Roofing Company Blog: Brian Chalsma

Around here, April usually means two things: pollen on everything and the start of those sudden Tidewater thunderstorms. While most folks are busy power-washing their porches, we’re thinking about what’s happening on the roof above.

We headed out to Smithfield to walk the roof of a building that’s stood since 1750. Working on a structure with that much history requires more than just standard tools; it requires a deep respect for the materials that’ve kept our Tidewater community safe for nearly three centuries.

When Brian stepped onto this roof in Newport News, he wasn't just looking at a repair; he was looking at a piece of Virginia history. This Vermont slate has been protecting this home for 104 years.

Brian Chalsma encountered a situation that every homeowner should know about before they start a replacement. We were looking at a plywood roof deck covered in "ice and water shield"—a thick, sticky waterproof membrane designed to protect your eaves from leaks.

We recently looked at a remarkable Buckingham slate roof in Hampton that was originally installed during the Depression era.

We visited a home where the owners were frustrated by a persistent drip that other contractors just couldn't seem to locate. After some careful investigating, we found the culprit: a nail in the bond. The Problem The issue was a classic "needle in a haystack" scenario.

When Brian headed out to a beautiful home in Williamsburg, he found a situation that’s all too common in the Tidewater area. The homeowner had a wide brick chimney that was causing a bit of a headache.

In the heart of Hampton Roads, our roofs face everything from blistering summer heat to the high-wind pressure of coastal storms. Brian Chalsma with The Roofing Company recently took a moment to pull back the curtain on a detail most homeowners never see: the nailing zone.

It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, doesn't it? The idea that a bundle of asphalt shingles could suddenly "know" exactly what kind of building they’re sitting on. But as I explored the fine print of modern roofing warranties, that’s exactly what the manufacturers seem to imply.