Orange County

Welcome to our Orange County Roofing Company Blog. Our goal is to not only offer you the highest quality roofing solutions in Orange County, but also to educate you on best practices, offer roofing contractor tips and inside secrets that only a professional roofer would know. We hope you find this information helpful and invite you to comment and ask questions.

I've been a writer for over 10 years living here in Orange County. I've always been interested in construction, so when Luke Roofing, one of the best Roofing Companies in Orange County asked me to write a few articles for them, it made perfect sense.

Nov
04

Roofs Should Be Seen and Not Heard

You’re relaxing in the living room. Maybe reading a good book. Or curled up in front of the fireplace on a cold winter night. Suddenly, something shatters the calm. It’s an exasperating sound from above. You’re not alone. Virtually everyone has experienced roof noise at one time or another.  We’re not talking soothing rainfall patter. The sound in question typically is a persistent popping, cracking, or creaking. As an Orange County roofing company, we’re well-acquainted with these audio disturbances. And we know they can have any number of causes. The list includes everything from heat expansion and contraction to sound waves generated by aircraft, trains, or vehicle traffic. 
 
Of course, you can’t just snap your fingers and shush a noisy roof. But you can turn down the volume with the right roof covering. Good silencers are sturdy asphalt shingles or tiles made of clay or concrete. When it comes to notoriously noisy metal roofs, it’s what’s underneath that counts. For best results, install this type of roof over a noise-muffling plywood surface or foam insulation.  And don’t overlook the effectiveness of green roofs. Thanks to their rigidity and substantial mass, these make amazing sound resistors. 
 
No matter what the roof type, skylights always toughen your battle against noise. That’s because sound penetrates skylight material more easily than it does roof coverings. 
 
Whatever you do, don’t play guessing games with roof noise. Finding the right solution requires expert analysis. And that’s something best left in the hands of a commercial roofing contractor.
 
If you have questions about roof noise or are considering roof repairs or upgrades, be sure to reach out to Luke Roofing. A long-established commercial roofer, we provide prompt, reliable expertise for every need and situation. Offering roofing services from Cypress and beyond, Luke Roofing is your trusted Orange County roofing contractor.  
 
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Oct
26

Get Smart About Roof Leaks

Perhaps it starts with a steady drip plopping onto your forehead as you settle into your sofa. Or maybe you notice a small, widening puddle soaking your carpet when it rains. (You remember rain, don’t you?).  Whatever the signs, roof leaks spell big trouble. As this Orange County roofer knows, however, you can minimize the trouble if you have advance warning. With that in mind, here are three possible causes of roof leaks to be on the lookout for.   

Missing Shingles

Not too difficult to spot this telltale sign. Just glance at your roof, scan, and look for different-colored patches amidst the shingles. If patches are present, it’s a sure bet shingles used to occupy those spaces. The typical cause of missing shingles is harsh weather, particularly rain and wind.

Open Valleys

On sloping roofs, the place where two planes meet is called a valley.  This meeting point, of course, must be properly sealed. If gaps are present, rainwater can drop right through. Look for any signs of moisture along the roof seams. These indicate improper sealing.

Most often, the open valley problem starts when the original sealing is improperly done.  And it only gets worse from there. Obviously, you want a commercial roofer who gets the job done right from the beginning.

Skylight Gaps

Sometimes skylights can let in moisture along with the sunshine. This can happen as a result of shoddy installation or withering skylight insulation.  If you notice damp spots around the skylight edges, you’re probably looking at leakage. At that point, it’s best to call in a commercial roofer to investigate. Unless you love the steady plunk of water filling a bucket.

If you have questions about roof leaks, be sure to reach out to Luke Roofing. A long-established commercial roofing contractor, we provide prompt, reliable expertise for every need and situation. Offering roofing services from Buena Park to Foothill Ranch, Luke Roofing is your trusted Orange County roofer.

