News | Top Dog Home Pro

Roofing Warranty: What Kind of Warranty Do You Offer?

When it comes to replacing your home’s roof, we understand the importance of a comprehensive roofing warranty.

Here at Top Dog Home Pro, we also recognize that most of the questions we are asked when homeowners are considering replacing their home’s roof revolve around the roofing warranty.

And rightfully so.

Replacing your home’s roof is an investment, and like any investment, you want to make sure you’re getting the best product and ROI!

That is why we have taken the time to craft an article for you that explains all of the warranties we offer when it comes to our shingles. Today you will read about:

Roofing Warranties we offer
Shingle Product warranties
Labor warranties

What Roofing Warranty Do You Offer?

By far the most frequently asked question we get is, “What warranty do you offer?”

This is a very important question and as a homeowner, it’s important to know what your warranty consists of. Here at Top Dog Home Pro we are CertainTeed ShingleMaster, which means we have the ability to offer:

A comprehensive LIFETIME Labor Warranty
A 4-Star CertainTeed Extended Warranty

Roofing Warranty: Manufacture Warranty Info

When you use a CertainTeed ShingleMaster we are able to guarantee a full manufactures warranty. Why is this important you ask?

One reason we recommend Architectural Shingles (Landmark PRO) over 3-tab shingles installed by a certified installer is that the warranty is NOT pro-rated!

CertainTeed shingles come with a 20-year manufacture warranty, meaning if by the off chance that during year 19 something happens to your shingles – you get the full amount.

However, if your new roof is not installed by a CertainTeed ShingleMaster, it’s a pro-rated warranty.

The manufacture warranty covers the entire roofing system – not just the shingles.

Here are a few specifics behind the LANDMARK architectural shingle series manufacture roofing warranty:

Lifetime limited transferable warranty against manufacturing defects on residential applications
50-year limited transferable warranty against manufacturing defects on group-owned or commercial applications (Landmark PRO and Landmark Premium)
StreakFighter® algae-resistance warranty (10-year – Landmark, 15-year – Landmark PRO and Premium)
10-year SureStart™ protection
15-year 110 mph wind-resistance warranty
Wind warranty upgrade to 130 mph available.
CertainTeed starter and CertainTeed hip and ridge required

Landmark PRO Architectural Shingle Warranty:

Lifetime limited warranty
15-year algae resistance
10-year SureStart protection includes
15-year 110 MPH wind warranty with an upgrade to 130 MPH available

See CertainTeed Landmark PRO brochure here.

Landmark Warranty (Architectural Shingles):

Lifetime limited warranty
15-year algae resistance
10-year SureStart protection includes
15-year 110 MPH wind warranty with an upgrade to 130 MPH available

See CertainTeed Landmark brochure here.

XT25 (3-Tab) Shingle Warranty:

25-year, limited transferable warranty
5-year SureStart™ warranty (100% replacement and labor costs due to manufacturing defects)
10-year StreakFighter® warranty (on available colors) against streaking and discoloration caused by airborne algae
5-year, 60 mph wind-resistance warranty

See XT25 3-Tab brochure here.

Top Dog Home Pro Labor Roofing Warranty:

At Top Dog Home Pro of Northern Virginia, we offer our CertainTeed Lifetime Labor Warranty.

This means if your shingles leak, a shingle blows off it’s covered (outside of tree branch tearing off shingles or a wind gust of 130 mph). To put this in perspective as it pertains to wind gusts – the 2018 Noreaster wind storm didn’t even come close to 130 MPH.

In fact, the scope of the warranty would have protected homes with CertainTeed shingles installed by us had there been issues!

What’s the diff between a Three-Tab Shingle & Architectural Shingle?

Simply put, in addition to the look, color, and quality – the warranties are different.

3 Tab = 20 year non-prorated warranty
Architectural = 50 Year non-prorated Warranty

As far as durability, Quality Discount Roofing of Florida put it this way:

“Three-tab asphalt shingles have one shingle tab size and shape that consists of three separate tabs that are 12 inches wide. They are coated with asphalt to shed water. Architectural shingles are characterized as dimensional or laminate and come in varying sizes and shapes. They are thicker and present a more multi-sided appearance, which is often compared to a shake- type look.”

