Solatube® – The Way to Get Natural Light for Less

Posted on December 28, 2011 | Leave a comment

Solatube® – The Way to Get Natural Light for Less

When we hear the word solar, we immediately think of significant expense and less than pleasing aesthetics. However, Solatube® Daylighting Systems are a cheaper, easier and better looking way to get natural sunlight into your home.

Garabar is proud to offer professional installation of this innovative system, which reflects light into your home without the need for any kind of electric supplementation. The Solatube® is comprised of essentially three parts; the collector, the tube and the reflector, much like a small skylight. The tubing extends down thru your attic and as sunlight shines into the collector it is distributed by the reflector installed on ceiling. The flexibility of the system allows once dark areas of the home, such as bathrooms, stairways, hallways or windowless rooms, to get a great deal of natural light. This saves on the expense of electrical lighting and the Solatube® does not create indoor heat like many skylights would, preventing added strain on the air conditioning unit.

The level of light, of course, depends on the amount of sunlight. However, in sunny states like Florida, this product can offer a great deal of light all year long. Installations are very cost-effective and range from $600 and $850, depending on the type of roof and location of the Solatube®. Further, the installation is quick and can be performed with minimal noise and inconvenience.

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Posted in Energy Efficient, Product Spotlight

When Paying in Full for a New Roof May Not Be Possible

Posted on December 19, 2011 | Leave a comment

When Paying in Full for a New Roof May Not Be Possible

In today’s difficult economic times, re-roofing our home may not be foremost in our minds. Indeed, the expense of a new roof can be rather daunting. Garabar offers an alternative to qualifying homeowners, as part of our commitment to those who may not be ready for such a large expense.

While small, cheap repairs may seem like an easy way to avoid the expense of reroofing a property. If made improperly, these repairs can lead to leaks that cause additional damage within the home. Any water penetration in the roof, allows water to rot wood, destroy insulation and if bad enough, ruin drywall, plaster and furniture – not to mention create dangerous mold. Ultimately the replacement cost, when added together can run in the thousands of dollars.

Financing Option

Garabar, in conjunction with the Yard Card offers qualifying customers various financing plans in order for them to enjoy a much needed new roof or remodeling project. Of course, it is very important that our customers evaluate the details and terms of their financing package before they agree to this method of payment.

Roof Service Life Extension Option

For those who may not wish to finance a new roof, we also offer qualifying home and property owners the possibility of an ongoing roof maintenance program that identifies deficiencies in the existing roofing system. We perform initial upgrades and repairs then maintain the roof system over the medium-term in order to extend the roof’s service life.

With our program, the lives of many roofs have been extended by several years, allowing the property owner to set aside the money needed for an eventual roof replacement.

We have offered both of these options to dozens of our customers and we look forward to welcoming you into our family of satisfied clients with one of our roof replacement alternative programs.

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Posted in Uncategorized

Hurricane Season is Over – Now What?

Posted on December 3, 2011 | Leave a comment

Hurricane season is finally over. So now what do we do as as home and property owners in South Florida? We are often most scared by the possibility of high winds and heavy rains that the hurricane season bring. June to November brings a whole new home improvement dynamic to South Florida. As roofers in Palm Beach County we see it each year. While extreme weather is certainly a legitimate concern, we must be vigilant about weatherproofing our buildings all year round.

We mustn’t be complacent regarding our roofs. Cooler air will be enjoyed by all of South Florida for several months, but significant changes in weather , like the transition from hto and humid to cool and dry take a toll on our roofing systems. These fluctuations, if not prepared for, can start to cause problems in the property’s weather barriers – especially if the roof is not properly maintained.

We should therefor be proactive about the possibility of stress-related penetrations in our building envelopes.

Scheduling a licensed and insured roofer to examine your roof and find weak areas may be extremely valuable not only in extending the life of the roofing system, but also in preventing what could be extremely costly interior leaks as a result of even the smallest of leaks.

We look forward to evaluating your roof at absolutely no cost. Please call us at 561.337.6798 today!