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Oct
19

Have the Coolest Roof in Town

The recent heat waves remind all of us that hot weather is a year-round fact of life in Southern California. Which means most of us will be looking for ways to keep cool during those hot stretches, even during Fall and Winter.  In our experience as an Orange County Roofer, one of the best places to start is above – your roof.  That’s right. Certain kinds of roofs actually contribute to cooler indoor temperatures.  
 
Metal roofs, for instance, are excellent temperature controllers. That’s because they have a natural tendency to remain cool. The secret of metal roofs is their ability to reflect sunlight, thereby sending solar heat away from your home. With less heat penetrating your home, the interior temperatures invariably drop. 
 
While metal roofs are often pricier than those made of other materials, they offer tremendous long term benefits in the form of lower energy bills. They’re also more durable than average, meaning you won’t be replacing them so often. 
 
Roof color has a similar impact on domestic temperature control. White or light color materials are by far the optimal choice. As with metal roofs, these shades best reflect sunlight and thereby dramatically reduce surface temperatures. For this reason, lighter shade roofs are known as ‘cool roofs’.   
 
Many a commercial roofer also favors shingles or tiles for keeping roof temperatures cool. It’s not that these materials are naturally low temperature. It’s the special factory coating applied to shingles and tiles. The coating reflects sunlight in a similar way that metal and light colored materials do.  
 
If you have questions about keeping rooftops cool or are considering roof repairs or upgrades, be sure to reach out to Luke Roofing. A long-established commercial roofer, we provide prompt, reliable expertise for every need and situation. Offering roofing services from Laguna Niguel to Anaheim and beyond, Luke Roofing is your trusted Orange County roofing contractor.  
 
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Oct
14

Rooftop Halloween

Why should kids be the only ones with the Halloween look? Homes have a lot to say about the holiday, too. Which means holiday decorations for the home are in order. Lots of good places to plant those pumpkins, witches, and spiders. But if you’re planning rooftop decorations, this Orange County roofer recommends you give those shingles and planks a good checkup. You want everything safe and secure before going to work.

If you feel up to it, grab a ladder and conduct your own roof surveillance. Things to look out for are signs of weakness and excessive wear. Once you’re aloft hanging pumpkin lights, you don’t need surprises. Of course, if you want complete assurance, you might want to call in a commercial roofer. They have the tools and expertise necessary to uncover any and all flaws.

Once you’ve confirmed roof stability, it’s time to get the show on the road. You’ll save precious time by getting the entire load on the roof – tools and decorations – before beginning.  Everything in easy reach. If you’ll be hanging light strings, consider using LED bulbs. These consume a fraction of the energy used by conventional incandescent bulbs. And that can mean major savings, depending on how long those glowing pumpkins stay lit.   

Speaking of lights, consider using a spotlight to illuminate any Halloween scene haunting your rooftop.  People will see it for miles. Who knows what that could do for your standing in the community. Anyway, the main thing is to get creative and have fun. Happy Halloween from Luke Roofing!

If you have questions about preparing your roof for Halloween decorations, be sure to reach out to Luke Roofing. A long-established commercial roofing contractor, we provide prompt, reliable expertise for every need and situation. Offering roofing services from San Clemente to Los Alamitos, Luke Roofing is your trusted Orange County roofer.

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Oct
05

You Could Be Offering a Feast to Roof Termites

As an Orange County roofing company, we know that wooden roof shingles are vulnerable to termite invasion. Once those uninvited guests slip inside, it takes professional experts get them out. Fortunately, homeowners can take several preventative measures to keep termites away. But why take the word of this commercial roofing contractor? Here are first-hand insights straight from the source.
 
Hi, I’m a termite. I eat wood … anytime, anywhere. And that means all the way up on your roof if that’s where the feast is. Love those wooden roof shingles!  Except when they’re painted. Me and the gang just won’t penetrate painted wood. Never have. Never will. So if you want us out, coat those wooden shingles with paint. And no cracks or peels. Those are open doorways. 
 
Remember, we’re always scouting for prospects. So the last thing you should do is give us an open invitation. You know, those piles of lumber, firewood, tree branches, and shrubberies sitting in your yard. We’ll be on them in a nanosecond! And once we land, we look for more easy pickins – like wooden roof shingles. 
 
