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Free Roofing Estimate, Roof Repair Cost,  Roofing Contractor, Serving Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley over 10 Years of service
                                                                                   

Lighthouse Roofing & Repair was founded in the 1997 by James L Willard. James started roofing as a 18 year old in 1979
James has learned almost every type of repair and trends that could happen to a roof. He can Repair or Replace all the different types of roofing and is not limited to one specialty.  Samples Below...


 Popular roofing materials

   What most homeowners desire is a roof that's not too expensive, requires no maintenance, and lasts forever. But most roofs are replaced - or at least repaired - every ten years. By carefully choosing your home's roofing material, you can reduce the cost of replacement. In the long run, you'll use less building material, fill up less landfill space with discarded material, and put less demand on our natural resources. 

  You can realize other environmental benefits from your roofing choices. If you select a light-colored surface or a material that doesn't absorb heat from the sun, you significantly reduce your home's cooling needs. When your attic stays cooler, your cooling bills go down.

  There is a wide choice of materials used to roof a house, ranging from thatch - dried grass, to slate - pieces of stone. Modern products like plastic, fiberglass and concrete are available, and some innovative, energy-efficient homes are being roofed with sod. New products are being developed to overcome the shortcomings of older roofing materials, meet the demands of modern building techniques, and conform to increasingly stringent building codes. 

Here is a rundown on the most popular types of roofing. Remember that cost alone does not determine quality, and not all of these products will meet the needs of your home. But by carefully selecting the right material, making sure it's installed properly and performing modest maintenance occasionally, you can have a roof that functions properly for 20 to 50 years - or even longer. 

 Composition shingles

Composition shingles are a good choice for a clean look at an affordable price. Higher-quality versions made from asphalt or fiberglass shingles offer a more durable option and may be available with recycled content.

   Composition shingles come in a large selection of types, brands and colors. Versatile, they adapt easily to different applications. They are relatively easy to install, and in some applications can be nailed in place over an existing roof. They require low maintenance and can be walked on without damaging the material. Most brands offer Class A fire protection. 

   On the negative side, they can blow off in high winds. Material is easy to scar if hot. Does not have the dimensional look of tile or shake.

 

 
 Wood Shakes

  Wood shakes offer a natural look with a lot of character. Because of variations like color, width, thickness, or cut of the wood, no two shake roofs will ever be the same.

   Wood offers some energy benefits, too: it helps to insulate the attic, and it allows the house to breathe, circulating air through the small openings under the felt rows on which wooden shingles are laid. 

   A wood shake roof, however demands proper maintenance and repair, or it will not last as long as other products. Mold, rot, and insects can be a problem. The lifecycle cost of a shake roof may be high, and old shakes can't be recycled. 

   Most wood shakes are unrated by fire safety codes. Many use wipe or spray-on fire retardants which offer less protection and are only effective for a few years. There are pressure-treated shakes, however, that are impregnated with fire retardant and meet national fire safety standards. Made by companies like Chemco, this pressure treating extends the life of wood shingles and provides better fire safety performance. 

   Installing wood shakes is more complicated than roofing with composite shingles, and the quality of finished roof depends on the experience of the contractor as well as the caliber of the shakes you use. The best shakes come from the heartwood of large old cedar trees. Care should be taken when selecting shakes as the quality varies greatly from different shake mills. 


 

  

 Clay Tile

  Clay roofing tile is a good choice for homes with a southwestern, Italian, or Spanish Mission design, or even for homes with a modern, clean look.

   Tile lasts a long time - its expected lifespan is greater than the lifespan of the material on which the roofing rests. Tile won't rot or burn, and it can't be harmed by insects. It requires little maintenance, and comes in a variety of colors, types, styles and brands. 

    The biggest drawback to tile is its weight. Depending on the material used to make it, tile can be very heavy - so heavy that extra roof support can be required.  With some new materials, however, color is added only on the surface of the tile, and they can fade over time. 

   Tiles are fragile, so walking on them can break them. That makes it more difficult to accomplish maintenance like painting or cleaning rain gutters or fireplaces. Initial installation can be complicated. 

   Finally, tile can cost more than other roofing materials. 

 

 

 Slate

   Slate - actual shingle-like slivers of rock - is another roofing material that shows up on more upscale homes. Although slate is an expensive choice, it offers a very natural look and can be laid out in a variety of patterns.

