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Key Questions to Ask a Potential Roofer, Part 1

January 14, 2026 No Comments

When it comes to roof replacement, choosing the right roofer is just as important as choosing the right type of roofing system for your home — and your budget. We’ve put together a list of 20 questions you can ask a potential roofer to see if they’re the right fit for your project. In this two-part series, we’ll dive into each question with helpful information and tips. That said, we’re also providing the list of questions as a downloadable PDF so you have it handy when meeting with a roofer. Let’s get started with the questions! 1. DO YOU PROVIDE AN ACCURATE, DETAILED ESTIMATE FOR THE PROJECT? To begin, you should always receive an estimate in writing that includes a detailed, accurate description of the work being done — as well as the products and supplies being used. This is important for many reasons, including having an accurate price for the project, as well as understanding exactly what you’re getting. For instance, just because your roofer is installing GAF shingles doesn’t necessarily mean they are

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How Long Does an Asphalt Roof Last?

January 4, 2026 No Comments

The short answer to this question is, it depends … There are a lot of factors that go into just how long an asphalt roof can last, so in addition to providing some longevity ranges based on asphalt roofing type, let’s also take a look at some of the major factors you’ll want to be aware of before you make any decisions on a new roofing system. THE AVERAGE LIFESPAN Looking at the category broadly, asphalt roofing can last anywhere between 15 to 50 years depending on many factors, which we’ll cover shortly. That said, here is an overview of three different types of asphalt roofing, and how long each is expected to last. We’re using GAF asphalt roofing lifespans in our examples here, as they are a very popular choice in Dane County, as well as throughout the country  … Note: Click on a shingle to enlarge. GAF THREE-TAB SHINGLES GAF’s entry-level Royal Sovereign line of shingles are the most affordable type of asphalt shingle in the GAF lineup. Although they’re considered to be

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How to Prevent Ice Damming on Your Roof

December 7, 2025 No Comments

Ice damming is something every homeowner wants to avoid because it can cause various types of damage to your roof and home. Ice dams can form when heat loss occurs through the roof, melting the snow and causing water to flow toward the eave overhang (which can be VERY cold in winter months), where it freezes. When this happens, over and over, ice builds up on eaves and gutters creating a dam. The most common physical sign of ice damming is icicles hanging off your gutters. The reason this is bad for your roof and home is the fact that ice damming can prevent your gutters and drains from effectively doing their job (or can prevent proper water drainage all together). This can cause issues like shingle and gutter damage, attic and insulation damage, rotted sheathing and decking, and more. In this article we’ll share some of the ways to prevent this from happening. Before we begin, it’s important to note that unless you have solid experience with the following tasks, it’s always best to

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How to Safely Remove Snow from Your Roof

November 30, 2025 No Comments

Around this time of year, the question of how to remove snow from a roof is pretty common. This article tackles the most effective and safe ways to remove snow from your roof, as well as what should be avoided. We’ll also take a look at whether it’s advisable to remove snow from solar panels or solar shingles. For our purposes here, our discussion revolves around cleaning snow off of a pitched asphalt or metal roof. Let’s dive into how to safely remove snow from your roof … USE A ROOF RAKE A roof rake, when properly utilized, is the best way to remove snow from your roof. The added weight of snow can put a strain on your roof, so it’s worth investing in a well-made roof rake to remove some of the snow off of your roof. One of the most important things about a roof rake is the fact that it lets your clear some of the snow off your roof while remaining on the ground. Be sure to get a roof

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The Pros & Cons of Solar Roof Panels & Shingles

November 22, 2025 No Comments

Welcome back to another installment of our series on solar roofing. Today we’re focusing on the pros and cons of having a solar roofing system — either solar panels or solar shingles —  installed. In case you missed them, here are the previous articles in the series: The Benefits of a GAF Timberline Solar Roofing System The Best Type of Roofing to Use with Solar Panels What’s interesting about a pros and cons list is that each positive and each negative can have a different amount of weight for a homeowner depending on their particular situation — so be sure to look at this list of pros and cons through your own lens to see which points feel important, and which don’t. Before we begin, it’s important to note that the 30% federal residential solar tax credit expires on December 31, 2025, which means if you have a solar roofing system installed before then your overall savings will be greater. If you have questions, or would like to get the ball rolling on defining whether

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