For just $20 more a square (100 square feet) you can have a lifetime warranty. Not to mention the look and quality of architectural shingles are that much better!

The price difference is between $400-$1,200 for an average townhome or single-family home. In the long run, the extra $400, $800, or $1,200 is worth the extended lifetime labor and product warranties!

You can also use our build & price roofing page to help you gauge pricing!

Build Your Roof Here!

Final Word on Roofing Warranties

This might be the most important thing you read when it comes to your roof replacement/new roof:

Your roofing warranty matters.

Can you find a roofing contractor who can complete a new roof for a cheaper cost? Yes, that is possible.

However, especially as it pertains to replacing your roof and shingles, cheaper is not always better.

Lower quality shingles, a less or non-existent warranty are why some companies install “Cheaper Roofs” in cost, but not in quality. It’s important to recognize your home’s new roof as a long term investment.

The investment (your roof) has a better ROI when your warranty is a lifetime warranty (Using Architectural shingles with a ShingleMaster installer) vs a lesser or non-existent warranty.

While a warranty can sometimes seem like not a big deal, a windstorm like the one in the spring of 2018 that resulted in damage across the entire Northern VA region impacted many homeowner’s roofs.

However – the Top Dog Home Pro warranty would have covered these issues for many!

July 24, 2020/by Top Dog Home Pro Squad!

Avoid Gruesome Gutters – Why Gutter Maintenance is Vital

July 15, 2020/by Luke Mitchell

Gutters, Gutters and Gutter Guards

Are Gutter Guards Worth It? (And Steps to Take to Get Them)

“Are gutter guards worth it?”

If we have heard it once, we have hear it one-hundred times, the infamous gutter guard question.

As one of the leading residential gutter contractors in the Northern, VA area, one of the most common questions we get from homeowners as it pertains to gutters whether or not gutter guards are truly worth the cost and installation!

In this article we hope to quickly help you identify:

The value behind gutter guards
Issues with selecting the WRONG gutter guards
What your best options are when it comes to selecting gutter guards

That being said, let’s div in and start by answering the question:

Are Gutter Guards Worth It?

Gutter guards keep the maintenance and make the cleaning of your gutters easier.

In this article’s cover photo, going clockwise, you see clean empty gutters, screen gutter guards (that are damaged) and surface-tension Raindrop gutter guards.

The initial investment of gutter guards can save you plenty of time and money over a few years of time depending on the type of guard you decide to purchase.

Whether or not you install the guards yourself or have it professionally installed, the answer to the question on whether gutter guards are worth it is not so straight forward – it really depends.

While it may keep maintenance and make cleaning a lot easier, it is NOT the ultimate solution to never having to clean your gutters again in most cases (Keep reading to see what is).

What Gutter Guards Do –

The concept behind gutter guards is simple, it’s sort of in the name.

Essentially, it is a cover placed over your gutters or an object placed inside of your gutters, to prevent any leaves, sticks, seeds, and other debris from clogging your gutters.

Correctly selected gutter guards should allow for water to easily flow and enter the gutter and drain out the house.

When clogged, gutters can overflow. If too much water gets caught in the gutters, it may overflow and cause water damage. Gutters may sag or pull away from your roof, potentially causing it to rot, mold, or cause structural damage on the home.

Types of Gutter Guards

Similar to picking up toothpaste at the store, and coincidentally suffering from paralysis by analysis, there are quite a few varieties of gutter guards to choose from. The common gutter guards include:

Brush,
Foam,
Reverse-curve or slit guards,
Micromesh,
Metal Screens,
Surface Tension Gutter Guards

They each have their list of advantages and disadvantages when it comes to installing these guards on your gutters. And whether you can do it yourself or you must have it installed professionally depends on the guard.

However, preventing debris from clogging the gutters, and the amount of maintenance required to keep the gutters clean and working properly depends on the guard (You can read this article ranking the best types of gutter guards).