   The benefits of slate are identical to those of tile: a very long lifespan, good fire protection, low maintenance, and an invulnerably to rot and insects. It comes in a good selection of sizes and colors, although colors are limited to those found in nature. 

   Like tile, slate can be very heavy, sometimes requiring expensive extra support. It, to, is breakable enough that walking on it is difficult for a non-professional, complicating such tasks as rooftop maintenance, gutter cleaning and painting. 

 

 

 Concrete Tile

   Concrete tile is now a roofing material. Shingles, simulated wood shakes, lighter-weight tiles and concrete panels are being manufactured from a variety of fiber-reinforced cement products. Some are coated with plastics, enamels, or thin metals, and some contain recycled material. Although the products themselves are not yet recyclable, they are a good choice for durability and resource efficiency.

   The advantages of concrete roofing vary from product to product, but generally they all have a long lifespan, require low maintenance, offer good fire protection and are resistant to rot and insects. Many tiles mimic the appearance of wood shakes, while improving on the durability and fire protection that real wood affords. It can approximate the look of clay tile or slate while mitigating the structural problems caused by the weight of the real material. 

   Concrete is more expensive than some roofing materials, and early types of concrete roofing had problems with the material curling, breaking and changing color. Technology has improved, however, and these problems have mostly been overcome. Style and color choices are expanding, and by mixing the cement with additives, manufacturers and making lighter and lighter products. 

 

 

 Metal Roofing

   Metal roofs are coming back into vogue. In the late 1700s, zinc, copper, and lead were the most popular materials used for roofing - such famous historic buildings as the Washington Monument and Thomas Jefferson's Monticello have metal roofs.

   Standing-seam steel roofing is the most popular residential metal roofing today. (The term standing-seam describes the upturned edge of one metal panel that connects it to adjacent sections, creating distinctive vertical lines and a trendy historical look.) But metal roofs can also be made to resemble wood shakes, clay tiles, shingles, and Victorian metal tiles. Aluminum or coated steel is formed into individual shingles or tiles, or into modular panels four feet long that mimic a row of shingles or tiles. 

   Metal roofs are durable, fire retardant and almost maintenance-free. They are also energy efficient; metal reflects heat and blocks its transfer into the attic. Research by the Florida Solar Energy Center in 1985 showed that metal absorbed 34 percent less heat than asphalt shingles, and homeowners switching to metal roofing reported saving up to 20 percent on their energy bills. 

   Steel roofs offer other environmental benefits as well. They are made from between 60 percent to 65 percent recyclable material. Because they weigh very little, metal roofing can be installed over existing roofs, eliminating the need to dispose of excess material in a landfill. 

   Installing some metal roofing can be an intricate process best done by a professional, and the initial cost of a premium metal roof is higher than most other roofing materials. You need to compute the lifecycle cost to see if paying more to begin with for a metal roof will prove to be a better investment than some other form of roofing. 

 

 

 Hot Mop

  Hot Mop Mostly seen in commercial applications, hot mopped asphalt roofing is sometimes applied to flat or semi-flat residential roofs that have good access and proper drainage. Asphalt's advantage is that it is less expensive than other roofing materials and holds up fairly well when properly applied. The technique results in a roof that's not very pretty, although in residential use it is often covered with a layer of decorative stone to improve the appearance. You've no doubt noticed roofing projects that use this technique, since it requires a large kettle of melted asphalt. When being applied, the hot mixture releases extremely high levels of smelly air pollutants. In addition to being unpleasant, the hot asphalt poses a health risk to installers. Because its fumes contribute to smog, hot mopped asphalt may be restricted in some urban areas.

 


Algae


Rooftop fungus that can leave dark stains on roofing.

Angled Fasteners

Roofing nails and staples driven into decks at angles not parallel to the deck.

APA

American Plywood Association. Tests and sets standards for all varieties of plywoods used in the U.S.

Apron Flashing

Metal flashing used at chimney fronts.

ARMA

Asphalt Roofing Manufacturer’s Association. Organization of roofing manufacturers.

Asphalt

A bituminous waterproofing agent used in various types of roofing materials.

Asphalt Concrete Primer

Asphalt based primer used to prepare concrete and metal for asphalt sealant.

Asphalt Plastic Cement

Asphalt based sealant material, meeting ASTM D4586 Type I or II. Used to seal and adhere roofing materials. Also called mastic, blackjack, roof tar, bull.

