Leaky chimney problems can quickly become costly, and may include drywall warping, ceiling stains, insulation saturation, mold growth and interior home damage. That’s why we recommend annual inspections handled by a professional to ensure a properly working roof. When you hire a roofing contractor to check the integrity of your roof, they will inspect not only the roof, but also the chimney, vents, skylights, and all areas of flashing, along with your home’s drainage systems. If there are any problems with the chimney, such as broken bricks, loose mortar joints, cracks around the chimney foundation, or deteriorating flashing, prompt repairs should be your priority. 

Chimney Flashing Repairs Vs Replacement 
Chimney flashing needs to be replaced when it becomes rusty, corroded, chipped, or broken. Masonry caulk can seal small gaps or holes on a short-term basis, but is not designed to take the place of the flashing. Depending on the state of the flashing, part of the chimney and surrounding roof shingles may also need replacement. Oftentimes flashing can be repaired. However, if flashing shows signs of rust or other weather wear, your contractor may need to remove shingles to install new flashing.  This is not a do-it-yourself undertaking, since improper flashing installation could void your roof warranty.  
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We repair leaky chimneys! If you’d like to schedule a free inspection to diagnose specific problems or evaluate the overall condition of your roof, contact us at 832-840-1400.  We’re a family-owned contractor with experience in residential and commercial roofing. We offer affordable, expert roof repair, replacement and installation services to customers. 

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Many consider the fall season to be the best time of the year to complete home improvement projects, including roofing projects. Before anything else, you should prioritize your roof, as it protects the rest of your home. While it’s tempting to do maintenance yourself and save a few bucks, it can be extremely risky and could cost you a lot of money in the long run.


Expertise Matters
Hiring a reliable roofing company with well-trained roofing specialist comes with many benefits. These specialists have been on hundreds of roofs and know the right strategies and best practices to diagnose and address issues in a timely and effective way.


DIY is Risky 
DIY roofing projects can pose several risks to your home. Damage to your roof can sometimes look like nothing to an untrained eye. While you might assume that a small leak is insignificant and doesn’t pose much harm to your home, a small leak can quickly grow into a large and costly issue. 


Guarantee of Workmanship
Our experienced project managers are trained to diagnose leaks and other roof problems. After a diagnosis, they will walk you through your options and the fix process. You can count on Mill Creek Roofing and that’s why every job comes with a workmanship warranty.


To schedule a free roof inspection call 832-840-1400 today!
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Attic and Roofing 
The attic of your home acts as the lungs for your roof. Having attic ventilation allows for the roofing structure to stay properly aired out. Proper ventilation allows fresh cooler air to enter the attic, and allows the hot humid air to escape the attic.

Balanced Ventilation
Balanced ventilation is important for all roof structures, commercial and residential alike. A properly ventilated roof system receives plenty of fresh air through the eaves, soffit, or fascia. It also needs proper exhaust through roof ventilation. These intakes and exhausts are vital to regulate the temperature of the attic. 

Ventilation and Heating 
The most noticeable differences that ventilation makes to a homeowner are possible added heating and cooling expenses. Lack of proper attic ventilation can cause these expenses to skyrocket. Without proper ventilation, your attic traps cool air within it. This causes your central heating and cooling unit to spend more time artificially regulating your home’s temperature. Lack of ventilation can be expensive throughout the year, but can be especially expensive during fall and winter. During the colder months, moisture has a higher chance of damaging your roof. 

So, Does It Matter?
In short, yes! Proper ventilation is a vital part of a complete roof system. Ventilation protects your roof from premature deterioration and helps keep heating and cooling costs low.

If you have any questions about proper roof systems, feel free to contact us today at contact@millcreekroofingtx.com or call us today to schedule an inspection to make sure your roof has proper ventilation. 

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We are just a month into hurricane season and we are beginning to watch for potential tropical storms. This time of year, many of prepare for storm season by making sure we are prepared with flashlights, water, and non-perishable food. Often the most important things are forgotten such as making sure your home is able to protect you and your family. During a hurricane your roof can be exposed to winds in excess of 155 mph. These winds have the potential to pull off roof shingles, tiles, or even the underlying roof deck. This is why we suggest checking the condition of your roof before a storm happens as well as after. A well-maintained roof is your best bet against hurricane winds.We have some tips to make some you and your home are prepared for the potential storms.
 