Oh yeah, if you have an attic, cover all the vents and windows with screens. Never been a termite yet that could penetrate one of those. Well, that’s it for now. Just saw a pile of lumber, and I haven’t had lunch. 
 
Luckily, these preventative measures can steer termites away from your rooftop. But if they ever do cause damage to your roof, get the advice of a qualified Orange County roofing contractor.  
 
If you have questions about roof termites or are considering roof repairs or upgrades, be sure to reach out to Luke Roofing. A long-established commercial roofing contractor, we provide prompt, reliable expertise for every need and situation. Offering roofing services from Laguna Beach to Yorba Linda, Luke Roofing is your trusted Orange County roofing company.  
 
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Sep
28

What Shade for Your Shingles?

Selecting the right color for roof shingles is similar to choosing hues for other parts of your home.  You should consider many factors before making a decision. In our experience as an Orange County Roofer, we see three factors as particularly important when it comes to selecting shingle shade. We strongly recommend you keep them in mind before settling on a roof color.

The Safe Choice. You almost never can go wrong by selecting a muted shade for shingles. (emphasis on ‘almost never’.) The reason? As with clothing, your basic grays and blacks go with just about anything. Dark colors seldom clash with siding and landscape. Remember, however, to consider neighboring properties. If light-shaded shingles are the rule, going dark could make your home stand out like a sore thumb.

Some Things Never Change.  Sure, siding is one of the standout features of your happy home. Nevertheless, you should consider the other influencers of roof color, such as your home’s more permanent features. Case in point is brickwork, which likely won’t be changing any time soon. A shingle shade that matches brick décor could be your most sensible, aesthetically-pleasing choice.

Natural Selection. OK, you’ve considered all the color options. Deliberated the possibilities with your family members until you’re bleary-eyed. And you still can’t settle on a shingle shade. If you’re stuck in the mud like this, this commercial roofer strongly advises you look to nature for inspiration. Check out your surroundings and take note of the trees and other landscaping. What color is all that flora? Matching roof shingles to your natural surroundings might be your answer. 

If you have questions about roof color or are considering roof repairs or upgrades, be sure to reach out to Luke Roofing. A long-established commercial roofer, we provide prompt, reliable expertise for every need and situation. Offering roofing services from Midway City to Dana Point, Luke Roofing is your trusted Orange County roofing contractor.  

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Sep
27

Is Your Roof Right for Solar Energy?

Solar energy systems require more than a daily supply of sunlight. Also needed is the right kind of roof. A premier Orange County roofing company, Luke Roofing frequently evaluates rooftops for solar compatibility. Before beginning a solar installation, our team makes certain the roof in question meets the following criteria. 

Direction. The more sunlight saturating your roof, the more energy solar panels can gather and produce. In California, south-facing roofs are best, as these get the most sunlight. Also receiving many sunlight hours are east and west-facing roofs.  If your roof faces any of these directions, they’re in a position to generate sufficient amounts of solar electricity. North-facing roofs, however, are a different story. These get comparatively little sunlight, making them poor candidates for solar energy panels. 

Room. A roof with abundant space is ideal for an Orange County roofing contractor such as us. With sufficient work room, installers can adequately maneuver and organize solar panels. Rooftop obstacles such as skylights and vents create major challenges, however.  Not only do they hamper maneuverability, they restrict the number of panels that can be installed. Remember, the more panels, the more sun-generated power produced – and the less you must rely on conventional electricity.

Age. Generally, the older the roof, the more difficult and time-consuming the solar panel installation. Among the biggest risks inherent to an aging roof is the possibility of installation damage. Sometimes it’s simply better to hold off on a solar energy system until you replace your old roof.

If you have questions or are considering roof repairs or upgrades, be sure to reach out to Luke Roofing. A long-established commercial roofing contractor, we provide prompt, reliable expertise for every need and situation. Offering roofing services from Placentia to Seal Beach, Luke Roofing is your trusted Orange County roofing contractor.  

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