. Bathroom fans are one of the leading causes of mold, because quite often they are not hooked up properly and are blowing hot, moist air into the attic and not venting directly outside.
- If anyone has had water leaks repaired (roofing or plumbing) over the summer, it is an excellent time to fix any resulting water damage to the interior plaster. For the exterior, if they have noticed areas where water has started to infiltrate the stucco, such as around windows or doors, it is good to fix them as soon as possible, because freezing temps make the problem grow. Get it while it’s still small.
Thanks for the helpful tips, Mike. Great to have you aboard as an advertiser!