1.) Ice dams causing leaks.

The winter time in Massachusetts tests your home and roof in ways unlike any other time of year. The most common cause of roof leaks during the winter is the dreaded ice dam. An ice dam is formed over the eaves of a house from built up snow melting and running down the roof only to refreeze at the very edge of the roof line. Here in Massachusetts, as well as other cold climate areas, roofing contractors use a product called "ice & water barrier" together with proper drip-edge flashing techniques to prevent ice dams from damaging your home and causing leaks. This technique, when done properly, provides added protection for at least 3 feet up from all edges of the roof. Many older roofs do not have "ice & water barrier" installed. If your roof is leaking because of ice dams this could be a great time to have the roof redone properly and insure that ice dams will not be bothering you and your home again.

2.) Winter conditions, in general, make a bad roof worse.

If you had a bad roof before winter hit it is only going to be in worse shape once spring arrives. There are many factors that adversely affect your roof in the cold weather. I already discussed ice dams but there's more. During the winter as the temperature fluctuates it makes your shingles expand and contract causing curling and cracking in older shingles. Now let's say some of your old roof shingles curl a bit, then you get a nice wet, heavy snow and the weight of the snow causes some of those curled shingles to crack. Now you have a potential new roof leak. Also, when that wet, heavy snow then freezes it will possibly cause even more damage to your old roof shingles. The thawing and refreezing that occurs throughout the winter time is nothing but bad for old shingles. Old roofs hate the cold winters.

When your roof starts leaking, it is time for repair. Even if you used strong and high-quality materials on your roofing, time will come when it will necessitate special attention from you. Nobody can handle roof installation, repairs, and replacements better than roofing contractors. But the problem is, where do you start?

After gathering a list of possible roofers from the yellow pages and referrals from relatives and friends, the next logical step is to evaluate them. Most people choose roofers based on price alone. But cost of repair should not be the sole basis of selecting a contractor for your roof. Since at stake are your roof, house, and peace of mind, better ask the contractors the following questions before signing the contract:

1. Are you a member of any roofing organization? Reliable roofing contractors associate themselves with organizations that can contribute to their reputation. In turn, the organization is bound by strict guidelines and standards, which the members should strictly adhere. The contractor can contribute to the positive feedback about the organization by doing well on their roofing job or can ruin its reputation by doing poorly. Therefore, there is pressure involved to do well on every project for the roofing organization to be able to showcase its roofing contractors association.

2. How long have you been in the business? A good roofing contractor knows the ins and outs of roof jobs. He can easily spot roof problems and take care of them. If you are not ready for repair yet, he can recommend alternative roof covering products. You will know if the person you are talking to is a competent roofer if he can give you great advice on the available products to repair your roof and can explain to you in detail the procedure of roof repair. Usually, those who are more than three years in the business can provide you a comprehensive information on roofing.

3. Do you have a license and insurance? A reputable roofing contractor knows how to take care of his crew and his job. If a contractor offers you a very low bid for the project, there might be some loopholes somewhere. Ask him about worker's compensation and liability insurance. What will he do if your roof leaks again after only a few months of completing his job? If he says he will repair it free, it must be in writing. If a worker is hurt while on your roof, is he liable for this? Ask for copies of these certificates for your own protection. Also, secure copies of their licenses or credentials. You may contact your city or county clerk's office to find out the requirements for roofing contractors in your locale.

6. How soon can you complete the work? Timeframe should be established in the beginning, not towards the end of the project. If the work is not finished as schedule, does the contractor gives a discount?

7. What time do you usually begin working? Like the estimated date of project completion, you must also be very clear with the working hours. If you do not want to be awakened at 6 am by the sound of pounding on your roof, communicate it with the contractor.

8. How much is the cost of replacing the roof? A good contractor does not just provide you with the cost of repair; rather he should present you a detailed description of the products and cost of each, and manpower cost. He should clearly break down the details, provide you with product samples, and literature from the specific product samples.

9. Can I ask for references from previous jobs? Feedback is very important when choosing a contractor. You may want to ask for a list of ten names with phone numbers of recent customers, possibly within the last 12 months. You do not need to call each, just randomly pick three to four names. When you call them, ask about the contractor's job performance, responsiveness to information asked, quality of work, and related questions that can help in your decision. Be sure to limit your questions to at most five when you call the referrals.

10. How long is the company's workmanship warranty? Some warranties are for a year, some are longer. Make sure to have a copy of the said warranty.

You remember the day when one of your friends mentioned something about the benefits of a new metal roof and how great it was. At that moment you thought your friend must have been clueless on a subject matter of metal roofing, or else they would have never even consider making such a silly statement! After all, how can one imagine putting a metal roof on a house, when it probably makes loud noises when it is raining out. Not only that, a having metal on your roof would certainly make your house look like some sort of agricultural barn

This is Absurd! So, you have simply dismissed your friend's roofing views as uneducated and silly until the day when you became a believer yourself.

Oh man, That roof is so beautiful! And, Oh wait a minute, is that metal?

Shortly after the silly roofing conversation with your friend has been almost forgotten, you have found yourself driving on your sub urban road to a friend's house when your attention was suddenly drawn to beautiful house standing magnificently among other homes on that street. At that moment, you also realized that it was the unusually sharp looking roof that has drawn your attention and made the house look so appealing that you just had to take a closer look! Suddenly, you found yourself pulling over off to the side of the road, despite the fact that you were already running late to your friends' planned get together party. You had one of those moments when you simply had to stop, and look at this unusual roof. You walked up to the house to get a better look at the roof.