Bobby Shaw knows that the arrival of the Indian Summer means that it’s going to be a matter of time before his phone starts ringing.

After the initial late-summer cooling spell starts to die off and temperatures start to creep back towards triple digits, Shaw – who has almost two decades of experience as a roofer here in the Central Valley – knows full well that once Mother Nature starts to send down her trickle people in and around Manteca are going to start having problems.

But the most ironic thing about the whole scenario – that Shaw says comes like clockwork every year – is that something as small as a free inspection can thwart problems that may end up causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.

“We live in an area where we have extreme temperatures, and when it comes to roofing tiles and shake shingles it’s possible that the heat can warp that and allow everything from the dust here in the valley to the rain underneath,” Shaw said. “When that starts to leak through the flashing and rot the wood, you’re going to end up with a leak and you never know how bad that’s going to be.”

With so many different neighborhoods in Manteca built during different decades, the materials, Shaw says, have changed with the times. Those built decades ago opted for the shake roofs while newer homes are more likely to have the tile that most people believe will last for an entire lifetime.

Not everything homeowners are told or are led to believe, Shaw said, means that it’s true.

“Every year I end up on a call with a homeowner that has a leak and some extensive damage and they had a tile roof that they believed was going to last forever without any problems,” he said. “The best thing you can do is periodically have somebody come up and check for problems in areas where leaks are most likely to happen – like around vents and fireplaces – and a lot of times contractors will come out and do that for free.”

Shaw has two decades of experience in the field under his belt dealing almost specifically with homes and businesses here in Manteca. He’s also a member of the Manteca Planning Commission. It is an experience he says only makes him take his day-to-day job even more seriously because he fully understands what the city expects on new properties.

Then there’s just the fact of wanting to put out a quality product.

“If somebody has a concern – even if we didn’t do their roof – they can call us up for a free inspection and we’d be glad to come out and take a look,” Shaw said. “It’s one of those things where if you don’t catch it early, you could be in for a lot of extra money or possibly be facing a dangerous situation.”

Shaw recommends looking out for the following problems that could be early warning signs:

•Tile shingles that are either missing or have slipped exposing the weather-protective under covering.
•Curved shake tiles that allow for dirt or water to get underneath the roof and create an environment that could cause big problems later.
•Tiles or shingle sections that may have become loose after heavy windstorms or excessive rainfall.

To schedule an inspection of your roof before the winter season hits, contact Shaw at 823-0131.

To contact Jason Campbell e-mail jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call (209) 249-3544.