Upper level construction Inc.
Roofing &siding
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o GAF
o GAF Corporation supplies us with quality materials for our roofing jobs,
such as roofing, shingles and other materials. So when working with us,
only expect the highest quality materials from their company, who has
been around since 1886. They are North America’s largest manufacturer
of commercial & residential roofing and have been awarded and
recognized countless times for their supreme products and innovation.
To name a few, they were named #1 in Innovation for Shingles by Home
Builder and were the winner of the Builder’s Choice Award.
Modern flat roofs use a membrane barrier, sealants and adhesives to connect sheets of material together on the
flat roofs to better protect against standing water, which is one of the drawbacks of flat roofs.
We proudly install EPDM Rubber Roofing assures a watertight roof that is easy to maintain and saves energy
through its heat reflecting characteristics. It is highly puncture and tear resistant, has superior tensile strength
and withstands damaging UV rays.
EPDM SYSTEM BENEFITS

The Fully Adhered System using Acrylic Water Base Bonding Adhesive for fast installation means maximized
installed cost value
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Fully Adhered Systems are ideally suited for irregular building configurations
as well as steeply sloped commercial roofs, using solvent-based adhesive
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Simple and versatile Mule-Hide Tape Products make installation faster and easier
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UL and FM listed assemblies available
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STRENGTH
EPDM is a high tensile strength, single-ply membrane ideal for long-term watertight
integrity. EPDM is lightweight, ideal for new construction and retrofit systems
without adding excessive weight to the roof deck.
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FLEXIBILITY
The membrane remains flexible in hot and cold temperatures so it will not
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split or crack.
LONG LIFECYCLE
It provides excellent resistance
winters or the desert heat.

to
ozone
and
UV
and
can
handle
the
coldest
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STORM DAMAGE
UPPER LEVEL CONSTRUCTION INC Roofing Rapid Response Team
. . . Storm Damage Insurance Claim Service and Fast Repair.
Weather related emergencies are an unfortunate fact of life and can't be avoided. Immediate action
after a weather event will limit damages and minimize consequential damage caused by exposure to
the element.
If your roof was damaged by a storm, call us for immediate, appropriate assistance.
Every member of our Rapid Response Team is experienced, knowledgeable, ready and equipped to get
you back in your home or business fast.
We're there when you need us.
One phone call gets us started . . .
We are fully staffed to handle all the details of your
recovery including:
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insurance negotiations
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material defect claims

commercial roofing services
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soffit/fascia repair and replacement
gutter repair and replacement
Put your trust in a local leader!
Our name stands for quality exterior products and services. We have extensive experience working
with all types of commercial exterior configurations and materials manufacturers. We will ensure
seamless damage mitigation, repair and restoration.
Get back in your home or business fast!
Call (610) 868-9855 Now!
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Do I Have Hail Damage? . . .
. . . What Does It Look Like?
Trust Us For your Hail Damage Inspections, Repairs and Insurance Claims Filings
If you have been in hailstorm the most obvious damage you see is to cars. You see the damage
immediately after the last ice nugget has fallen.
You're horrified because the once smooth surface is now riddled with dents and pits.
Most people do not ever consider that their home was damaged as well.
Your roof is as susceptible to hail damage as the hood of
your car. When hail hits your roof it creates a bruise. This
bruise may have even cracked the fiberglass membrane
and can allow water to seep into your home. It may not
leak the day after the storm but over time it will happen.
Composition Shingles
It's difficult to determine whether a shingled roof needs to
be replaced after a hail storm because the damage is not
readily evident.
Our hail damage specialists are specially trained and
experienced to determine the damage and make corrective action.
We check the entire roof structure and gutter system. If we see a large amount of granules reroofing
would be a consideration.
Granules aren't just for appearance purposes, they're there to protect the asphalt based roof product
(the shingle). It doesn't take much of a hail storm to dislodge a bunch of granules, thereby exposing
the asphalt and shortening the service life of your roof.
