Roof Repairs in Ontario

Top 5 Causes For Roof Repairs in Ontario

If you live in Ontario, you know that our winters can be harsh. From the heavy snowfall to the biting cold, it’s no wonder that our roofs suffer at times. Over time, all of that wear and tear can lead to roof repairs. What are the most common causes of roof damage to homes in the Ontario area? Keep reading to learn more.

(more…)
Roofing Company

How Snow and Ice Can Impact Your Roof

People depend on their roofs to shield them from dangerous weather conditions, along with their home. This is especially true in the winter, when severe weather might occur at any time. Snow and ice may shorten the lifespan of a roof because winter is one of the worst seasons for them. Understanding how snow and ice may impact your roof’s structural stability can help you maintain your roof in excellent shape for years to come.

Common Types Of Roof Damage From Snow or Ice

Roof In Ontario Winter Season

Snow and ice may damage your roof in several ways. Some of the most common types of winter-related roof damage are leaks, ice dams, and damage to the structure or materials. You should repair your roof as soon as possible once you notice one of these events happening to your property.

Leaks

Melting snow or ice can seep between cracks, tiles, or shingles and cause water to leak into your home. Look for signs of water damage, water dripping, or leaking from the ceilings.

Ice Dams

These form at the edge of a roof when warm air from the attic melts snow, which then refreezes once it hits colder areas like eaves or gutters. This dam can stop melting snow from draining off the roof, which can cause excess water to back up beneath the shingles.

Damage To Roofing Materials

Snow and ice can also cause physical damage to roofing materials like shingles, tile, and slate. This includes cracking, chipping, splitting, and warping due to freezing temperatures.

Structural Damage

Heavy loads of heavy wet snow or ice can collapse or affect the structure of your roof. This is especially true in older structures with drooping or sagging rafters. Get in touch with a licensed roofer to inspect your roof for structural issues before the damage gets worse. A professional roofing company will give you an accurate price estimation and plan, so your roof will be repaired effectively.

How To Prevent Snow & Ice Damage On Your Roof

Taking steps to minimize the risk of snow and ice damage on your roof is essential for it to last longer without needing costly repairs or replacements.

How Snow and Ice Can Impact Your Roof
  • Inspect your roof after each storm. Remove any debris that may have accumulated during the storm by using a rooftop rake or broom-type tool from the ground.
  • Clear away snow when necessary by using an appropriate roof rake. Be sure to use a long-handled tool with a plastic blade and never climb up on the roof for this task.
  • Make sure your gutters and downspouts are clear of debris so melting snow can drain away from your home.
  • Inspect your attic to make sure it is properly insulated. This will help keep warm air from melting snow on your rooftop, leading to ice dams or other damaging conditions.
  • Replace any damaged shingles, tiles, or slate before winter arrives in order to protect them from potential damage caused by heavy snowfall or freezing temperatures.

By taking the necessary precautions, you can make sure your roof is well-protected from winter weather and avoid costly repairs or replacements in the future. Taking these steps will help ensure that your roof lasts for many years to come. If you have any questions about your roof during the winter, please contact Armour Shield Roofing now.


Armour Shield Roofing strongly discourages homeowners from going up and down ladders or doing repairs on their roofs. The accidents and fatalities sustained by untrained individuals are tragic and avoidable by calling a professional roofing contractor. 

Roof Replacement for Residential Home

What Is Included In A Complete Roof Replacement?

A complete roof replacement can be a big project. However, it is important to make sure that your roof is in good condition. A complete roof replacement can help to protect your home, increase property value, and keep your family safe. Take a look at what is typically included in a complete roof replacement.

How Long Does A Roof Replacement Take?

An average-sized home’s roof replacement process typically takes 2 to 4 days. This can vary depending on the condition and the size of property.

What Is The Roof Replacement Process?

Remove Existing Shingles

shingle installation

We carefully remove any existing shingles and discard them from the job site.  This is the first step of the process and it’s very important to ensure that the roof surface is free of any obstructions.

