Lyons Roofing

Roof Replacement and Repair Contractor Louisville, KY and Indiana

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Louisville: (502) 689-0338
Indiana: (812) 294-3595

When to replace your roof?

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So here it is, the start of the halloween season. Most schools are back in business and parents are breathing that sigh of relief, no kids at home to worry about messing up the house. Is it to late to replace your roof ?

 

when to replace your roof

 

The question is, did you wait to long to get the roof replaced. Is there still time to make sure your home is ready for the nasty winter months ahead? Well rest assured there is still time. You do not have to worry about those nasty ice dams running your Christmas.

 

Spring, summer and fall all provide good seasons to replace your roof, giving you plenty of time to get a good quality seal on your roof to prevent any blown off shingles.

 

So when is the best time to replace your roof? Well, depending on your location you can replace it year around. For those of you around the Louisville, Kentucky and Southern Indiana areas, we have a different story to tell you.

 

Replace your roof in the Midwest.

 

There are many great things about the Louisville, Kentucky area. We have all of the seasons, Kentucky Derby and some of the best Bourbon a man (or woman) could ask for. The downfall to all of that of course are the seasons. Roofing in the wintertime can be a risky endeavor.

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Installing shingles below freezing can create multiple problems and are against manufacturers recommendations.

 

How cold can you go? Most shingle manufacturers do not want you to install shingles at a temperature below 40 degrees. There are many reasons for this; shingles installed below this temperature do not have the proper time to seal. Some roofing companies will guarantee blow-offs until spring has sprung and the shingles are warmed up enough to seal. But, Shingle Manufacturers will not warranty this and if you pick the wrong contractor, you could be stuck with a nasty repair bill.

 

Shingles installed at or around a freezing temperature also have the tendency to crack. If your home has any valleys, then you are more than likely asking for a leak.

 

valley instal

 

Best time to replace your roof.

 

We have discussed the downfall of replacing your roof in the winter. So if winter is the riskiest, what season is the best?

 

Roofing in the spring, summer and early fall can provide you plenty of time for your roof to seal. With average temperatures above 50 degrees and the sun shining, your roof will heat up and lay down sealing tighter than a Ziploc bag.


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Warm temperatures and sunshine always provide for the best time to replace your roof. But, that doesn’t mean you should avoid thinking about it during the winter. If you have a problem or a leak, call your local roofing contractor and get an inspection, or do one yourself. We all know; when it comes to the weather in the Ohio valley; if you do not like it, wait 5 minutes. Winter in our area can still give you a good few days in a row to have your roof replaced and keep you happy and dry for the remainder of the winter.

 

Make sure, regardless of the time of year, you look over your warranty provided by both the manufacturer and Roofing contractor to make sure you are not inviting more problems than you may already have!

 

4 Steps to a Roofing Contractor

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Your roof is one of the most important aspects of your home. Thats why picking the right roofing contractor is so important.

Charleston Indiana New Roof for McDonner

It is not unusual for a new roof to be one of your most significant maintenance investments. This is because your home’s roof will protect you from rain, storms, winds, and even hail. However, over time, damage can occur if it’s not kept up. Keeping your roof in good shape means avoiding leaks, missing shingles, missing tiles, and the growth of mold.

When it’s time to hire a roofing contractor to replace, fix, or maintain your roof, there are a few things you should do to select the best one for the job:

  1. Ask for Referrals:  

    Friends, family. and neighbors are often your best resources when seeking a roofing contractor. More than likely, someone you know has had roofing work done recently and knows who to call.  Your friends and family can tell you:

    • Did the roofing contractor complete the work on time.
    • Did the roofing contractor stay within their bidding budget.
    • Was the customer satisfied with the work.

  2. Check Their Licenses and Certifications:  

    Make sure that they are actually licensed and certified to work in your Kentucky or Indiana. With their licenses and certifications in order, you know they are more likely to be trustworthy and dependable. Also verify the roofer has insurance and is bonded.

  3. Evaluate the Bids:  

    Look at each bid and pick at least two that you like. Don’t necessarily pick the lowest priced bid. Select the bid that covers the most work, has the best timelines, has the most details, and is the most professional. After you pick at least two bids you can move on to the interviewing process.

  4. Hire a Roofing Contractor:  

    Finally, after reviewing and comparing your finalists, make your selection based on your research and bids. In the end, just make sure the Kentucky Roofing Contractor you choose is established in Kentucky or Indiana and has a record of good service to your community.

Is there anything else you would recommend?

Start by looking up when it comes to a roof leak.