This is also important to note, that when deciding whether or not gutter guards are worth it, it’s best to look at the possible problems.

Problems with Gutter Guards

When deciding on gutter guards, you want to select a guard that is:

Self-cleaning
Requires little to NO maintenance
Doesn’t cost more than $1500-$2000 for your home (single-family home)
Still lets the gutters do their job.

In the list below you will see the problems with most gutter guards and what we recommend going with:

Brush gutter guards:

They are made of strong bristles and are easily installed by inserting it along the inside of the gutter and gives the rainwater a chance to flow and drain. While the installation is easy, the maintenance can be a bit of a hassle as debris such as leaves may collect alongside the bristles or at times be stuck on them. Furthermore, they don’t catch smaller debris like maple spinners or pine needles. To reach and clean the smaller debris, you must remove the brush gutter guards altogether, clean them, and reinstall them again.

Foam gutter guards:

Like brush gutter guards, they install the same way and are also easy to do so. However, just like brush gutter guards, foam gutter guards collect debris on the top of the foam. Seed may get caught inside the foam and grow vegetation, as well as mold and mildew. Foam guards are usually not a great long-term solution as they usually deteriorate after two years of use and become brittle. Cannot withstand harsh weather conditions. Lastly, you must uninstall them and reinstall them if you want to give a proper cleaning.

Reverse-curve gutter guards or slit guards:

Cover over your gutters and move rainwater and debris downwards, the majority of these guards must be professionally installed. Some of these guards lift your roof shingles, potentially voiding your warranty. Aesthetically, they don’t look all that well since they are noticeable from the ground, furthermore, since the debris simply falls downwards, they collect underneath where the gutter is located. Debris may get caught on the slit and slowly clog the gutter. Lastly, you may have a pest issue as some bees or wasps may enter the slit and create a nest.

Micromesh gutter guards:

They are usually a screen/filter that has holes invisible to the naked eye, are attached at the top of the gutter, allowing water to flow freely while catching debris of all sizes. Micromesh is usually installed by professionals, making them a bit more expensive than a DIY solution, but well worth the cost. Plastic frames usually fall over time, always opt for an aluminum or metal frame.

Metal screeners & screen guards:

Like micromesh, they are attached at the top of the gutter but can be clipped on the outer lip of the gutter. The holes on the metal screens allow for rainwater to flow, however, they also allow small debris to flow as well, furthermore, nuts and some leaves may clog the opening of the screen, interrupting water flow and causing it to clog. In high winds, they may be lifted and blown off.

Gutter Guards that Work – Raindrop Gutter Guards

Raindrop Gutter guards are relatively easy to install yourself or can be installed professionally.

They are a surface-tension gutter guard that are SELF-CLEANING, yet they still let water move through and go down your downspouts. Just see for yourself:

Ranidrop gutter guards are flxible and durable!

In addition to being durable and allowing water to flow through, Raindrop guards are self-cleaning, which is why we can offer a no-clog warranty!

The gutter guards are installed under the roof shingles and attached to the front of the gutter creating a solid surface that can withstand heavy storms. Raindrop’s design is simple:

Keep the leaves out
Let the rain in
Last forever
Zero maintenance

Installing Raindrop Gutter Guards:

Usually, the installation can be customizable, raindrop gutter guards can be inserted underneath your shingles (as mentioned) and placed over your gutter and drilled on the outer lip of the gutter to better secure it.

Using this method, the gutter guards are at the appropriate slant to allow for water flow, yet unlike mesh guards that are flush mounts – you won’t have leaves pile up on top.

Made from its own unique blend of polypropylene, Raindrop gutter guards allow water to flow freely and have debris fall off the gutter, preventing it from getting clogged. These gutter guards are not visible and appear to be the shadow of the roof from the ground.

Raindrop Gutter Guard

Final Word on Gutter Guards:

There are a variety of gutter guards, and truth be told you can select the wrong guard.

If the point is to protect your gutters so you don’t have to clean them, then in our experience over the years the only choice is Raindrop gutter guards.

