Colorado Roofing Contractors

About Colorado Roofing

Roofing contractors play an important role in building and construction. Their duties include consultation, roofing installation, and repair. Roofing contractors are trained to know the best roofing type for your area. Commercial roofing contractors work with rubber-based, tar, and gravel materials. Residential roofing contractors work with metal or asphalt roofing materials, and sometimes with cedar shank, depending on the climate. Roofing contractors are also responsible for weather-proofing roofs from water or harsh winters.

Typical Climate

Colorado is filled with dry, sunny days. Due to its situation in the Rocky Mountains, humidity isn't a problem in Colorado. Summer days are warm, and the nights are cool. In winter, Colorado experiences heavy snow fall. The biggest snow fall recorded in a 24-hour period was 76 inches in the Colorado town of Silver Lake on April 14, 1921. Because of a difference in elevation points, annual climate ranges by 22 degrees. At Lamar, annual temperature average is 54 degrees, and at John Martin Dam, annual temperature average is 32 degrees. The highest recorded temperature was 118 degrees on July 11, 1888, and the lowest recorded temperature was -61 degrees on February 1, 1985.

Common Roofing Issues

Because of Colorado's location in the Rocky Mountains, roofing contractors must use special techniques and roofing systems. Some stop-gap procedures include shoveling snow off the roofs to prevent leaks, repairing eaves, and installing electrical heat tapes that also help restore aesthetic harmony. Ice dams are the biggest problem in Colorado roofing. Ice dams form when the heat from inside the house starts to warm snow on the roof. The snow slides down the roof and, if the outdoor temperature is cold enough, refreezes in the eaves of the roof, creating a dam.

Licensing

The state of Colorado doesn't require licensing for roofing contractors. Roofing contractors may be subjected to city licensing requirements, and individuals seeking to hire a contractor should check at the local level. Another valuable place to check is the local chapter of the Better Business Bureau. The Colorado Roofing Association is a nonprofit organization containing 150 roofing contractors and other industry professionals. It provides a listing of roofing contractors. It is not, however, a consumer advocacy organization, and doesn't contain opinions about its members.

Energy Efficient Roofs

Johns Manville Corp. is an Energy Star partner in Colorado. Johns Mansville introduced GlasKap CR, which is an energy-efficient reflective, white fiberglass used in its roofing products. Johns Mansville provides single-ply, built-up, and modified bitumen membranes like the "Cool Roof." Cool roofs reflect the sunlight (and subsequent heat) off of the rooftop and can reduce temperatures up to 100 degrees.

Unusual Roofs

Colorado has a wide variety of unusual roofs. One of the most unique is the one atop the Air Force Academy Chapel. Built in the late 1950s, this modernist structure is a series of 17 spires said to mimic fighter jets pointed upward toward the sky. Another interesting building in Colorado is the National Center for Atmospheric Research near Boulder. Designed by I.M. Pei, this concrete building features flat, solid roofs. Its complexity and obstinate personality echo the rigid Rocky Mountains in Colorado.