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A Homeowner’s Guide to the Willamette Valley Climate When homeowners in the Willamette Valley ask, “How long does a roof last?”, they are often surprised

You know your roof needs attention—or maybe you’ve just received a roofing quote—and now you’re wondering what comes next. Between confusing terminology and uncertainty around costs, the roofing process can quickly feel overwhelming. It shouldn’t be this complicated—and it doesn’t have to be. That’s why we created Roofing Basics 101: The Homeowner’s Guide to Roofing to help you understand your options and move forward with confidence.

The Tesla Solar Roof has been a true game-changer in the solar and roofing industries. It provides homeowners with a versatile, low-maintenance way to produce their own sustainable power. The Tesla Solar Roof is more than just a roof system. It’s a complete solar energy setup which can be customized to meet your energy needs.

If you need a new roof, you might be thinking of adding solar in the process. Solar energy solutions save you money on your electric bill, and they also safeguard you against power outages.

Roof replacement is often expensive, regardless of which materials you choose. So, as you look over roof options and see that a Tesla Solar Roof is one of the most costly, you may be tempted to just cross it off the list. If your goal is to save money long-term, this would be a mistakes. Although it comes at a higher up-front cost than most roofs, the Tesla Solar Roof saves homeowners money over time.

The number one roofing material in the United States is asphalt shingles and it’s easy to understand why. They perform well, offer a wide range of architectural designs, and have a long lifespan.

Well-designed skylights add beauty, style, and value to your home. They can also save energy and provide health benefits. A skylight in the master bedroom provides a panorama of the night sky. A skylight installed in a dark kitchen or a windowless bathroom floods the room with natural light, completely transforming its character.

For years, metal roofs made from corrugated panels belonged on sheds, barns, or commercial buildings. They seemed too plain for residential roofs. But today’s metal roofs have been given a major facelift. A broad array of diverse colors, textures, and design options are available, no matter what style of roof you desire.

Metal roofs have more than tripled in popularity in recent years because of their durability, energy efficiency, and environmental performance. A properly installed metal roof can last 40 years or more, with minimal maintenance. Compared to asphalt shingles, the following features make them a more environmentally friendly choice.

For many years, flat or low-slope roofs were a maintenance problem in the rainy northwest. The built-up asphalt roofing used in the past wasn’t long-lasting and often leaked. But today that’s all changed. Low slope roofing systems now use a membrane made from a continuous roll of material such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or TPO (thermoplastic olefin). When professionally installed, these low-slope roofs provide good drainage, as well as energy savings, fire resistance, and long life.

You are preparing to list your home, but you have a dilemma. The house you are selling has an older roof that probably needs replacing or extensive repairs. Do you make the large investment to replace the roof before putting the house on the market? Or, do you leave the roof as-is and hope the buyers don’t negotiate too low a selling price?

Do you dream of a home or office drenched in natural light? Adding more natural light helps you be more productive, happier, healthier and calmer. Installing skylights and sun tunnels can reduce the effects of certain afflictions, such as winter depression and seasonal affective disorder. And adding natural light saves on energy bills.

When protecting the investment you’ve made in your home, keeping gutters clean seem like such a small issue. Yet clogged gutters can cause enormous damage to your roof, attic, ceilings, walls, landscaping and foundation. The silent damage done by clogged gutters can be very expensive to repair. Long-term water damage can even cause your house to collapse.

If your roof has been heavily damaged by high winds, hail, snowstorm, rain or other acts of God, you urgently need to repair or replace it quickly, before further damage is done. To get your homeowner’s insurance to pay for a roof replacement, you’ll need to review your homeowner’s policy, work with a certified roof inspector to identify damage, document the damage, contact your insurer, and file a claim.

The first step to finding out whether you need a new roof is to physically inspect your roof, from both the inside and the outside. Just because you find roof damage, you may not have to do a full roof replacement. You might be able to just do some repairs. The age of your roof is a big determining factor on whether you need a new roof.

For decades, three-tab asphalt shingles were the most popular roofing material. In the 1970s thicker shingles started being manufactured that imitated the 3-dimensional profile of natural wood or slate shingles. Today, you can choose from several styles of man-made asphalt shingles, as well as natural roofing materials like wood and slate.

A solid roof above your head is crucial if you want a warm, cozy, leak-free home. Here’s some potential problems with roofs and whether these issues are serious enough to require a new roof or just a roofing repair.

Beauty and livability of geodesic dome home optimized using industry-leading technology, attention to detail & craftsmanship. It’s a bit of a shock when a home owner says, “We’ve lived in our wonderfully unique home for 25 years, and this is our first real roof.” You’d never know it, looking at the immaculate, brightly colored roof, roofline trim details, and perfectly matched shingle cut lines.

“When we were first contacted by the Board of Salem’s First Christian Church, recalls Trever Pfeifer, “they made it clear that they wanted a state of the art roof that would be durable, energy-efficient and aesthetically pleasing for the church that had served as an architectural and social anchor in downtown Salem since 1952.” A pitched roof with three layers of shingles, original shiplap sheathing, and a shallow, un-insulated space between the roof and the cathedral ceiling made for significant challenges.

For two generations, Pfeifer Roofing has served business owners in the mid-Willamette Valley with craft, technical proficiency and exceptional customer service. Pfeifer Roofing was founded in 1978 by Chris Pfeifer, his vision was to create a roofing company delivering unequaled quality, performance and value. In 1989, Pfeifer Roofing was called upon to work with another Oregon visionary, Jim Bernau of Willamette Valley Vineyards (WVV).