If your roof went through a hail storm but no damage was readily visible but that doesn’t mean it isn’t
there. If enough granules were knocked loose, the sun will hit the exposed asphalt further damaging
the roof and underlayment. The exposed asphalt will deteriorate and more granules will come loose.
In a few months and after a few rains, the damage will be readily evident.
Many times hail storms produce visible damage, but beware, only a trained roofing hail damage
specialist can uncover the real damage!
What is an ice dam?
An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow (water)
from draining off the roof. The water that backs up behind the dam can leak into a home and
cause damage to walls, ceilings, insulation, and other areas. Figure 1 shows a cross section of a
home with an ice dam.
Figure 1. Cross section of a one-and-a-half story house with an ice dam.
What causes ice dams?
There is a complex interaction among the amount of heat loss from a house, snow cover, and
outside temperatures that leads to ice dam formation. For ice dams to form there must be snow
on the roof, and, at the same time, higher portions of the roof's outside surface must be above 32°
F while lower surfaces are below 32°F. For a portion of the roof to be below 32°F, outside
temperatures must also be below 32°F. When we say temperatures above or below 32°F, we are
talking about average temperature over sustained periods of time.
The snow on a roof surface that is above 32°F will melt. As water flows down the roof it reaches
the portion of the roof that is below 32°F and freezes. Voila!—an ice dam.
The dam grows as it is fed by the melting snow above it, but it will limit itself to the portions of
the roof that are on the average below 32°F. So the water above backs up behind the ice dam and
remains a liquid. This water finds cracks and openings in the exterior roof covering and flows
into the attic space. From the attic it could flow into exterior walls or through the ceiling
insulation and stain the ceiling finish.
Nonuniform roof surface temperatures lead to ice dams.
What causes different roof surface temperatures?
Since most ice dams form at the edge of the roof, there is obviously a heat source warming the
roof elsewhere. This heat is primarily coming from the house. In rare instances solar heat gain
may cause these temperature differences.
Heat from the house travels to the roof surface in three ways: conduction, convection, and
radiation. Conduction is heat energy traveling through a solid. A good example of this is the
heating of a cast iron frying pan. The heat moves from the bottom of the pan to the handle by
conduction.
If you put your hand above the frying pan, heat will reach it by the other two methods. The air
right above the frying pan is heated and rises. The rising air carries heat/energy to your hand.
This is heat transfer by convection. In addition, heat is transferred from the hot pan to your hand
by electromagnetic waves and this is called radiation. Another example of radiation is to stand
outside on a bright sunny day and feel the heat from the sun. This heat is transferred from the sun
to you by radiation.
In a house, heat moves through the ceiling and insulation by conduction through the slanted
portion of the ceiling (Figure 1). In many homes, there is little space in regions like this for
insulation, so it is important to use insulations with high R-value per inch to reduce heat loss by
conduction.
The top surface of the insulation is warmer than the other surroundings in the attic. Therefore,
the air just above the insulation is heated and rises, carrying heat by convection to the roof. The
higher temperatures in the insulation's top surface compared to the roof sheathing transfers heat
outward by radiation. These two modes of heat transfer can be reduced by adding insulation.
This will make the top surface temperature of the insulation closer to surrounding attic
temperatures directly affecting convection and radiation from this surface.
There is another type of convection that transfers heat to the attic space and warms the roof. In
Figure 1, the winding arrow beginning inside the house and going through the penetration in the
ceiling, from the light to the attic space, illustrates heat loss by air leakage. In many homes this is
the major mode of heat transfer that leads to the formation of ice dams.
Exhaust systems like those in the kitchen or bathroom that terminate just above the roof may also
contribute to snow melting. These exhaust systems may have to be moved or extended in areas
of high snow fall.
Other sources of heat in the attic space include chimneys. Frequent use of wood stoves and
fireplaces allow heat to be transferred from the chimney into the attic space. Inadequately
insulated or leaky duct work in the attic space will also be a source of heat. The same can be said
about kneewall spaces.
