Info Articles

It’s January, which means that winter weather in Billings is likely to stick around for a few more months. While you might be enjoying the time with activities like cross-country skiing and snowmobiling, your roof might not be having as much fun. That’s because snow can be pretty heavy, and if you allow it to build up on your Billings roofing, there is a chance you could have some serious damage.

Ice Dams

Lots of snow on the roof, coupled with poor insulation in the attic, could lead to the snow melting from the peak of the roof, then freezing again as it reaches the colder outer edges. This forms what is referred to as an ice dam, a dangerous blockage that doesn’t allow snowmelt to get to the gutters. If and when more snow melts, it could pool up on the roof side of the ice dam, and standing water is likely to cause roof leaks if left for prolonged periods of time. The easiest way to spot ice dams is the presence of icicles hanging over your roof. If you see them, talk to a Billings roofing contractor about how to fix it in both the short- and long-term.

Visual Inspection

Another easy way to identify potential roof damage from snow is to just look up there once in a while. If you see buildup of 18 inches or more on top of the roof, it’s likely putting a serious strain on your roofing. The National Weather Service calculates that 18 inches of snow can put as much as 90 pounds per square foot of strain on a roof. While your roof may be able to hold up for a short period of time, the longer the snow sits on the roof, the more dangerous it becomes.

Interior Signs

The winter months aren’t a season when people spend a lot of time outdoors, but you can even identify some of the signs of excessive snow load from inside. Listen for loud cracking or popping sounds, check for roof leaks or sagging areas of the roof from the attic, look for cracks in walls or masonry, and pay attention to doors and windows that previously opened easily and now are “stuck” or difficult to open.

If you see these signs, it’s important not to panic, and to call a roofing contractor right away to help you identify ways to clear the roof (safely) and/or ways to reinforce the strength of your Billings roofing.

GAF is one of the oldest and most trusted manufacturers in the U.S. for roofing materials, but they also understand that quality roofing shingles are no good if you don’t match that with quality installation. That’s why they created the GAF Master Elite Certification—it’s an honor only awarded to the top 3 percent of all roofing contractors in Billings and around the U.S., so you know if you’re working with a Master Elite contractor, you’re getting the cream of the crop.

Why GAF Certification?

In the state of Montana, any construction contractor or subcontractor who hires employees is required to register with the Department of Labor and Industry, but this registration is essentially just to ensure that the company is complying with Montana worker’s compensation insurance regulations. While worker’s compensation insurance is important, GAF certification takes it several steps further to ensure that your Billings roofing contractor has the right experience and a track record of quality work.

What is GAF Certification?

GAF requires contractors to go through several different questions and evaluations in their screening process, with the end goal of making sure that anyone who gets their highest level of certification:

• Is properly licensed according to all state, city, and other municipal regulations
• Carries the right amount of insurance, including both worker’s compensation and general liability insurance, to protect against workers who get hurt on the job as well as property damage
• Has a solid reputation as a quality roofing contractor, according to independent surveys as well as reviews and complaints from organizations like the Better Business Bureau
• Is financially solvent and has a good banking and credit history (in which case they are probably less likely to take your money and never do the work)
• Trains employees continually on all the latest trends and techniques in the roofing industry for the most efficient installation processes

How To Find a Master Elite Contractor

If you’re thinking that it would be nice to have a GAF Master Elite roofing contractor in Billings, but are not quite sure how to find one, the great news is it’s a simple process. Just go to the GAF website and put in your zip code for Billings, MT – Sprague roofing is the first contractor on the list with a near-perfect rating from over 100 homeowners in the area who have used their services. Great installation matters, which is why GAF Master Elite certification is critical in your search for a Billings roofer.

Windows do a lot of different things for your home, from letting in natural light to helping regulate the temperature inside your home. Unfortunately older windows often start to get drafty and lose their ability to keep your home as energy efficient as possible over time. When that happens, it’s time to get replacement windows in Billings to help get your energy savings back on track. Here are a few ways replacement windows can help.

1. Reduce Heat Transfer

Probably the most important way that new windows in Billings can help reduce your heating costs is by reducing heat transfer from the outdoors to your home’s interior, and vice versa. In the summer that means keeping warm air outside and cool air from your air conditioning inside. In the winter it means preventing all that cozy air from your furnace from escaping outside. Older windows often develop cracks, leaks, and drafts that let air flow through, and single pane windows generally cannot hold heat as well as the newer double and triple pane windows.

2. Help Maintain Your Appliances

When you have inefficient windows that allow air to flow between the outdoors and interior of your home, your air conditioner and furnace have to work a lot harder to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. All that extra work these appliances are doing often wears them out prematurely and means you’ll be spending extra money to replace them sooner than you should.

3. Lower Your Utility Bills

Finally, energy efficient windows can lower your monthly utility bills. When you start to see those heating and cooling bills start to creep upward with no obvious reason for the increase, it’s probably partly due to having leaky/drafty windows. Replacing your windows can actually provide you with significant savings every month, which may even pay for the cost of the windows over time.

Keep in mind that even the most energy efficient windows won’t work the way they are supposed to if they are not properly installed by a professional. If you are ready to boost your home’s energy efficiency and save more money every month, talk to a contractor today about getting replacement windows in Billings.