ASTM

The American Society for Testing and Materials. Organization that sets standards for a wide variety of materials, including roofing.
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Back Surfacing


Granular material added to shingle’s back to assist in keeping separate during delivery and storage.

Blistering

Bubbles or pimples in roofing materials. Usually moisture related. In shingles blisters are either moisture under the material or moisture trapped inside the material.

Blow-Offs

When shingles are subjected to high winds, and are forced off a roof deck.

Buckling

When a wrinkle or ripple affects shingles or their underlayments.
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Closed-Cut Valley


A shingle valley installation method where one roof plane’s shingles completely cover the other’s. The top layer is cut to match the valley lines.

Cobra®


GAFMC’s respected brand name for ventilation products.

Corrosion

When rust, rot or age negatively affect roofing metals.

Counter-Flashing

The metal or siding material that is installed over roof-top base flashing systems.

Country Mansion®

GAFMC’s limited lifetime warranty shingle.

Crickets

A peaked water diverter installed behind chimneys and other large roof projections. Effectively diverts water around projections.

Cupping

When shingles are improperly installed over an existing roof or are over-exposed, they form a curl or cup.
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Deck


The substrate over which roofing is applied. Usually plywood, wood boards, or planks.

Dormer

A raised roof extending out of a larger roof plane.

Drip-Edge

An installed lip that keeps shingles up off of the deck at edges, and extends shingles out over eaves and gutters, and prevents

Dubl-Coverage® Mineral Guard


Roll roofing material with 19" selvage edge for double coverage over roof deck.
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Eaves


The roof edge from the fascia to the structure’s outside wall. In general terms, the first three feet across a roof is termed the eave.

End-Laps

When installing rolled products in roofing, the area where a roll ends on a roof, and is overlapped by the next section of rolled material. (underlayments, rolled roofing)

Exposure

The area on any roofing material that is left exposed to the elements.
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Fasteners


Nails or staples used in securing roofing to the deck. Felt-Organic or paper-based rolled material saturated with asphalt to serve as roofing underlayment.

FHA

The Federal Housing Authority. Sets construction standards
throughout the U.S.

Fiberglass Mat


fibers condensed into strong, resilient mats for use in roofing materials.

Flange


Metal pan extending up or down a roof slope around flashing pieces. Usually at chimneys and plumbing vents

Flashing

Materials used to waterproof a roof around any projections

Flashing Cement

Sealant designed for use around flashing areas, typically thicker than plastic cement.
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Gable Roof


Traditional roof style; two peaked roof planes meeting at a ridge line of equal size.

GAFCant®


GAFMC cant strips for deflecting water away from flashing areas. Typically used on low slope roofs.

Golden Pledge®


GAFMC’s strongest limited warranty for shingles. America’s strongest steep slope warranty.

Grand Sequoia®


GAFMC shingle with wood shake appearance.

Grand Slate™


GAFMC shingle with slate appearance.

Granules

Crushed rock that is coated with a ceramic coating and fired, used as top surface on shingles.
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Hand-Sealing


The method to assure sealing of shingles on very steep slopes, in high wind areas, and when installing in cold weather.

High Nailing

When shingles are nailed or fastened above the manufacturer’s specified nail location.

Hip Legs

The down-slope ridges on hip roofs.

Hip Roof


A roof with four roof planes coming together at a peak and four separate hip legs.
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Ice Dam


When a snow load melts on a roof and re-freezes at the eave areas. Ice dams force water to "back-up" a roof and cause leakage.
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"L" Flashing


Continuous metal flashing consisting of several feet of metal. Used at horizontal walls, bent to resemble an "L".

Laminated Shingles

Shingles made from two separate pieces that are laminated together. GAFMC Timberline® Series, Country Mansion® and Grand Sequoia® Shingles. Also called dimensional shingles and architectural shingles.

Laps

The area where roll roofing or rolled underlayments overlap one another during application (see also side laps and end laps).

Low Slopes

Roof pitches less than 4/12 are considered low sloped roofs. Special installation practices must be used on roofs sloped 2/12-4/12.

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Mansard

A roof design with a nearly vertical roof plane that ties into a roof plane of less slope at its peak.

Mats

The general term for the base material of shingles and certain rolled products.

Modified bitumen

Rolled roofing membrane with polymer modified asphalt and either polyester or fiberglass reinforcement.

Mortar

Mixture of sand, mortar, limestone and water used in bonding a chimney’s bricks together.