1. Get a Professional Roof Inspection
Contact a roof specialist to help you inspect your roof. A specialist has the knowledge and experience to find faults in the roof and determine whether it can handle a hurricane. The contractor will inspect the interior to determine whether the roof has been weakened by moisture and molds. He will also check for loose shingles, leaks and cracked caulk. You will then receive a detailed report after the inspection. The report may include his recommendations, life expectancy estimate and the cost of repairs.

2. Survey Fascia and Soffit Boards 
Take the time to walk the perimeter of your property and survey the fascia boards and the soffit boards. Fascia boards are located just below the metal trim of the roof and soffit boards are located below the roof overhang areas. Any signs of rotten wood in this area may indicate a potential problem during a hurricane. Making sure these roof areas are repaired will help secure the structure from possible wind damage at the eaves.
 
3. Fix Any Loose Shingles 
To reduce the chances of losing shingles by high winds, it is best to give attention to any missing, damaged, or loose shingles as these will increase the likelihood of water penetrating deeper into the roof.
 
4. Clean Your Gutter and Drainage Systems 
The drainage system plays a major role in mitigating storm damage. A hurricane comes with rain capable of causing serious damage. You want to make sure your gutters and drainage systems are free to conduct water effectively in the event of a storm. Get rid of all the debris from the drainage systems. Ensure the gutters are clear so that the rainwater can flow through them easily. You may need a roofing contractor to help you clean the gutters effectively.

5. Secure any Loose Yard Furniture 
Your furniture and yard decorations can easily become flying projectiles that could damage your roof. We suggest tying them down or moving them indoors to the so they don’t get loose and damage the roof.
 
6. Trim Any Low Hanging or Dead Branches 
High winds can break even the largest of tree limbs as easily as snapping a toothpick in half. It may seem obvious to trim the trees that overhang your roof, but it is also a good idea to have all off the trees surrounding your home trimmed just in case.
 
7. Have Repair Supplies Ready 
After a storm, roofers run into a major supply shortage. Tarps are a rare find during this time and unfortunately, they are a major necessity. Your best bet is to purchase tarps before the storm that way you are prepared. This will also allow you to patch your roof in the event that it gts damage and there are more days of the storm to come. 
 
8. Review Your Insurance Policy 
​You need to review your insurance policy and make sure it will cover the full cost of construction in case you lose the house in a hurricane. Make sure the insurance covers up to the cost of roofing. Some insurance companies do not cover residential roofing, so you need to check with your provider first. Apart from roofing insurance, you need to determine if you are covered by floods. Some people cover their houses against hurricanes and ignore the flood that usually follows.

Like any other system in your home, such as your plumbing, you want to schedule regular maintenance to ensure all is working efficiently and correctly. A roof inspection can prevent large-scale damage that results in costly repairs. A roof inspection should be included in your list of routine maintenance your home needs, but this is often not the case. By adding an annual roof inspection to your home’s maintenance schedule, you can prevent significant damage. If you are worried about the height or making a mistake we would be happy to help. 
 
Roofing Inspection Checklist 
Protect your home from any unnecessary damage by contacting us or carefully climbing up a ladder yourself and completing the following checklist:

• Cracked or missing caulk 
• Buckling, curling, blistering, or missing shingles
• Cracked or worn rubber boots around ventilation pipes 
• Unsealed ventilation pipes 
• Missing or damaged portions of the chimney, especially the cap
• Signs of mold, moss, or lichen
• Nail pops 
• Unsealed flashing 

 
Roof Repairs 
We don’t recommend doing these repairs yourself. When repairing a roof, it is extremely important to know how to properly preform the repairs. It is easy to further damage the existing shingles and roof accessories when doing repairs if you are not a trained professional. Call Mill Creek Roofing if you believe you have damage and want to have one of our team members come take a look at your roof and proceed to making sure you and your family are safe and comfortable in your home. 
 