Raindrop gutter guards are worth it and do the best to protect your home from harsh winter snow and ice and heavy rainfall. Making it a great investment to make on your home in which you can save plenty of time and money on your gutter maintenance.

Whether you decide to install it yourself or have it installed professionally (which we recommend).

Lastly, be sure to do your research and due diligence in regards to what gutter guard is best for you and your home and don’t just take our word for it.

However, we are confident, that the more you look into seeing the value of what gutter guards are worth it, you will quickly realize Raindrop is the best – and they don’t pay us to say that :)!

July 6, 2020/1 Comment/by Top Dog Home Pro Squad!

Gutters, Gutters and Gutter Guards, News, Roof Replacement, Roofing

Top Dog Home Pro – The Leader in Roofing & Gutters For Your Home

Whether you’re looking for roofing companies in Woodbridge, VA or a gutter company nearby – we got your covered (roofs) and wrapped (gutters)!

All jokes aside, our #1 goal at Top Dog Home Pro is to always provide the utmost quality workmanship, with the highest quality products, and the best warranties when it comes to helping you protect the exterior of your home.

And it’s because of that we have decided to streamline all our efforts to bring to you the most superior roofing services and gutter services in Woodbridge and surrounding areas!

Let us take a few minutes to elaborate!

Your Experts in Roofing and Gutters

When Michael Phelps set out to become the most decorated Olympian of all time – regardless of sports – he didn’t just happen to get lucky in winning 23 gold medals and 28 total, his work ethic was unparalleled.

One publication was quoted as saying that Phelps would swim a minimum of 80,000 meters a week, or 50 miles. He would practice twice a day for around five to six hours a day, and six days a week.

In addition to being the best, he trained to be the best, and he became a master of his craft! That is why we have decided to focus 100% of our efforts on becoming the leading exterior remodeling company in Northern Virginia as it pertains to roofing and gutters!

While we certainly will miss completing siding jobs, replacing windows, and installing new doors (and we still can help homeowners with this) we have decided that to be the best roofing company and gutter company, we need to streamline our efforts!

The majority of home remodels we do involve roofs and gutters, however, we also feel that we can offer homeowners a leg up with our transparent process of letting them know about roofing and gutter services/replacements!

Just like a dentist doesn’t also moonlight as a pediatrician and a dermatologist, focus and creating a superior service is our biggest goal!

Roofing and Gutter Services We Offer

While there are certainly plenty of exterior services your home may need and sure this list might be long, currently Top Dog Home Pro specializes in helping Northern Virginia or “NOVA” homeowners with professional roofing services and gutters services including:

Residential roof services
New roof installation
Roof replacement
Roof repairs
Roof service
Free roof inspections
Roof estimates
Gutter replacement
New seamless gutters
Rain gutter repairs
Gutter guard installation

Helping homeowners understand the re-roof process and the importance of protecting your home with functional rain gutters is always our first step in helping homeowners. After thoroughly educating homeowners with transparency, we help determine the best approach.

The best approach could mean small roof repair to fix a leak, or it could mean a new roof. Similarly, for your gutters, sometimes a simple clog is why your gutters are not working properly, or it could be something serious like rotting fascia.

Regardless of the type of problem or perhaps it’s just time for that new roof update, we can help!

Roof Replacement Process

At Top Dog Home Pro, we know how it can be dealing with contractors.

Usually, it’s pick one of the following and sacrifice the others:

Affordability
Quality
Timely Work
Accountability

However, Top Dog Home Pro has a reputation (53+ five star reviews on Google and counting) as being one of the only companies to follow through on all of the above.

It starts with our no-hassle roofing estimation process and promise of no out-dated “High Pressure” sales techniques. Once we thoroughly help a homeowner understand our roofing process, we complete our work in a timely and efficient manner!

However, in addition to being a great company that offers high quality work, we also use some of the best asphalt roofing shingles!

We are proudly accredited with the title of CertainTeed Shingle Master Company. A CertainTeed Integrity Roof System is designed for optimum performance – no matter how bad weather conditions can get. Shingles, underlayments, and accessories are of superior quality, translating to longer-lasting roofs.