Check and Fix Roof Damages

If necessary, plywood is given a quick fix. If not, new plywood is installed to replace the old and damaged plywood. We will check the roof for damages and fix them all before we start the next step.

New Drip Edge

To divert the water toward the eavestroughs, we install a new drip edge at the base of the roof.  This ensures that the water is flowing away from your home, rather than collecting on the roof.

Ice and Water Membrane

Where necessary, we install an ice and water membrane to assist avoid potential harm from ice damming scenarios. This is a very important step during the roof replacement process.

Underlayment

We will install underlayment to offer another layer of defence against water leaking into the house. This is installed on the entire roof surface to give added protection.

Valley Flashings

Replace any outdated valley flashing with new ones if needed. To repair the outdated and deteriorating flashings in places like chimneys and walls, we install new flashing where necessary.

Roof Vents

Replace outdated roof vents, exhaust vents, and plumbing vent flashing. We make sure the roof vents are installed properly and that they are fully functional.

Shingles

Finally, we install shingles chosen by the customer to finish off the roof replacement process. We use high-quality materials and expert installation procedures to ensure that they are installed properly.

Complete Roof Replacement

Final Cleanup

During final cleanup, any nails or metal particles are collected using magnetic equipment. We make sure that the entire job site is clean and tidy before we leave.

We guarantee that your roof will be in top condition and provide high-level protection. If you have any questions or concerns about the roof replacement process, or if you would like to get started on your roof replacement project, please do not hesitate to contact Armour Shield Roofing.

Armour Shield Roofing strongly discourages homeowners from going up and down ladders or doing repairs on their roofs. The accidents and fatalities sustained by untrained individuals are tragic and avoidable by calling a professional roofing contractor. 

new roof replacement

Can You Live in Your Home While Redoing Your Roof

If your roof needs to be replaced, you may be wondering if you can live in your home while the work is being done. The short answer is yes, you can stay in your house while the roofers do their job. However, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible. Read on for tips on how to live in your home while getting a new roof.

(more…)
bird feeder

Can Ice Damage Your Roof? Eco-Friendly Ways to Get Rid of Ice Dams.

Have you lifted a large pot of water? Heavy, isn’t it? Now, imagine many gallons of frozen rain and snow dammed at the bottom portion of your roof. As this bank of ice grows, it creates many problems for your roof, shingles and attic. But don’t worry, ice dams can be fixed!

Armour Shield Roofing strongly discourages homeowners from going up and down ladders or doing repairs on their roofs. The accidents and fatalities sustained by untrained individuals are tragic and avoidable by calling a professional roofing contractor.

 

What are the consequences of an accumulating hump of ice at the bottom edge of your roof? 

  1. This barrier produced by frozen snow and ice prevents snow and rain from exiting correctly off your roof through the eaves and downspouts.
  2. The underside layer of melted ice has nowhere to go but down and toward the warm interior of your attic. 
  3. Like the oncoming stream of water approaching a beaver dam of sticks and logs, falling snow has no way to pass the dam of ice and snow to exit your roof. The snow becomes an even bigger block of very heavy ice, putting incredible strain on your eavestroughs, downspouts, lower shingles and roofing plywood.

Armour Shield Roofing cares very much about your roof. We take care of eavestrough cleaning and inspect your roof to prevent or repair ice damming. Please contact us below.

 

What causes the phenomenon called ice damming?

Your warm attic air heats the underside of the roof plywood, and the heat transfers upward through to the shingles that have snow laying on them. The snow melts, but mother nature wins and refreezes the roof moisture, filling the eavestroughs and downspouts with solid ice. 

The attic space transfers just enough heat to keep the lowest layer of ice melted, causing the plywood to rot and water to back up eventually under the shingles. The water turns to ice at night between the shingles, expands, and pushes the shingle layers apart. This cycle never corrects itself all winter and allows crevices between the shingles for water to leak down into the attic. 

The shingle damage is evident in shingle edges drying, becoming brittle, losing granules, and eventually blown-off shingles.