Photograph 1 shows a single story house with an ice dam. The points of heat loss can be clearly
seen as those areas with no snow. The ceiling below this area needs to be examined for air
leakage, missing or inadequate insulation, leaky or poorly insulated ductwork, and the
termination of a kitchen or bathroom exhaust into the attic space.
Photograph 1. A single-story house with an ice dam. The areas without snow are the points
of heat loss.
Photograph 2 illustrates unusually high heat loss from the roof. There is very little snow left on
the roof and at its edge is both an ice dam and a "beautiful" row of icicles.
Photograph 2. The unusually high heat loss on this roof has caused both an ice dam and
icicles.
So it is primarily heat flowing from the house that is causing the nonuniform temperatures of the
roof surface leading to ice dams.
Preventing ice dams
In all Minnesota communities it is possible to find homes that do not have ice dams. Ice dams
can be prevented by controlling the heat loss from the home.
Dealing with ice dams
Immediate action:

Remove snow from the roof. This eliminates one of the ingredients necessary for the
formation of an ice dam. A "roof rake" and push broom can be used to remove snow,
but may damage the roofing materials.
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In an emergency situation where water is flowing into the house structure, making
channels through the ice dam allows the water behind the dam to drain off the roof.
Hosing with tap water on a warm day will do this job. Work upward from the lower
edge of the dam. The channel will become ineffective within days and is only a
temporary solution to ice dam damage.
Long-term action:
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First, make the ceiling air tight so no warm, moist air can flow from the house into the
attic space.
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After sealing air leakage paths between the house and attic space, consider increasing
the ceiling/roof insulation to cut down on heat loss by conduction.
Both of these actions will increase the snow load that your roof has to carry because it will no
longer melt. Can your roof carry the additional load? If it is built to current codes, there should
not be a structural problem. Roofs, like the rest of the home, should have been designed to
withstand expected snow loads. In Minnesota, plans showing design details to meet expected
snow loads are usually required to receive a building permit. The plans for your home may be on
file at your local building inspection office. To help you understand the plans, or if you cannot
find plans for your home, you may want to contact an architectural engineering firm. A
professional engineer should be able to evaluate the structure of your home and answer your
questions about the strength of your roof.
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Natural roof ventilation can help maintain uniform roof temperatures, but if the longterm actions described here are done effectively, then only small amounts of roof
ventilation are needed to maintain uniform roof surface temperatures. If heat transfer
has been reduced substantially, then snow will build up on the roof and cover natural
roof ventilation systems, reducing attic ventilation rates. Natural attic ventilation
systems are needed to dry the attic space and remove heat buildup during the
summer.
Mechanical attic ventilation IS NOT a recommended solution to ice dams in Minnesota. It can
create other attic moisture problems and may cause undesirable negative pressure in the home.
WARNING!
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Any person on the roof during the winter or performing work on the roof from below is
risking injury and risking damage to the roof and house. It is important to contact
professionals to carry out this job.
Whenever a house is tightened up, ventilation systems, exhausting devices, and
combustion devices must have enough air to operate safely and effectively
Weatherization contractors, who may be listed under Energy Management and Conservation
Consultants or Insulation Contractors in the Yellow Pages, are professionals who can deal with
the heat transfer problem that creates ice dams. A blower door test should be used by the
contractor you hire to evaluate the airtightness of your ceiling. In addition, they may have an
infrared camera that can be used to find places in the ceiling where there is excessive heat loss.
Interior damage should not be repaired until ceilings and walls are dry. In addition, interior repair
should be done together with correcting the heat loss problem that created the ice dam(s) or the
damage will occur again.
Preventing ice dams in new homes
The proper new construction practices to prevent ice dams begin with following or exceeding the
state code requirements for ceiling/roof insulation levels.