For a look into a complete roof replacement, check out this video here:

Roof Replacement Estimate

Gutter Replacement Process

If you want to see some crazy photos of what missing or damaged gutters can do to a home’s foundation, sidewalk, or driveway – just ask.

We will spare you the visuals for now, but you can take our word for it, gutters that don’t perform due to clogs, missing gutter spikes – you name it – can be troublesome.

Your homes gutters are designed to collect rain water from your roof and channel it to the downspouts to properly dispose of it away from your foundation.

When a gutter is clogged form a birds nest or just some leaves, issues can quickly arise! None the less, we are the leader in helping homeowners in Woodbridge, Va and surrounding areas with installing new seamless aluminum gutters of the 5″ and 6″ variety.

If your gutter is falling off the house or water is rushing off your roof – tap the button below:

New Gutters Please!

The Case For Gutter Guards

Other gutter options include installing gutter guards to protect your gutters long term. There is certainly no shortage of bad PR when it comes to gutter guards because truth be told – most gutter guards are awful.

However, whether you use our gutter guard services or not, there are two keys to gutter guards to always identify:

Are they self-cleaning
Can they withstand all the rain in a heavy storm
Bonus: Is their a warranty?

If the answer to the first question is “No,” then it’s not a good gutter guard product. The point of gutter guards is to protect your gutters from leaves so you don’t have to routinely clean them every year. However, what is the point in cleaning the guards?

That is simply replacing the problem with another problem.

In that case, most competitor gutter guards that are self-cleaning (like the Raindrop guards we use) usually sacrifice in performance during heavy NOVA storms.

The Northern, Va region is known for heavy afternoon thunderstorms in the summer, so gutter performance is a must. This is why in this video below, you will quickly understand why the roofing and gutter team at Top Dog Home Pro exclusively only uses Raindrop Gutter Guards:

On a final note, we offer a lifetime no-clog warranty with any Raindrop Gutter Guard we install! This means, that not only will you never have to clean your gutters again… you will save money in the long run!

Our gutter guards protect your gutters and increase longevity, but you also don’t have to pay for gutter cleaning anymore!

Get Gutter Guards

Final Word:

When you think about it from a logical standpoint, it makes sense. Top Dog Home Pro focusing exclusively on just roofing and gutters makes sense for homeowners looking for exterior remodeling contractors.

Home renovation requires expertise.

Typically in the process of installing a new roof, we can quickly assess if new gutters are needed too, or even recommend self-cleaning gutter guards!

All of this to say, that for our loyal customers and prospective customers, we gurantee that we will make sure your home is outfitted with the best roof and gutters.

Not just in the quality products we use (Certainteed Shingles, Raindrop Gutter Guards, Custom Seamless Gutters), but in our superior workmanship and roofing and gutter knowledge!

It’s our promise!

~Luke, Top Dog Home Pro Owner

June 27, 2020/by Top Dog Home Pro Squad!

Roof Replacement, Roofing

What to Look For in A Roofing Company

Roofing Company Woodbridge

When it comes to finding the best Roofing Company in Woodbridge, look no further.

Sure, at first glance what roofing company wouldn’t say that on their own website (we get that), but there is a reason why Top Dog Home Pro has over 50 Google Five Star Reviews from clients.

That reason is simple: We take immense pride in being the leading roofing company in the area.

As a small business, we understand where we can provide the most value to homeowners while carving out a solid reputation. That starts with recognizing that will affordability should always be on a homeowners mind, we also make sure we always go further than just “Checking the box” when it comes to the following:

Providing high-quality work and roofing material
Adhering to scheduling and quoting timelines
The aforementioned affordability
Staying up to date with the most recent roofing trends and research
No high-pressure sales techniques

Typically, most exterior contractors can offer two of the five, sometimes three. We guarantee we can provide 5 for 5 (and no that doesn’t correlate with the review). Let the team at Top Dog Home Pro show you how we quickly became the “Top” roofing company in Woodbridge, Va!

