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Blog

Dimensional Shingles and the Benefits They Offer To Homeowners

July 20, 2017 by Over the Top Roof

In recent years, residential roofs have received an upgrade in the form of dimensional shingles. A new twist on the traditional, 3-tab asphalt shingle, dimensional shingles (also known as architectural or laminated shingles) have been growing in popularity for a number of years. As more stylish, eye-catching options come to market, they bring with them a bit of confusion as to what an architectural shingle truly is. Over The Top Roofing, as your roofing expert in Milwaukee and Menomonee Falls, is here to clear up the confusion and give you the information you need to make the right choice for your roofing project.

Regular (3-tab) asphalt shingles have three regularly spaced asphalt tabs, which gives the finished roof a very repetitive, consistent pattern. In contrast, dimensional shingles have two layers of shingle material bonded together, giving them a three-dimensional appearance, and imparting a more random, natural look to the finished roof.

While dimensional shingles have a number of benefits compared to 3-tab shingles, they were created primarily for appearance. They were originally developed in the 1970s in response to luxury homeowners seeking a roofing material that looked like cedar shingles but performed like asphalt. Many manufacturers have extended the dimensional shingle concept much further to create countless styles, ranging from victorian or old world, to rugged and dramatic. A variety of marketing terms are used throughout the roofing industry to depict designer shingle collections, such as Designer, Architectural, High-Definition (HD), Premium and more. It’s not uncommon to find other descriptive words that relate to other roofing materials, as manufacturers have tried to modify shingles in a way that simulates the appearance of other, more expensive roof types, including slate, shake & tile.

On average, dimensional shingles run around $3-5 per square foot installed or about 20% more than 3-tab shingles. Designer shingles average $4-$6 per square foot installed. Like most other roofing products, you’ll find a wide range in lifespan and warranties, and therefore cost, but they usually start at 25-30 years, and 40-50 years isn’t unusual with higher end products. Moreover, dimensional shingles are generally more robust compared to 3-tab shingles.

Because of the double bonded layer, dimensional shingles actually offer more protection from wind and hail — with the heaviest grades able to withstand 130 mph winds. Dimensional shingles also offer a longer lifespan, as long as 40 to 50 years. Their decidedly more attractive appearance offers more uniqueness to homeowners who desire something different for their home. Many neighborhood associations even go so far as requiring dimensional shingles due to their high-end look.

Have complete confidence in Over the Top Roofing as your roofing contractor!

In need of a new roof your home? We’re ready to give you a FREE consultation and estimate today. Call us at 414-531-ROOF, or visit our website to Contact Us today!

Filed Under: Roofing

Expert Attic Insulation Services

July 7, 2017 by Over the Top Roof

There are many pieces of the puzzle that must be in place to keep your home comfortable, your roof looking great and operating properly, and your energy footprint low. At the top of the list is attic insulation. In winter, heat escape can increase your costs and waste energy, not to mention melt snow and ice, forming damaging ice dams and other problems. In summer, attic insulation keeps your air conditioned air in your house and increases the efficiency and heat regulation properties of your attic. If you need attic insulation in Menomonee Falls and greater Milwaukee, look no further than Over the Top Roofing & Construction.

Since 2008, we’ve been providing superior services at competitive prices to homeowners all over the Menomonee Falls and Milwaukee areas. We’ll optimize your home’s energy efficiency and protect it from weather-related damage, with insulation.

At Over the Top Roofing and Construction, we understand that to do the best work, you need to use the best products.  That’s why we use the Atticat® Expanding Blown-In System from Owens Corning®. The AttiCat® Insulation Blowing Machine conditions the AttiCat® Expanding Blown-In PINK Fiberglas™ Insulation by breaking it up and fluffing it, adding millions of the tiny air pockets that give the material its insulating power. The insulation is conditioned further throughout the length of the hose, and as it bounces its way up to your attic, more and more air pockets are added, increasing its insulating power even more. And since Fiberglas™ insulation will not settle, it will keep its energy-saving R-value over time.

This system not only does an outstanding job at insulating your attic, it creates much less mess when compared to other insulating methods. The insulation releases and expands completely inside the machine, keeping your home clean and dust free. Our experts have years of experience with this system, and we are able to quickly add the insulation in the most effective way possible, and leave almost no trace behind, except for a fully insulated attic.

Over the Top provides full roof service, and this includes protecting your roof by properly insulating your attic. Trust us as your attic insulation partner and we’ll use our experience, skill, and top quality products to get your attic insulated today!

Have complete confidence in Over the Top Roofing as your attic insulation contractor!

In need of attic insulation your home? We’re ready to give you a FREE consultation and estimate today. Call us at 414-531-ROOF, or visit our website to Contact Us today!