The second absolutely necessary practice is to construct a continuous, 100% effective air barrier
through the ceiling. There should not be any air leakage from the house into the attic space!
Recessed lights, skylights, complicated roof designs, and heating ducts in the attic will all
increase the risk of ice dam formation.
Mold, mildew, and air quality
Moisture entering the home from ice dams can lead to the growth of mold and mildew. These
biologicals can cause respiratory problems. It is important that the growth of mold and mildew
be prevented. This can be done by immediately drying out portions of the house that are wet or
damp. See immediate action steps listed earlier to get rid of the water source. Action needs to be
taken to clean the home environment and maintain its air quality.
WATER
Water damage to a home or business is specific to the structure, loss, contents, and particular needs
and circumstances of the owners. Most companies take a cart blanch approach to the loss. We
formulate a plan by assembling expert teams and customizing personnel, material, supplies and
equipment in completing the remedy of the loss for your exact needs, efficiently and as quickly as
possible.
Down time is down time, whether a home or business. Your living or working environment is
destroyed, damaged, and perhaps unlivable until reconstruction is completed.
Not only are the mechanics of processing the claim to it’s completion critical, but coordinating the
efforts of the team to minimal impact on the home owner or business in getting their life back to
normal and operations running smoothly again.
This overall project management is critical to the success of each disaster restoration project and is a
corporate mandate for all projects we are involved with.
The combined years of experience in the disaster restoration and construction industry from
demolition to reconstruction exceeds 80 years.
Specific services provided for water damage are:
Emergency Services
Working with fire and police, 24 hours, 7 days a week. One of our skilled personnel with follow-up
your emergency call with the appropriate action. Plumbing, electrical, and other trades and repairs
may be part of the solution.
Water Removal
Removing the water through appropriate means. Carpet, tile, wood, ceramic, laminates, cavities
spaces, etc. Whatever the cause, we have the correct industry approved solution, with the right
expert team to get the job done. Our quick response and remedy reduces future damage to your
home or business.
Moisture Testing
We have the equipment and personnel to check and test damaged areas to industry standards to
assess the water damage for treatment, repair, or replacement of the effected materials. Evaluation
and testing is required to quantify the extent of the damage.
Moisture Removal
Removing water means moisture as well. Drying the structure requires specialized personnel,
standards, dryers, dehumidifiers, removing portions of the structure to get to the cracks and crevices
holding moisture that may cause future damage and health issues. Bringing structure moisture levels
to an acceptable level allows a plan of action for treatment, repair, removal, or replacement of
construction components to pre- damage condition.
Odor Treatment
If it has an odor or smells bad, it needs to be treated. By using the proper solutions on particular
materials and items, whether a coating or spray, the treatment dissolves and treats causes of odors
restoring your home or business to its original condition.
Content and Furnishing
Before your dwelling or business can be refurbished the contents and furnishings may need treatment
as well. From antiques and heirlooms to family rugs and children’s toys, these items may need to be
sorted, moved, cleaned, and treated to restore them to pre-damage condition.
Design and Programming
Within insurance and budget requirement we uniquely help analyze your space as it appeared before
the loss and any changes to your living or business use or needs that you may want to incorporate in
any modification, remodeling, and construction should reconstruction be required in restoring your
structure to the pre-loss condition.
Construction
Once the programming and design are agreed upon construction activities can be planned. Permits,
demolition, ordering materials, removing discarded material from the site, material selections,
subcontractors, scheduling and sequencing the work, all play a part in the successful reconstruction of
your home or business. Keeping you appraised along the way with a schedule outlining our step-bystep progress in preparation in reusing and occupying your space.
Assimilation
This is the final step in bringing all the elements of the process back together. Final construction
details and items, clean after construction in preparation of reusing your space, return of items
removed for treating and cleaning, refinished items, stored items, review and registration of product
and system warranties, commissioning of systems and delivery of a project manual for maintenance
and reference.