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Posted in Hurrican Season, Preventative Maintenance, Roofing Services

Preparing for Hurricane Season

Posted on May 30, 2011 | Leave a comment

Hurricane season is right around the corner – in fact when you read this, it may already be upon us. And although we haven’t had significant storms over the past few years, there is always the chance that this year may be different. There is always the chance that we are hit by a significant tropical storm or even a hurricane. In 2004 and 2005 when South Florida roofs were battered by heavy rain and high winds from multiple storms, the consequences were devastating. During that time, tile orders took up to 6 months to be delivered due to the sheer number of re-roofing jobs. Trying to avoid another massive round of damage requires homeowners to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season today – and to prepare for it expecting lots of wind and rain. Getting your roof into top shape following are a few tips to make sure that your home or commercial property has a better chance of standing up against the elements during a tropical storm or even a hurricane first schedule a free assessment of your roof and building envelope to make sure that there are no obvious problems that may compromise the integrity of the structure second be sure that there is no organic growth or mold developing on any of the services of the Homer property this organic growth can become a problem especially during the wet summer months creating cracks that kill out wind and rain to penetrate the shell of the structure finally stock up on essential supplies as well as a battery-powered emergency radio while storm made the months away. It is important to prepare for it now to make sure that your family and property is a safe as it can be.

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Posted in Hurrican Season

Roofing in a Gated Community

Posted on May 20, 2011 | Leave a comment

Some homeowners overlook the fact that when they live in a gated community, they are not only subject to the rules and regulations of the city or municipality, but also of the community itself. Often community and Home Owner Association bylaws will mandate that homeowners install certain roofing materials and colors in order to conform to the community’s overall aesthetic. This means that when a homeowner, in a gated community (or any community with an Association), decides to redo the roof they should first speak to the Home Owners Association to understand any limitations that they may have. They may also need to formally apply for approval from the HOA.

Then, communicating HOA regulations with their roofing contractor will prevent a potentially costly mistake in the future. Home Owners should be sure to understand roofing requirements early and keep an open line of communication with their roofing contractor in order to make the process as smooth and worry free as possible.

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Posted in Roofing Services

High Wind and Rain on Your Building

Posted on May 15, 2011 | Leave a comment

The effects of high wind and rain on a roofing system are varied and problems can show up immediately or after several months depending on the damage caused. This means that in many cases, leaks can damage a home for a long time before the cause is found. When heavy winds hit the roofing system, they begin to lift the tile or shingle roof covering. This is called uplift. When a roof is first installed, often uplift is tested to make sure that the roof can indeed withstand the wind that is guaranteed to resist. Over the years, these roofing materials become more fragile and more susceptible to extreme weather including wind and rain. This damage can be hastened as a result of improper maintenance being performed on the roof or no maintenance at all. This allows for a significant possibility of wind uplift ripping tiles are shingles off the roof, causing penetrations and allowing for rain to enter the home. Further, the materials that are used to fasten the building materials such as the nails, mortar or foam can degrade over time and must be checked periodically to ensure they are watertight.

While no preventative maintenance program can completely eliminate the possibility of a leak during a major storm, a comprehensive, regular maintenance program will reduce the chance of serious damage significantly. Especially going into hurricane season this year, homeowners should be thinking about the maintenance and repair of their roof before it’s too late.

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Posted in Preventative Maintenance

Preventative Maintenance

Posted on May 1, 2011 | Leave a comment

We spend money on our car, on our lawn, and even the interior of our house. We take pride in things we are fortunate enough to have and so we take care of them. Remarkably, however, we most often neglect one of the hardest working, most protective items we have: Our roof!

Given that we don’t get to spend much time on it, or even looking at it for that matter, it’s easy to assume that a roof is an impenetrable shell atop our homes, protecting us from external elements. To a degree, this is true – at least half true. What isn’t often realized is that there are several smaller, less noticeable factors that can slowly take their toll on a roof, eventually causing major problems (and major problems = expensive repairs).

In order to stop these problems from escalating, we at Garabar, Inc. have created an entire division of Preventative Maintenance for your roof – otalCare.

When you sign up for a TotalCare package with Garabar, you receive a number of effective and valuable services to keep your roof and property operating at its maximum potential. This includes:

Hot Water Chemical-Free Pressure Cleaning from our TotalClean Division
Roof System Assessments
Pre/Post Storm Assessments
Minor Surface Repairs/Replacements (Tile, Slate, Shingle, Flat)
Periodic checks and proactive repairs
And many other great services!

Taking care of your roof is not something that you can afford to make optional. With yearly maintenance check-ups, you will have a longer lasting roof by extending its life expectancy and save thousands compared to a costly roof replacement. Call us today to see how TotalCare from Garabar, Inc. can help you.

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Posted in Preventative Maintenance

Roofing Florida | Garabar, Inc.