Every month, we seek to bring our readers insight from the worlds of home construction, home repair, and home maintenance straight from local Northwest Washington contractors in a segment we call “3 Questions.” Yep, you guessed it: we ask three questions, and the contractors answer them.

This month, we talk about roofing systems with Richard Steiner, president at Cascade Roofing Company Inc. in Burlington.

Q1: Do you have any advice, or pet peeves, to share with our audience about roofs? 

Please do research on your contractor, such as: 

• Are they licensed, bonded, and insured?

• How many years have they been in business?

• Are they recommended by the Better Business Bureau?

Q2: Do you perform roof repairs on an older roof installed by another contractor or is this too high of liability?

We do all types of repairs, old and new.  If another company may have installed the roof, check with them first to see if you still have a warranty.  If a warranty is still in place and we were to do the repair it could void your current warranty.

Q3: What’s your preferred method of roof ventilation and why? Soffit / gable vents, soffit / roof vents or soffit / ridge vents?

For roof ventilation, continuous ridge vent or can vents are our preferred method. We also use soffit vents, which are considered a positive air flow system whereas gable vents are deemed inadequate.

Bonus Q: What advice can you give homeowners about how to best maintain their roof system?

Roof maintenance is best done by a professional.  But if it’s not in the budget, we recommend moss treatment and keeping gutters and drains free from any debris.  Note:  Have a contractor install some tie off anchors before doing your own maintenance so that you can be safe on the roof.

About Cascade Roofing Company Inc.

Cascade Roofing Company Inc. provides commercial and residential roofing services throughout the Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island regions. With more than 30 years of experience, the company guarantees quality workmanship at affordable rates. The organization is also a proud member of The Skagit/Island Counties Builders Association (SICBA) and is accredited with the Better Business Bureau.

For more information, visit www.cascaderoofingcompanyinc.com .
 
A big “thanks” to Richard for his responses!

If you have questions or comments about home inspections in general, tweet me (@AIHomeInspect).