Private Project and Insurance Claim Processing
Whether your project is partially your desire to improve your property or the result of an insurance
claim, we are highly trained and experienced processing appropriate documentation with you and your
insurance company, agent, and adjuster. We mirror the same estimating program your adjuster uses
in understanding the scope of your project and the values assigned to each element of the estimate
for discussion and possible adjustment. We work for you, not your insurance company. We work
through and with your insurance company in providing services to finalize and complete your claim.
FIRE
Fire damage to a home or business is specific to the structure, loss, contents, and particular needs
and circumstances of the owners. Most companies take a cart blanch approach to the loss. We
formulate a plan by assembling expert teams and customizing personnel, material, supplies and
equipment in completing the remedy of the loss for your exact needs, efficiently and as quickly as
possible.
Down time is down time, whether a home or business. Your living or working environment is
destroyed, damaged, and perhaps unlivable until reconstruction is completed.
Not only are the mechanics of processing the claim to it’s completion critical, but coordinating the
efforts of the team to minimal impact on the home owner or business in getting their life back to
normal and operations running smoothly again.
This overall project management is critical to the success of each disaster restoration project and is a
corporate mandate for all projects we are involved with.
The combined years of experience in the disaster restoration and construction industry from
demolition to reconstruction exceeds 80 years.
Specific services provided for fire damage are:
Emergency Services
Working with fire and police, 24 hours, 7 days a week. One of our skilled personnel with follow-up
your emergency call with the appropriate action. Plumbing, electrical, and other trades and repairs
may be part of the solution.
Fire and Smoke
Standard approved protocol is followed to treat, repair, and replace elements of the structure. We
control and remove smoke smell through methods accepted and proven within the industry. Through
our experience, you are assured burned and charred studs, drywall, cabinetry, etc. are dealt with
appropriately with our goal of rebuilding your structure to a pre-loss condition, timely and effectively.
Water Removal
Not always, but usually, water damage occurs in a fire or smoke situation if the fire department or
owner uses water to put out the fire. Remove the water through appropriate means. Carpet, tile,
wood, ceramic, laminates, cavities spaces, etc.
Whatever the cause, we have the correct industry approved solution, with the right expert team to get
the job done. Our quick response and remedy reduces future damage to your home or business.
Moisture Testing
We have the equipment and personnel to check and test damaged areas to industry standards to
assess the water damage for treatment, repair, or replacement of the effected materials. Evaluation
and testing is required to quantify the extent of the damage.
Moisture Removal
Removing water means moisture as well. Drying the structure requires specialized personnel,
standards, dryers, dehumidifiers, removing portions of the structure to get to the cracks and crevices
holding moisture that may cause future damage and health issues. Bringing structure moisture levels
to an acceptable level allows a plan of action for treatment, repair, removal, or replacement of
construction components to pre- damage condition.
Odor Treatment
If it has an odor or smells bad, it needs to be treated. By using the proper solutions on particular
materials and items, whether a coating or spray, the treatment dissolves and treats causes of odors
restoring your home or business to its original condition.
Content and Furnishing
Before your dwelling or business can be refurbished the contents and furnishings may need treatment
as well. From antiques and heirlooms to family rugs and children’s toys, these items may need to be
sorted, moved, cleaned, and treated to restore them to pre-damage condition.
Design and Programming
Within insurance and budget requirement we uniquely help analyze your space as it appeared before
the loss and any changes to your living or business use or needs that you may want to incorporate in
any modification, remodeling, and construction, should reconstruction be required in restoring your
structure to the pre-loss condition.
Construction
Once the programming and design are agreed upon construction activities can be planned. Permits,
demolition, ordering materials, removing discarded material from the site, material selections,
subcontractors, scheduling and sequencing the work, all play a part in the successful reconstruction of
your home or business. Keeping you appraised along the way with a schedule outlining our step-bystep progress in preparation in reusing and occupying your space.