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I know common sense right. What do we mean by “look up” to find a roof leak? The first step after you find a water stain in your home is to take a walk outside. Make sure in your mind you pinpoint where the leak is inside the home in relation to outside. Look up your roofline; do you see any penetrations, pipes, vents etc.? If not, are there any valleys or walls in that immediate area?

roof leak

 

Take your search for a roof leak a step higher

If you do not see anything from the ground take it a step higher! Literally, climb up in the attic and look around. Find the leak in the attic, looking for any signs of water damage on the roof deck or even wet insulation. Follow the trail up the roof deck and see where it comes from. Is there a penetration or does it run into a valley or wall area?

Give it a shot of water

If neither of those options work for you, try using a helper with a water hose. Spray the areas that you think may be causing the problem, do not spray water directly into any penetrations through the roof! Run water around your pipes or vents, down the shingle line of a wall or straight down the valley. In the case of a brick wall along your roofline if the shingles or flashing does not cause a roof leak in the home, spray the brick. It is a possibility that the brick has become porous over the years and is absorbing the water, causing a leak.

If none of these attempts works, call a local roofing contractor. They have the experience and the know how to find and repair roof leaks quickly and permanently to protect your greatest investment.

Roofing Contractor and Technology

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Technology changes on a daily basis and it is no exception for your local roofing contractor. How do roofing contractors stay current in an ever-changing world, or should they just stay with the same old pen and paper way of doing things? We have all seen a roofing contractor pull up to our home, proceed to pull out his handy notebook and measure your roof. They come down and scribble down a total price then hand it to you and then they are on their way.

 

roofing contractor technology

 

This by no means, means they are an untrustworthy roofing contractor.

Contractors like any other company can be slow to new technology, The Lyons Roofing Company included. So how did we change this and how will the technology available help you as a customer?

Start with the basics. Every time you call into The Lyons Roofing Company you are put into our database. Now I know, you ask who doesn’t have a database for their customers? Well in the roofing industry a lot of roofing contractors are behind times, sticking with their memory and cabinets upon cabinets of paperwork.

If other roofing contractors are like the Lyons Roofing Company with over 15,000 roofs replaced in last 10 years. That means tons of headaches for the roofing contractor and the customer.

Customer databases have been a major time saver for the Lyons Roofing Company and for our customers when they need information about their roof.

Remote measurement is another timesaver for roofing contractors, the technology continues to grow and companies like EagleView dominate the market for both roofing contractors and insurance companies alike.

There are some other options out there in programs, which have proven very accurate as well. The Lyons Roofing Company we use the later, a program for your PC. After multiple test roofs, we found to be as accurate as EagleView.

 

computer technology

 

This has given us an advantage with most jobs being pre-measured. With the average roof taking 30 mins to measure; The Lyons Roofing Company team members will spend more time inspecting your roof than measuring it.

Technology has its advantages and dis-advantages. But, with the roofing and industry sectors continuing to grow, customers get a better product faster and at a better price.

What to do as a customer and roofing contractor 

For the roofing contractors out there that are behind the times. It may work now but chances are, it wont in the future so get a computer and get with the times.

For the homeowners. Don’t worry if your roofing contractor is using pen and paper, this is construction, we are scared of change. New technology in building and computers is always a risk for us and our customers. Tried and true has always been our motto!

 

How Can We Improve Customer service

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Recently we received some feedback from a customer about our customer service follow up. They asked as nice and professional as it was to have a survey company follow up with our customers, was it that helpful? Even on top of the personalized thank you cards, we send out to our customers asking for feedback.

 

Customer service representative

 

So why do we go beyond the norm asking for feedback? Simple, customers have driven our company to success over the years, this is our way of finding out, what else we can do for our customers and to say thank you for the business.

 

Customer Service Surveys

 

We have collaborated with the guild quality company for our surveys in order to get the best feedback possible from our customers. With basic questions about how our customers feel about how knowledgeable we are, to how we communicate gives us the feedback we need in order to grow and better serve our customers.

 

Guild Quality offers so much more in a survey, much more than we asked of our customers before and with easy online and phone calls it makes it easier than ever for our customers to give us feedback in areas like:

 

  • Professional and Organized
  • Installation Crew
  • Quality of Materials
  • Quality of Workmanship
  • Clean and Safe
  • Work Done Right
  • Problem Resolution
  • Schedule
  • Value received

Customer Service

 

And so much more, It has given The Lyons Roofing Company a whole new look into our customer service that we couldn’t do without them.

 

 

Thank you cards

 

The personalized thank you cards were something we started years ago. Just ways to say thank you, then they blossomed into a short survey (Before Guild Quality) then transformed again into a thank you and areas for improvement. Prepaid for our customers to quickly jot a note down and send it back our way, good or bad.

 

Our business thrives on customer service and it is something we strive to improve on everyday. If you are a previous customer of The Lyons Roofing Company thank you for your feedback if you have provided it. If you have not had a chance and you know of a way to improve our services please let us know any way possible.

 

Thank you again to all of our Louisville and Southern Indiana Customers.

 

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