 

Filed Under: Insulation

Chimney Repair: Best Left to the Pros

June 22, 2017 by Over the Top Roof

While many Americans achieve the American Dream of homeownership, few are prepared for the frequent repairs and projects that go along with it. With the easy spread of information possible with modern technology, more and more homeowners are choosing the DIY method for many household projects. While DIY is a great way to learn a new skill and gain a sense of personal accomplishment, there are many repair tasks that require years of practice and trial-and-error to achieve the necessary level of competency and safety. At the top of the list – and the top of your home – is chimney repair, a task which is best left to the experts – like the chimney repair experts at Over The Top Roofing, your best bet for chimney repair in the Milwaukee and Menomonee Falls areas.

Chimney repair work is especially susceptible to the problem of DIY overconfidence. Countless articles exist online about repointing brickwork, filling splits or cracks, or even replacing spalled brick. As chimneys are often in need of some work, many look to these articles when contemplating how to fix their masonry chimneys. While these might seem like helpful resources, in the long run, they can cost you more in time and money than contracting with the masonry experts at Over The Top Roofing.

Mortar is of utmost importance in chimney repair and masonry work, and many DIY articles online don’t emphasize this importance to the extent that it deserves. Mortar that is too soft, or too hard, can result in damage to the brick and can compromise the structural integrity of the chimney, leading to a dangerous condition.

If the mortar is mixed so that it is stronger than the surrounding brick, temperature changes actually cause the mortar to squeeze, and thus damage, the brick. This causes the bricks to spall. Spalled bricks cannot be repaired, and must be replaced before further damage accrues. If incorrect mortar mixture is the cause of the spalling, the mortar must also be replaced to prevent further damage.

Mortar that is too soft, on the other hand, quickly deteriorates and requires premature replacement or repair. If it deteriorates faster than surrounding mortar, this can create instability in the masonry, and if left unchecked can even cause collapse.

It’s important to seek an expert for your chimney project, not only because the work itself requires years of experience, but because of the danger inherent in working on a roof. Our team of roofing and masonry experts has seen and done it all when it comes to chimney repair. We’re available to get your job done right and avoid the dangerous and costly mistakes that can occur due to DIY overconfidence.

Have complete confidence in Over the Top Roofing as your chimney repair contractor!

In need of chimney repair on your home? We’re ready to give you a FREE consultation and estimate today. Call us at 414-531-ROOF, or visit our website to Contact Us today!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

3 Common Attic Problems that can Harm your Roof and your Pocketbook

June 9, 2017 by Over the Top Roof

Your home’s roof is in disrepair, with buckled, cracked shingles and numerous water leaks. The solution: replace the roof and call it a day, right? Wrong. Many times, there are problems in your attic that need to be addressed as well. If you leave those problems as is, you may not get as many years out of your new roof as you expect. This becomes an even larger problem in the winter when escaping heat melts the snow on your roof and creates ice dams, hazardous icicles and other problems which compromise the structure of your home and severely harm your roofing materials. Over The Top Roofing is your roofing and attic insulation expert in Milwaukee and Menomonee Falls, and we would like to share some information with you about 3 common attic problems and how to solve them.

Problem #1: Inadequate Air Sealing

In our climate, where we experience all extremes that Mother Nature can dish out, sealing gaps in your attic is of critical importance. In the winter, warm air inside the home will be pulled towards the cooler air outside, resulting in lost efficiency and increased costs as the heating system compensates for continuous heat loss through the attic. In the summer, air leaks let warm, humid air into the attic, leading to moisture problems, damaging insulation and increasing cooling costs.

Over The Top’s experts are skilled in sealing up attic spaces. We’ll eliminate the tiny gaps around windows, chimney flashing, and other utility components, and ensure that air leakage is stopped while allowing for normal, healthy airflow.

Problem #2: Inadequate or Poorly-Installed Insulation

Well-insulated attics are energy efficient and promote comfort throughout the home. Uninsulated walls or ceilings let heat and moisture move through building materials, resulting in heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer and reducing your comfort. This inefficiency is compounded by the increased costs of requiring heating and cooling equipment to run longer to maintain temperature.

If the attic space is uninsulated or under-insulated, or if the insulation that’s in place is old, compacted, or extremely dirty, your attic is probably not sufficiently energy efficient. Over The Top offers expert insulation services for your home, bringing true efficiency to your attic space.

Problem #3: Inadequate Venting

While inadequate air sealing must be addressed to prevent unwanted air infiltration, your attic still needs to “breath” properly, and controlled airflow is a requirement to prevent excess moisture buildup and problems like ice dams, which can damage your roofing materials and result in serious problems like mold and mildew.

Attic venting requirements vary from home to home, and it requires skill and experience to properly vent an attic for our unique climate. The experts at Over The Top Roofing deliver exceptional skill in terms of attic venting, ensuring that your roofing job is ready for decades of service, and that your attic efficiency is maximized.

Have complete confidence in Over the Top Roofing as your roofing contractor!