Without repairing the overall problem, this cycle continues all winter, year after year. 

 

What are the solutions to preventing ice dams before winter descends?

Your roof surface and attic space must remain at the same temperature. The upside to these remediations is less money is spent on your heating and cooling bills, which in turn rewards our environment.

You can achieve a neutral attic temperature in five ways:

1) Ventilate your roof to allow any warm attic air to escape.

Soffit vents, ridge vents, and roof vents should be part of your roof structure. 

Soffit vents are on the underside of your soffit (where your eavestroughs are attached). They draw in the cooler, lower air from the outdoors, which pushes the warmer attic air out through your ridge vent (a vent that runs the entire length of your roof along its top ridge) and individual roof vents. 

2) Seal your attic space from the heat of the lower floors of your home.

This means sealing the whole upper floor ceiling. Holes for lighting or venting must be well sealed with proper insulation, and recessed lighting must have air movement around their wired housing. Insulation and adequate taping around adequately sized individual boxes ensure the ventilation requirements for the lighting and the insulation requirements for the attic are met.

3) Ensure bathroom and laundry vents do not vent into your attic space.

All venting must go through walls or rigid venting that extends out of the top of the roof. Prevent the heat emanating from your vent pipe surfaces from transferring into your attic space by using foil-covered insulation sheathing made uniquely for this application.

4) All flashing must be correctly placed around the chimney, venting pipes, or skylights along with the use of their associated caulking.

The use of appropriate caulking, depending on the application of its use, whether for a chimney, skylight, or different flashing, is crucial with the use of flashing. 

5) Add the correct amount of insulation to your attic.

Make sure the outside soffit edges are left free, so the movement of cool air coming from your soffits pushes the warm air up and out through your roof vents.

 

Armour Shield Roofing suggests these quick fixes if there is no other option for now. However, ice dams must be addressed professionally to avoid accumulated damage.

Electrical coils are often attached to roofing down near the eavestroughs, and they also run through the eaves and downspouts.

A nylon casing filled with eco-friendly icemelt attached three feet up from your eves and allowed to hang down and into your eavestrough helps to melt the ice build-up, keeping roofing sections and portions of the eavestrough free. This promotes runoff. 

You should never tackle quick fixes that involve ladder climbing in the winter. Even though we can purchase a ladder, it does not mean we are impervious to climbing accidents, especially if we are not certified roofers. Slippery surfaces are hazardous, but winter slippery is an entirely different sort of dangerous

Armour Shield Roofing uses and promotes the use of an eco-friendly ice melt that protects plants, animals and our precious water system. 

Do not use salt or chloride-based products to work through the ice in the eavestroughs or on your sidewalks. 

  • Chloride-based icemelt products perform by drawing moisture from whatever they touch. However, this effect is highly damaging to living cells, whether skin, animal fur, insects, plants, shrubs, grasses, or trees. 
  • If allowed into waterways, these chloride-type products, although used in the past, have proved life-threatening to our fish and wildlife, reducing the oxygen in the water leading to extensive aquatic death.

 

Please call our friendly staff at (519) 858 5044 or contact us online for a no-pressure quote here.

 

Armour Shield Roofing strongly discourages homeowners from going up and down ladders or doing repairs on their roofs. The accidents and fatalities sustained by untrained individuals are tragic and avoidable by calling a professional roofing contractor.

clock

How Long Does It Take to Replace a Roof?

How long does it take to replace a full or partial roof of shingles? The answer to the amount of time required for a roof repair is, it depends. Contrary to what others may say, Armour Shield Roofing of London ON does not advise that you replace just part of the roof if it is past its useful life.

Armour Shield Roofing strongly discourages homeowners from going up and down ladders or doing repairs on their roofs. The accidents and fatalities sustained by untrained individuals are tragic and avoidable by calling a professional roofing contractor.

The length of time needed to replace a whole roof of average size with an easy installation is approximately two to three days although you may see online suggestions that the length of time it takes for a roof replacement is one day. Truthfully, there is always something that changes a roofing job from easy to slightly more complex and that something will add either a short amount of time or a longer extent of time.