Assimilation
This is the final step in bringing all the elements of the process back together. Final construction
details and items, clean after construction in preparation of reusing your space, return of items
removed for treating and cleaning, refinished items, stored items, review and registration of product
and system warranties, commissioning of systems and delivery of a project manual for maintenance
and reference.
Private Project and Insurance Claim Processing
Whether your project is partially your desire to improve your property or the result of an insurance
claim, we are highly trained and experienced processing all the needed documentation with you and
your insurance company, agent, and adjuster. We mirror the same estimating program your adjuster
uses in understanding the scope of your project and the values assigned to each element of the
estimate for discussion and possible adjustment. We work for you, not your insurance company. We
work through and with your insurance company in providing services to finalize and complete your
claim.
WIND DAMAGE
When you think of wind damaging your home, you usually think it takes a tornado, hurricane, severe
thunderstorm or extreme winter storm to cause any major wind damage to your roof. But, wind doesn’t
have to be strong to cause roof damage. Gusts of wind at 75 to 85 miles per hour can easily raise poorlysealed shingles off your home, exposing your roof to possible rain & water damage.
Your roof is the last and first defense between you and
the elements, you want to be aware of the damage wind can do to your home early on. During highwind weather events, wind speeds fluctuate and sometimes even change directions. Consequently,
roofing materials are lifted up, allowing debris to lodge between shingles and the underpinning of your
roof. Over time, this process will cause your roof to deteriorate, and inevitably, you’ll lose roofing
material and notice it lying in your yard.
Roofing materials are subject to damage from strong winds and flying debris. Generally, roofs are not
designed to withstand winds of hurricane and tornado intensity. However, roofs may also be damaged
by winds of moderate intensity, with gust that may reach 50 to 75 miles per hour. The primary cause of
wind damage is from the partial vacuum created by wind blowing over the edge of the roof. Nature tries
to neutralize the low-pressure area by bringing in air from a higher pressure area, usually from inside
the building. This air pushes up on the bottom side of the roof assembly and, over time, loosens
fasteners and breaks the adhesion making the roof susceptible to damage from the next moderate or
strong wind. To counteract the effects of wind-uplift forces, the roofing and insulation should be
adequately fastened to the roof deck, and a securely-fastened perimeter detail should be provided.
ROOF DEBRIS - Black & Brown Debris Stains on Asphalt Shingle Roofs
Debris staining on roofs produces fairly uniform black or brown staining in areas where due to lowslope or presence of overhanging trees, leaves, or organic debris collects on the roof slope.
Decaying debris may encourage fungal or algal growth
Lichens or even thick moss may also grow on such roof areas. Debris, lichens, or moss on a roof will
shorten its life by holding water on the roof surface, preventing drying, and (in cold climates) adding
wear and tear on the roof surface by freeze-thaw cycling.
In contrast, debris from an upper roof gutter that spills onto lower roof slopes may result in tan,
white, or other stains depending on the metal of the gutter and the length of time that leaves and
debris rest in it. (Photo at left).
The decision to permit the upper roof gutter to spill down the lower slope also risks creating an early
wear-area and thus leaks on the lower slope roof.
Remedies for black or brown or gray debris staining on asphalt shingles: As cited above, cleaning off
debris (gentle sweeping or washing, watch out for damaging the roof during cleaning), or cutting
unnecessary overhanging tree branches may help.
Roofing Rafters Inspection
Laslo Roofing inspects roofing rafters for structural damage!
What is a Roof Rafter?
Rafters support the roof sheathing and transmit the roof loads to bearing walls or beams below. The
term "rafter" is associated with sloped roofs. When these members are found on a flat roof, they are
called "roof joists", although they do exactly the same job.
Rafters can usually be seen overhead, when standing in the attic. Some rafters support finished
ceilings, for example, where there is a cathedral ceiling. In this case, roof insulation is often fit
between the rafters.
http://www.lasloroofing.com/Storm-Damage-.htm
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