When it comes to protecting your home (and investment), don’t just dismiss those “shoulda” decisions after a remodel is done. Go-backs age better than regrets.
That’s why this post takes us to the beautiful town of Greenwich. We were called out to our client’s home to install snow guards on a synthetic slate roof. We pride ourselves on being a Brava preferred contractor, and we consider synthetic slate roofing one of our many specialties. And as a professional roofing contractor, you can say we’re snow guard experts, too.
This client had rebuilt his home only two years ago. During the home rebuild, the client’s contractor mentioned adding snow guards, but ultimately the roof was finished without them.
Snow guards are an important part of homes, especially in the Northeast. They allow snow and ice to melt completely and slowly drift off your roof, as opposed to it melting all at once, risking an avalanche. A roof avalanche can cause damage to your home, your property, and injury to anyone or anything under it. Over time, some roof issues with snow started to arise. Our client asked for recommendations for roofing specialists on the Nextdoor app, and that’s how he found us.
Alpine PD10 SnowGuards
Greenwich, CT
He gave us a call, and we came out to do a roof evaluation immediately. Our thorough evaluation determined there were more problems than he originally thought.
The gutters were dented in five different spots, and they were almost pulling off the fascia upon which they are mounted. The ridge caps were installed incorrectly, and water was getting in at the ridge. Ridge caps are designed to fit the ridges on a roof; if they are not installed properly and water or snow starts getting in, you run the risk of damage to your home beyond simple roof damage.
It is also important to have ridge caps checked every so often. Since they are bent to cover the roof ridges, they are usually the first part of your roof to wear out. Ridge cap replacement can happen without having to replace the whole roof. The lack of snow guards allowed the metal roofing skirt to become damaged every time snow would fall. And last but not least: A section of the roof was missing shingles. Needless to say, we were eager to get to work.
We sent our client a proposal detailing the work that needed to be done and what it would cost before we even started. Our company believes that having clear communication is one of the most important things we can do to ensure that our clients are happy. Once our client signed off on everything, we carried out the gutter restoration, removed and replaced 60 feet of ridge caps, fixed the missing shingles, and, most importantly, added snow guards.
Alpine PD10 SnowGuards
Greenwich, CT
Before we get to the snow guards, I would like to touch on an important thing about shingles, something that not every homeowner is aware of. Try to keep extra shingles handy. We were extremely fortunate that this homeowner had spare shingles. It makes repairs and any additional projects much easier.
Ideal shingle storage would be to keep them in a relatively cool place, like a basement. It is possible to store them in a garage as long as the temperatures don’t get too hot, and they are safe from water. It’s best to keep them unopened and to lay them flat. Try not to stack them too high. Stacking them too high can damage the lower layers of shingles. Can a roof repair happen without extra shingles? Of course! But already having them on hand streamlines the project.
Adding snow guards after a roof installation can be more expensive than if it were done initially. This is because, when adding the snow guards, you have to remove individual tiles at the bottom of the roof. More work and less cost-effective. A typical slate roof install takes 3-4 weeks; adding snow guards takes a week. We used Alpine PD10 SnowGuards, one of the best snow guards for a slate roof on the market, made in the USA and utilizing recycled materials. Hard to beat in this price range.
Alpine PD10 SnowGuards
Greenwich, CT
We were able to finish everything in a timely fashion with professional installation, ensuring everything was repaired and replaced perfectly. Our client’s home is now ready for whatever the weather may bring. He was so relieved to not have to worry about property damage anymore from rain, snow retention, or extreme weather.
As always, we appreciate our clients referring us to their family, friends, and neighbors. Since we do have such great clients who keep us extremely busy, and we are able to complete projects in a timely manner, we have been mistaken for a large company several times. The reality is we are a roofing family business, referrals make up the majority of our business, and we pride ourselves on being members of this amazing community.
It’s a great feeling to help someone have confidence in their home again. Everything turned out so well with this job that we ended up landing three more projects in the neighborhood afterward.
Pretty good return for initially just being asked to retrofit snow guards in Greenwich!
City: Greenwich
State: Connecticut
ZIP: 06830
Category: Roofing
Materials used (manufacturer): Alpine
Materials used (type): PD10 SnowGuards
Materials used (color): N/A
Project Cost: $20,000
Time to Complete: Two weeks