Armour Shield Roofing of London Ontario does not recommend thinking of your roofing job as a race; a quality job requires a realistic work schedule.

  

Can you replace just part of your roof?

We sincerely don’t recommend it. If your roof is past its useful life, it is better for you to have a whole roof of a consistent age than have a patchwork of repairs. It is easy to track a roof’s overall performance when all roof sections are of the same age.

It takes more billable hours to weave individual roof sections to those adjoining; ultimately the cost to replace partial roof sections does not make financial sense and allows other problems to remain hidden.

The exception is when damage (by a storm or tree) has occurred to a roof with a reasonable amount of roof life left, it makes financial sense to repair that portion. Venting, flashings, and eavestroughs are usually part of that roof repair.


What circumstances add work time to the replacement or repair of your roof shingles?

The larger your roof, the longer the time required to remove and replace the shingles:

The advantages of replacing the roof of a smaller home are lower overall costs to you. The price of your roof replacement is determined by its coverage. Although different methods are used by contractors to measure a roof, all measurements come out to the same result.

The more uniquely shaped and the greater number of roof sections on your home, the longer its repair or replacement will take:

Many of us love the look of unique and varied-shaped roof sections. Curved roofs, sections intersecting other sections; these details create custom work in the form of more intricately installed flashing, shingles, and vents. Additionally, numerous roof sections require more work time. All of this pushes your roof costs higher.

Difficult accessibility to the roof sections will add time to roofing work:

Closely spaced homes require more time for everything to access their roofs; heavy shingles, equipment, plywood sheets, and workers’ access are delayed and made more difficult. Similarly, large bushes and trees hinder the efficiency of the project and all of this extra time must be accounted for.

Steeply pitched roof sections are dangerous, and your roofing contractor must take more safety precautions:

Additional safety equipment must be installed on a steep roof, not only for the benefit of the crew but also to ensure the roofing supplies stay in place. The extra care that must be taken on steep roofs translates to a lot more time and effort.

Flat roofs or those with a shallow pitch require special attention:

If easy water run-off is unlikely, roofers must protect the roofing plywood with additional special underlayment.

Restoration projects to historically significant homes take much more time:

Special products are likely needed to replicate the roofing of your historical home. Its structure may be quite different from a contemporary home too. Even special permits may be required, depending on whether your home is on a local historical list.

Finding hidden problems as the project unfolds adds unavoidable further work:

Armour Shield understands there is often hidden damage and your project manager will discuss these possibilities at the outset and make sure you are kept informed every step of the way.

Excessive moisture in your attic is often caused by improper roof venting or/ and improperly applied attic insulation. This moisture causes the roofing plywood to soften, degrade and rot to the extent new plywood may be required as well as further venting.

Please read our blog post ’How Do I Know When I Should Replace my Roof?’ to learn more.

As a twice-voted finalist and one-time winner of London’s Better Business Bureau’s Business Integrity Awards, we know that our care, respect and integrity are a clear part of our success. Read our 10 Point Integrity Guarantee here.

Contact Armour Shield Roofing in the London area for any of your roofing repairs and projects.

Please call (519) 858 5044.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us online, here.

Armour Shield Roofing strongly discourages homeowners from going up and down ladders or doing repairs on their roofs. The accidents and fatalities sustained by untrained individuals are tragic and avoidable by calling a professional roofing contractor.

new grey roof

Are There Any Roofing Projects I Can DIY? -3 Dangers to Consider

You might ask, ’How hard is it to install your own roof?’ There are several reasons that you should not try a DIY roof replacement. Unless you have previously worked as an employed roofer and have your roofing legs, you will be taking a substantial risk.

Armour Shield Roofing strongly discourages homeowners from going up and down ladders or doing repairs on their roofs. The accidents and fatalities sustained by untrained individuals are tragic and avoidable by calling a professional roofing contractor.