Interested in a new roof, attic insulation or sealing, or attic venting for your home? We’re ready to give you a FREE consultation and estimate today. Call us at 414-531-ROOF, or visit our website to Contact Us today!

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

How to Choose a Roofing Contractor

May 25, 2017 by Over the Top Roof

When it’s time for your roof to be replaced, you may feel overwhelmed with the amount of roofing contractors available to take the job. How do you know who is honest and who is going to give you the runaround? Should you go with one of the major companies, or look for a smaller group that can deliver more personal service? Where should you look? Over the Top Roofing has decades of experience in the roofing industry, and we know that homeowners are faced with these questions and more when it comes to roofing contractor choices. While we believe that we are the best roofing choice in the in the Milwaukee and Menomonee Falls area, we can back it up with some factual advice that you can use when choosing your contractor.

Make sure you’re dealing with a reputable contractor.

Your choice of contractor should depend heavily on their reputation. First of all, only deal with bonded and insured contractors. If a contractor lacks license bonding and insurance, it’s a good indication that either their credit is bad, or there are issues with how they do business. Over the Top Roofing is fully bonded and insured.

Second, look for certifications, accreditations and testimonials. Over the Top has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, we’re a recipient of the Angie’s List Super Service Award, and we’re long-standing members of the National Roofing Contractor’s Association, NARI, and Metropolitan Builders Association. In addition, we have tons of testimonials from happy customers available on our website.

Once you’ve made your choice, make sure you receive an accurate and complete estimate, and read your contract carefully before signing.

Less scrupulous roofing contractors may try to skim on the work to save costs, or omit details from the quote or contract to save time and make the job easier. A roofing job can be labor-intensive and dangerous, requiring several workers with years of experience to get it done right. Some contractors will underestimate this need and try to cut corners later on.

Over the Top Roofing will work with you to make sure you get the new roof that you want, and that the work is done exceptionally well. We will give you an itemized estimate, detailing every aspect of the work that will be done, and the price breakdown. Once the estimate is approved, our drafted contract will be easy to read and understand, and will include the details of the estimate as signed. We won’t pull one shingle until we’re sure the contract is completely understood and the full scope of the work is fully agreed upon.

Have complete confidence in Over the Top Roofing as your roofing contractor!

How to Choose a Roofing ContractorInterested in a new roof for your home? We’re ready to give you a FREE consultation and estimate today. Call us at 414-531-ROOF, or visit our website to Contact Us today!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

The History of Gutters

May 10, 2017 by Over the Top Roof

They blend into the design of your house and you don’t give them a lot of consideration, but your gutters are incredibly important to the overall health of your home. Without them, rainwater would collect near your foundation, eventually infiltrating your basement and causing major damage to your foundation in the process. Over the Top Roofing is your gutter expert in Milwaukee and Menomonee Falls, and we’re here with all the information and experience needed to ensure that your gutters are doing their job. Let’s take a look at the history of this essential part of every home:

Historians have seen evidence of primitive gutter systems dating back to as far as 1500 BC. These systems were crude, and probably didn’t do a very effective job of removing rainwater from the foundation walls, but they were a start in the right direction. It wasn’t until the Romans brought their more advanced gutter technology to Britain in 47 AD that gutters started to see widespread use. The shift in architecture and resultant changes in roof styles of this era required a solution to rainwater management, so these stone approximations of today’s gutters would suffice.

As the centuries passed, many different materials were used in gutter systems, but stone and wood were the most plentiful. These systems may have served their purpose as well as one would expect, but they did not do as effective of a job as today’s gutters, contributing to a shorter lifespan for the typical construction of the day.

In the early 1700s, with cast iron becoming an affordable and plentiful material, the modern gutter began to take shape. Replacing lead as the main gutter material, cast iron proved to be extremely durable, versatile, effective and attractive. Early designs evolved into the common V-shaped gutter, which was an effective and aesthetically pleasing solution for the homeowners of this era.

When the 20th century arrived, and the ensuing industrial revolution, new manufacturing techniques brought about new designs in the gutter industry. Metal rolling machines produced new, half-round gutters that were very popular with consumers. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the next revolution in gutter technology occurred, with the invention of the seamless aluminum gutter machine. Allowing installers to create custom-fit, seamless gutters that provided an affordable and highly effective solution to homeowners quickly made aluminum the new material of choice in gutters, a position it still holds to this day.

Although many changes have occurred to the common gutter system over centuries, the same principals apply, and the same importance of channelling water away from your foundation still exists. At Over the Top Roofing, we’re incredibly passionate gutter and roofing contractors who enjoy the opportunity to bring this storied technology to your Milwaukee and Menomonee Falls area home.  

Over the Top Roofing is your Gutter Expert!

Interested in a new or replacement gutter system for your home? We’re ready to give you a FREE consultation and estimate today. Call us at 414-531-ROOF, or visit our website to Contact Us today!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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