Guide
A year of roof maintenance
A roof that gets looked at twice a year lasts appreciably longer than one that gets looked at when it leaks. The work involved is small.
Or call (626) 816-3854Get it looked at
Three questions, and up to three El Monte contractors. Free either way.
Your request is in.
We are matching it now against roofing contractors working in El Monte and the surrounding area.
- Today, usually within the hour. The first contractor calls or texts the number you gave us. ASAP requests go out first.
- Up to three of them, no more. We cap it at three so you can compare without your phone melting.
- They come and look. Estimates are given after somebody has been on the roof, not over the phone.
- You decide, or you do not. There is nothing to cancel and nothing to pay us.
If you do not hear anything today, check your voicemail and spam folder — contractors often call from a mobile number.
Look in the attic after heavy weather
Check after the first real weather of the season rather than at the end of it. A small stain found in autumn is a cheap repair; the same stain found in spring is not.
Deal with growth properly
Cleaning a roof aggressively does more damage than the growth was doing. Gentle treatment, patience, and a strip at the ridge to stop it returning.
Keep the penetrations honest
Rubber pipe boots are the single most common source of leaks on an otherwise sound roof, and they are cheap to replace before they fail.
Twice a year, from the ground
You do not need to be on the roof to find most problems. A slow lap of the house at a low angle finds nearly all of them.
Cut back anything touching the roof
Branches abrade the surface in wind and drop debris that holds moisture. Keep growth well clear of the covering, and clear of the gutters while you are at it.
Clear the gutters before the wet season
Blocked gutters back water up under the bottom course of shingles and rot the fascia behind them. This is the highest-value hour of maintenance there is, and here it wants doing before November through March.
In short
Put two dates in the calendar, one either side of November through March. That is the whole programme.
Related questions
What should I do to prepare?
Move the cars out, take pictures off the top-floor walls, cover anything stored in the attic, and put pets somewhere else for the loud days. Expect nails in the driveway however careful the crew is — ask whether they run a magnet at the end.
Do you cover the whole Los Angeles County area?
We match across El Monte and the neighbouring communities in Los Angeles County. Put the ZIP of the property in and it will route to whoever actually covers it.
It is leaking right now. What do I do?
Contain the water, photograph everything, and get the request in marked as an emergency. A tarp is the right first job. The permanent repair is a separate conversation and a separate price.
What is it going to cost?
It is free, and nothing obliges you to hire anyone.