Call Mill Creek Roofing at 832-840-1400 to schedule your free roof inspection today!

The 86thTexas Legislature Regular Session came to an end yesterday, May 27, 2019, and with this, two very important bills were passed that will surely affect roofing practices in Texas. These two bills include HB2102 (Prohibition Against Waiving of Deductibles) and HB2103 (Prohibition Against UPPA). 
 
Prohibition Against Waiving of Deductibles
This bill is especially important for the future of the roofing industry in Texas. Steve Badger, a partner at the law firm of Zelle LLP explains the importance of this bill and the affects that it can make in his recent article. Below is an excerpt from his article that explains the significances of the bill:
 
“The waiving of deductibles has been improper in Texas since 1989. Unfortunately, due to a poorly worded statute, many contractors ignored the prohibition and the waiving of deductibles has become common in Texas. Reputable contractors who refused to break the law could not compete with the “deductible eaters”. Homeowners were lured to sign contracts with shady contractors with promises of “A Free Roof!” And homeowners were duped into committing insurance fraud when they failed to advise the insurance company in submitting a request for replacement cost holdback that the deductible portion of the claim had not been incurred.  HB2102 fixes all of these problems by making it crystal clear that deductibles must be paid. Plain and simple. A contractor commits a violation of the new law if it pays, waives, absorbs, rebates, credits, or otherwise declines to charge or collect a deductible. Contracts must also contain a disclosure statement that insurance deductibles must be paid.  Finally, an insurance company may request “reasonable proof” that the deductible has been paid before making a replacement cost holdback payment. This important legislation will both protect Texas consumers from illegal fraud schemes and ensure that reputable contractors who collect deductibles are on a level playing field in competing for business.”
 
Badger’s explains that this is not only to make the competition within the roofing industry fair, but the importance of protecting homeowners from the possibility of getting in legal trouble due to the misinformation that is fed to them by fraudulent contractors. If you would like to read the bill for yourself, it is available here. 
 
Prohibition Against UPPA 
This bill also is important to ensure that ethical practices are used not only in the roofing industry, but in all industries that public adjusting is associated with. Steve Badger once again explains the significance of this bill, as he states 
 
“Section 4102.163 of the Texas Insurance Code enacted in 2013 prohibited the unauthorized practice of public adjusting by “roofing contractors”. Since that time, we have seen the UPPA problem spread to other types of contractors as well, particularly in water damage claims and with some so-called “general contractors”. HB2103 simply deletes the word “roofing” from the existing statute to broaden the scope of the UPPA prohibition to all contractors. Also, new language is added to the statute clarifying that a contractor cannot use an assignment of benefits or power of attorney form to avoid this prohibition. This will ensure that Texas never experiences the assignment of benefits crisis that Florida has been dealing with for many years (until passing new legislation this month).”
 
To read the bill in its entirety, click here. 
 
We would like to thank RCAT (Roofing Contractors of Texas), NTRCA (North Texas Roofing Contractors Association, and TAPIA (Texas Association of Public Insurance Adjusters) for their work to get these bills passed and to improve our industry. These groups are effecting change and leading by example. We encourage all homeowners to continue to uphold their standards and to choose reputable contractors within the roofing industry and all other construction industries. Participating in ethical practices betters all those involved and results in high quality professionals and work. 
 
If you have any questions contact us at contact@millcreekroofingtx.com or leave a comment below!

The Greater Houston Area was recently hit by a wide-spread hail storm. The hail size from this particular storm reach 3 inches in certain areas. We highly recommend that if you believe you received hail or are located within the highlighted areas above to get a professional to look at your roof. Roofing specialists will be able to identify hail damage that may qualify for replacement via your homeowner’s insurance. 

We offer free, professional roof inspections to homeowners with no obligation. We at Mill Creek Roofing strive to provide a reliable professional opinion among the confusions that comes with an inundation of less than reputable storm chasers. We are a local company who want to help homeowners protect their home and families. 
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Call us today to schedule your free, no obligation roof inspection at 832-840-1400!