The 3 Dangers of DIY Roofing:

  • The number one reason to avoid doing your own roofing is your risk of falling and the incredible injuries that can result.
  • The number two reason to avoid doing your own roofing is your lack of proper, safety-regulated equipment that makes a roofer’s job easier and safer.
  • The number three reason to avoid doing your own roofing is a lack of roofing expertise and an understanding of secondary concerns.
 

This highly skilled job is best left to the professionals. It is because a roof appears simplistic, that so many DIYers are injured.

The following are just two incidents that happened to real people: A client sustained a debilitating brain injury from falling onto his concrete driveway due to a rotted facia board that upended the ladder, (not safely attached), on which he was climbing. Another client working overconfidently on his own roof, fell from his ladder and subsequently broke his heel. Approximately 12,000 people are injured annually from falling from a height. One-third of falls from roofs result in fatalities and unfortunately, a head injury is the third most common outcome. Statics from Ontario Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) show homeowners’ and workers’ falls from roofs are increasing.

Falls occur because fall-protection equipment is misused or is not used at all.

Not understanding job procedures, a lack of training and the use of shortcuts make up the second group of reasons that falls happen. A lack of edge awareness and poor lines of sight are common reasons for accidental falls from roofs. A damaged roof is a dangerous thing to navigate, even for experienced roofers. Like the rotted facia board that caused a client’s ladder to fall sideways, a structural weakness can begin to fail beneath you and give you little or no time to react. Tripping on vent pipes, snagging gear, a rope or a tool on something attached to the roof’s structure while on the roof, is always a risk. Slipping on a steep roof. Workers wear special safety roofing footwear; paramount to having firm footing. Not having roofing legs (experience). Roofs constructed with areas of different levels and variable heights, can cause sudden tripping or stumbling, especially when carrying a large piece of plywood as a gust of wind occurs.  

Many fall accidents happen, not while on the roof itself, but from climbing up or down the ladder.

Roofing employees are taught safe ladder and climbing techniques while accessing a roof. Special equipment is used to stabilize and tie off a ladder properly, crucial to avoiding an injury. Every employee is required to graduate from a government-approved working at heights training program, additionally, equipment-specific training is required. Roofing contractors take their profession very seriously. Roofers are trained to inspect the facia and roof even before their attempt to climb a ladder is made.

Curb appeal is a smart reason to make sure your roofing project is done by a professional.

There’s a reason that painting is one of the most common DIY projects for a homeowner to take on. It is because it seems easy. However, we still easily distinguish between a painting job done by someone who should never have picked up a roller or paintbrush and one by someone who has clearly perfected the task. Even if you feel you mastered heights, having taken heights safety classes, do-it-yourself roofing is very much about knowing what you’re doing. Shingles laid by a DIYer are very often easy to see. Laying shingles correctly as per manufacturers’ guidelines, and having the knowledge and experience to contend properly with typical or unforeseen roof problems, is essential. According to a May 12th, 2021 article written by Clayton DeKorne, Canadian Cost versus Value Report by ZONDA, roofing came in 12 out of 22 projects with the highest Return on Investment (ROI). 61% of your investment is returned. Keep in mind the time of its installation and the time of the home’s resale. Painting anything was not on the list.

You likely will not invest in, or have the storage for, the proper equipment that makes a roofer’s job easier and safety-regulated.

As an example, even the equipment and products required for painting is expensive to acquire; rollers, extension poles, ladders, good brushes and the price of quality paint are enough to turn people off DIY painting. The storage of painting equipment is sometimes reasonable if you have the space for it all. When it comes to roofer’s equipment, what on earth will you do with those items afterward: safety harnesses, hard hats, goggles, ladders, ladder hoist, tool belts, safety roofing-shoes, tin snips, tape measure, chalk line, nail gun, roof rakes, roof brooms, magnetic sweeper, tarps, roofing tools, plus the left-over underlayment, extra shingles, left-over felt paper, the old shingles and dumpster when the project is finished?

