Roofing questions, answered
Everything we get asked, grouped by when people usually ask it. If your question is not here, call and ask it directly.
General
Do you answer the phone 24 hours a day?
Yes, every day of the year. Emergency roofing that only answers during business hours is not emergency roofing. If a crew cannot reach you immediately we give you a real arrival window and walk you through interior containment on the call.
Where are you based?
Our office is at 7738 Madison Blvd #119, Huntsville, AL 35806. That location sits between Huntsville and Madison, which keeps response times short across the western metro.
What areas do you serve?
Huntsville and Madison, plus Harvest, Meridianville, Hampton Cove, Big Cove, Owens Cross Roads, Monte Sano and the surrounding Madison County communities. Roughly a thirty mile radius, stretched further for emergency dry-in after a large storm.
Are you licensed and insured in Alabama?
Yes. We carry general liability and workers compensation coverage and can provide certificates of insurance on request, which commercial property managers usually need before crews arrive on site.
Do you work on commercial buildings?
Yes, including low-slope membrane work on offices, retail, warehouse and multi-family buildings, with after-hours scheduling so tenant operations are not disrupted.
Emergencies
What counts as a roofing emergency?
Active water entering the building, a sagging or bulging ceiling, daylight visible through the attic deck, a tree or limb on the roof, a section of covering blown away, or any opening with rain forecast in the next 48 hours.
Will you go on the roof during a storm?
No. Nobody should be on a wet roof with lightning nearby, and any roofer who promises otherwise is selling you a story. During active weather we handle interior containment, attic protection and documentation, then dry the roof in as soon as the cell passes.
What should I do while I wait for you?
Move people clear of the room, switch off the breaker if water is near a fixture, drain a bulging ceiling deliberately with a bucket underneath, contain what you can, and photograph everything before you clean up. Stay off the roof.
Can I tarp the roof myself?
You can, and we will talk you through it if you are waiting. Understand the risk clearly though. Wet roofs are slick, storm-damaged decking may not hold your weight, and most serious roofing injuries happen to homeowners rather than roofers.
How long does an emergency tarp last?
A properly battened dry-in holds for several weeks to a few months depending on exposure. It exists to get you to the permanent repair, not to be a season's roof.
Repairs and replacement
Can my roof be repaired or does it need replacing?
It depends on remaining service life, not on the damage alone. Isolated damage on a roof with years left is a repair. Widespread damage, a discontinued shingle line, or a covering already near end of life pushes toward replacement. We tell you which one you are looking at and why.
Can you match my existing shingles?
Usually, if the product is still manufactured. Expect a visible difference at first because the existing roof has weathered. On discontinued lines we can sometimes pull matching material from a low-visibility slope and use new product there instead.
Why did my last roof repair fail?
The usual reason is that the repair was made at the ceiling stain rather than the actual entry point, or that the defect was sealed with caulk instead of corrected with flashing. Sealant is a maintenance product with a service life, not a substitute for geometry that sheds water.
Do I need a permit for roof work in Huntsville?
Repairs generally do not; full replacement typically does. Which authority issues it depends on whether your address is inside Huntsville, inside Madison, or in unincorporated Madison County. We handle the permit as part of the job and confirm current requirements before work starts.
Should I layer new shingles over the old roof?
No. A layover hides the decking, adds dead load, traps heat that shortens the new roof's life and makes every future repair harder. It exists to save labour, and the saving comes out of the roof's service life.
Insurance
Should I call you or my insurance company first?
Call us first. Most Alabama policies require you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, and emergency tarping is exactly that. Our dated photographs of the original failure point also make the claim substantially easier to document.
Do you handle the insurance claim for me?
No, and legally we should not. In Alabama, negotiating a claim on a policyholder's behalf is public adjusting and it is a licensed activity. What we do is document the damage accurately, write a defensible line-item scope, and be on the roof with the adjuster.
Will you waive my deductible?
No. Absorbing, rebating or waiving a deductible is insurance fraud, and any contractor who offers it is telling you exactly what their invoices are worth.
Can my insurer require me to use their contractor?
No. A carrier can recommend a preferred contractor, but choosing who repairs your roof is your decision.
What if my claim comes back underpaid?
Usually that reflects an incomplete inspection rather than a final judgment. You can request a re-inspection and submit your own documentation. Most Alabama policies also include an appraisal provision for valuation disputes, and the Alabama Department of Insurance accepts consumer complaints.
Working with us
How do I get a written scope?
Every visit ends with one, sent before we leave the driveway on emergency calls and within a working day on scheduled inspections. It is written in line-item form so it can be compared against an adjuster's estimate rather than taken on trust.
Do you clean up afterwards?
Yes. Full-property cleanup including a magnetic sweep of the driveway, lawn and flowerbeds. Nails in tyres are the most common complaint about roofing work anywhere and it is entirely preventable.
Can you work around my schedule?
For commercial and occupied buildings, yes, including nights and weekends. For residential emergency work we come when you call. For scheduled work we book around you as far as weather allows.
See our Huntsville emergency roof repair homepage or browse all services.
Roof open? We dispatch 24 hours a day.
Call and a person answers. We talk you through containment, give you a real arrival window, and dry the roof in tonight.