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Nail Guide Line


Painted line on laminated shingles, to aid in the proper placement of fasteners.

Nail-Pop

When a nail is not fully driven, it sits up off the roof deck.

Nesting


Installing a second layer of shingles aligning courses with the
original roof to avoid shingle cupping.

NRCA

The National Roofing Contractors Association. Respected national organization of roofing contractors.
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Open Valley


Valley installation using metal down the valley center.

Organic Mat

Material made from recycled wood pulp and paper.

Organic Shingles

Shingles made from organic (paper) mats.

OSB

Oriented Strand Board. A decking made from wood chips and lamination glues.

Over-Driven

The term used for fasteners driven through roofing material with too much force, breaking the material.

Over-Exposed

Installing shingle courses higher than their intended exposure.
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Quarter Sized


Term for the size of hand sealant dabs, size of a U.S. 25¢ piece.
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Racking


Method of installing shingles in a straight up the roof manner.

Rake Edge

The vertical edge of gable style roof planes.

Release Film

The plastic sheet installed on the back of Weather Watch® and StormGuard® underlayments. Used for packaging and handling. Remove before installation.

Rigid Vent

Hard plastic ridge vent material.

Roof Louvers

Rooftop rectangular shaped roof vents. Also called box vents, mushroom vents, airhawks, soldier vents.

Roof Plane


A roofing area defined by having four separate edges. One side of a gable, hip or mansard roof.
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Sawteeth


The exposed section of double thickness on Timberline® Series shingles. Shaped to imitate wood shake look on the roof.

Self-Sealant

Sealant installed on shingles. After installation, heat and sun will activate sealant to seal the shingles to each other.

Selvage

The non exposed area on rolled roofing. Area without granules. Designed for nail placement and sealant.

Shed Roof

Roof design of a single roof plane. Area does not tie into any other roofs.

Shingle-Mate®

GAFMC’s shingle underlayment. Breather type with fiberglass backing to reduce wrinkles and buckles.

Side-Laps

The area on rolled material where one roll overlaps the rolled material beneath it. Also called selvage edge on rolled roofing.

Side-Walls


Where a vertical roof plane meets a vertical wall. The sides of dormers etc.

Soffit Ventilation


Intake ventilation installed under the eaves, or at the roof edge.

Smart Choice® Limited Warranty


GAFMC’s standard shingle limited warranty.

Smart Choice® System
Plus Limited Warranty


GAFMC’s next grade of enhanced warranty. Extended coverage for owners.

Starter Strip

The first course of roofing installed. Usually trimmed from main roof material.

Steep Slope Roofing

Generally all slopes higher than 4/12 are considered steep slopes.

Step-Flashing


Metal flashing pieces installed at side-walls and chimneys for weather-proofing.

StormGuard®


GAFMC waterproof underlayment. Film surfaced rolled underlayment, 1.5 squares coverage per roll.
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Tab

The bottom portion of traditional shingle separated by the shingle cut-outs.

Tear-Off


Removal of existing roofing materials down to the roof deck.

Telegraphing

When shingles reflect the uneven surface beneath them. Shingles installed over buckled shingles may show some buckles.

Timberline® Series

GAFMC’s trademark name for laminated wood shake style shingles.

TIMBERTEX®

GAFMC enhanced Hip and Ridge Shingles.

Transitions


When a roof plane ties into another roof plane that has a different pitch or slope.

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Under-Driven


Term used to describe a fastener not fully driven flush to the shingles surface.

Underlayments

Asphalt based rolled materials designed to be installed under main roofing material, to serve as added protection.
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Valleys


Area where two adjoining sloped roof planes intersect on a roof creating a "V" shaped depression.

Vapor


Term used to describe moisture laden air.

Ventilation

The term used in roofing for the passage of air from an enclosed space.
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Warm Wall


The finished wall inside of a structure, used in roofing to determine how to install waterproof underlayments at eaves.

Warranty


The written promise to the owner of roofing materials for material related problems.

Waterproof Underlayments

Modified bitumen based roofing underlayments. Designed to seal to wood decks and waterproof critical leak areas.

Weather Stopper® Integrated Roofing System™

GAFMC’s complete roofing system and components.

WeatherWatch®

GAFMC’s granule surfaced waterproof underlayment.

Woven Valleys

The method of installing valleys by laying one shingle over the other up the valley center

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