Armour Shield Roofing can help with your roofing concerns, whether it results in a repair or a complete roof replacement. With an A + rating from the Better Business Bureau and dozens of 5-Star reviews from appreciative clients, you can feel assured you are dealing with a caring and experienced company. 

Read the blog post ‘How do I Know When I Should Replace my Roof?’

Please call Armour Shield Roofing at (519) 858 5044 for your roof replacement or roofing associated service work.

Armour Shield Roofing strongly discourages homeowners from going up and down ladders or doing repairs on their roofs. The accidents and fatalities sustained by untrained individuals are tragic and avoidable by calling a professional roofing contractor.
woman on phone

When Should You Book Your Roof Replacement?

Are you thinking about a new roof or a roof repair for next year? Well, the early bird gets the worm. In London Ontario, you should book your ideal roofing company during the winter.

Armour Shield Roofing strongly discourages homeowners from going up and down ladders or doing repairs on their roofs. The accidents and fatalities sustained by untrained individuals are tragic and avoidable by calling a professional roofing contractor.

The ball never stops rolling for popular roofing companies that have a 5 star reputation; the most desirable companies are usually the busiest.
In most cases, a roofing company with a great reputation needs to be scheduled several months in advance, even November and December. Read Armour Shield Roofing’s numerous satisfied client testimonials here. In 26 years, we have not had a single complaint.
That’s why you should take the initiative now and get a date confirmed on your calendar. If you choose to wait, you may run into some problems down the road.  

 

Book early to use the best roofing company:

You never want to compromise quality or your peace of mind by working with a less desirable roofing company. When you wait until the last minute to reach out, you may find your ideal company is heavily booked.
We’ve all heard horror stories about disastrous customer experiences that were never resolved. Working with a less-reputable company brings a greater risk of poor quality workmanship or customer service. To avoid this risk, it’s safer to book in advance with a well-known company.

 

Waiting for a contractor can see your roof condition worsening:

If you find your ideal roofing company is booked up for several months, you can choose to wait until they are available. That decision may save you some trouble working with another company. If you’re worried about your roof’s condition, you may be able to tarp the worst areas. Ask your favourite roofing contractor.

Letting a small roofing problem become a bigger one usually leads to roof leaks. Minor storm or tree damage can worsen dramatically over time. In most cases, if the roof is past its useful-life time you need to replace your roof and other roofing associated products such as roof vents, flashing and eavestroughing.

 

A small leak should be inspected right away:

A leak that’s left neglected long enough can allow enough water into your home to cause damage. Insulation and attic space may need additional work. Large build-ups of moisture like this are the perfect breeding ground for mould.

This problem is complicated because the average person cannot know the full extent of their roof’s condition without climbing a ladder and looking. This is work that must be left to a professional roofer. Consequently, if you have to wait for at least a few months, we recommend trying to get a professional inspection done in the meantime. That will give you an idea of how urgently your roof needs work. Read Armour Shield’s blog post: ‘Are There any Roofing Projects I Can DIY – 3 Dangers to Consider’

 

Booking a company early allows everyone better flexibility:

As mentioned, it can be challenging to find a reputable roofing company that isn’t booked at least a few months in advance and if you can find a company on short notice, it’s unlikely they have much flexibility for dates.

By booking far in advance for next year, you can ensure that you get an ideal date and time that works with your schedule.

 

In conclusion:

The best roofing companies are almost always the busiest. If you’d love to work with a reputable company, you should contact them as soon as you can. When people wait too long, they can find themselves dealing with less desirable companies, worsening roof conditions, and a lack of schedule flexibility.

To help you decide, please read Armour Shield’s blog post ‘What Should be in an Accurate Roofing Quote?’

Armour Shield Roofing strongly discourages homeowners from going up and down ladders or doing repairs on their roofs. The accidents and fatalities sustained by untrained individuals are tragic and avoidable by calling a professional roofing contractor.

armour shield roofing

Useful Links

Request A Quote

Armour Shield Roofing experts are always ready to discuss your options.

GET QUOTE
Call Now Button