Roofing Company Woodbridge: Top Dog Home Pro

As the premier roofing company in Woodbridge, we offer the following roofing services for homeowners:

Free roof inspections
Full roof replacement
Roof repairs

Our process is highly streamlined and after working in the roofing industry (specifically along the Northern Virginia 95 corridor) we have learned how to make sure every roofing replacement job we complete is top-notch and high quality!

This starts with first visiting your home to assess the condition of your current roof. If we notice missing shingles, visible damage, and other issues we immediately know there is at least some roofing work to be done!

However, we never make an assumption and after inspecting the roof, the plywood below the shingles, and assessing the age of the roof, we properly inform the homeowner of what we recommend.

Sometimes roofing issues are not apparent to the eye and things like soft spots, damaged plywood, missing seals and/or capping exist high up on your roof!

Top Dog Home Pro takes pride in being the leading roofing company in Woodbridge so we are always very transparent with homeowners when it comes to their roof! If we think a new, full roof replacement makes sense we let you know.

If a roofing repair makes sense or in the chance, you got a few more years with your existing roof, we let you know too! Since we inspect every roof, it doesn’t hurt to request a roof inspection here!

Roofing Products & Shingles

At Top Dog Home Pro, we are proudly accredited with the title of CertainTeed Shingle Master Company.

CertainTeed is one of the leading companies when it comes to manufacturing asphalt shingles. Specifically, the tried-and-true architectural laminate roofing shingle, Landmark which is designed to replicate the appearance of cedar shake roofing available in an impressive array of colors.

Aesthetically pleasing is one factor, but the durability and product warranty is why we prefer CertainTeed products for your roof! With varying degrees of wind warranties, we help you select the best shingle to last your home the longest.

Additionally, as most residential roofs in Woodbridge are sloped, the aesthetics of chosen materials should reflect your personal style and flow with the design of the rest of the home. CertainTeed Roofing offers a wide selection of residential roofing shingles that are as beautiful as they are durable.

Request a free estimate here!

How to Choose a Roofing Company Near You:

Not only do we try to make sure we are always transparent and diligent when explaining our roofing process to homeowners, we also like to educate homeowners about their roofs in general.

This is why we created this shortlist to help you learn the key characteristics of what a solid roofing company looks like and how to choose the right roofing company for your home!

Has past experience and ability to work with insurance companies
Possesses high-quality workmanship and credibility
Price isn’t everything but is affordable with quality
Can offer to finance to homeowners
Is efficient and prompt
Is a local company to the area (in this case Woodbridge and Northern, Va)
Is NOT A STORM CHASING company

To make a statement on the last point, storm chasing companies flood areas after wind storms and damaging tornadoes or hurricanes. While we don’t get hurricanes in Northern, Va, in 2018 with the wind storms in the spring, many companies from around the country moved in, otherwise known as storm chasers!

It is always best to work with local contractors who know the area because not only do they offer the most quality and craftsmanship (think about it, they have to work in the area all the time) they also know what products work best!

Additionally, one thing we take ample pride in at Top Dog Home Pro is making sure we not only have quick turnaround times on roof replacement jobs, but also that we stick to self-imposed deadlines when it comes to meeting with homeowners! We use ZERO high-pressure sales or door-knocking techniques in addition to always being on time for an appointment!

Final Top Dog Home Pro Roofing Thoughts:

What you may or may not know is that your roof is fundamental in not only protecting your house from mother nature, but your roof is also imperative in conserving energy and helping with curb appeal.

While you may not directly notice an old roof, when you see a new roof it is very evident! Not to mention, many home buyers are often considering the age of the roof when they buy. A new roof is not only a great selling point if you’re looking to sell in the next few years, but studies have shown the return on investment for a new roof can be 70-80%.

This means a new roof is almost always worth the price, especially when needed!

If you notice visible damage to your roof don’t hesitate to reach out here to get a free roofing estimate and if you have concerns about your roof, feel free to reach out!

Get in Touch Here!

June 11, 2020/4 Comments/by Top Dog Home Pro Squad!