77 Lafayette Ave, White Plains, NY 10603
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(800) 663-6036Our team of Roofing, Siding, Skylight, Chimney, Gutter, and Painting experts at the American Star Contractor Corp love all of our communities throughout Long Island, NY. Maybe it’s the fact that we live here, and we work here. Or that we have years of experience helping Long Islander’s homes look “just a little bit nicer” because of our work?
Maybe it’s because we take pride in the fact that we are consistently rated as one of the Best construction companies in all of New York? We honestly take pride in all of our work, and we love what we do. We hope to help you with any work on your property soon. We’re confident you’ll love what we do!
We are just a call away! The professionals at the American Star Contracting Corp will make sure that your queries are dealt with on a priority basis. A team of our professionals will visit your location in Eastchester NY, Westchester NY, West Harrison NY, and Mamaroneck NY. Experience efficient and durable services with the American Star Contracting Corp.
Finding a great roofing company can be a frustrating task. Your home deserves the attention and care of experts who will treat your home like it’s their own. We know there are countless other roofing companies here in New York.
Isn’t it a frustrating and complicated task to look for a contracting company for chimney repair services? Of course! You have built your home with the utmost care and attention to detail, thus it requires comprehensive care.
Are you looking for skylight repair services in New York and surrounding areas? Get in touch with the expert professionals at the American Star Contracting Corp. Adding skylights to your home is a great way of uplifting the aesthetic value and adding a soothing vibe to it.
The siding serves an important purpose in every home. It helps in protecting and insulating your home from the harsh weather conditions. Apart from this, siding also keeps your walls dirt, insects, and moisture-free.
Rains usually leave homeowners with damaged gutters due to twigs, leaves, and other sediments that come with rain. Although you can get it cleaned on your own, it is advisable to leave the gutter cleaning and repairs to the professionals.
Home is where the heart is. It is a place where you feel most comfortable and is a proud investment. And we all want to make the best impression with a well-designed and maintained home.
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It’s the middle of January in Eastchester. The wind is howling, the snow is piling up outside, and you’re comfortably warm inside—until you glance up and notice a dark, wet patch spreading across your living room ceiling. Your stomach drops. You know you need a roof replacement, but conventional wisdom tells you that roofing is strictly a summer sport. You might be asking yourself: Do I have to live with buckets in my living room until spring? The short answer is no. While spring and summer are certainly the busiest seasons for roofing contractors, a complete roof replacement is entirely possible during the winter months. In fact, for homeowners in Westchester County, waiting until warmer weather isn’t always an option, nor is it always the best strategic choice. Whether you are dealing with catastrophic storm damage or simply trying to get ahead of a renovation schedule, winter roofing is a viable solution when handled by experienced professionals. However, replacing a roof in freezing temperatures requires a different approach than a standard summer job. It demands specialized techniques, specific materials, and a crew that knows how to navigate the challenges of a New York winter. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about winter roof replacements—from the technical “how-to” to the surprising benefits—so you can make an informed decision for your home. Debunking Common Myths About Winter Roofing If you ask your neighbor or even do a quick Google search, you’ll find plenty of naysayers claiming you shouldn’t touch your roof between November and March. Let’s separate fact from fiction. Myth 1: Asphalt shingles won’t stick in the cold. The Truth: It is true that the self-sealing strips on asphalt shingles require heat (usually from sunlight) to activate and bond the shingles together. In 80-degree weather, this happens naturally within days. In 30-degree weather, it won’t happen on its own. However, professional roofers don’t just cross their fingers and hope for a warm spell. We manually seal each shingle using specialized roofing cement. This process, known as “hand-tabbing,” ensures your roof is wind-resistant immediately upon installation, regardless of the temperature. Myth 2: The quality of the installation is lower. The Truth: A roof installed in winter can last just as long as one installed in summer, provided the contractor follows cold-weather protocols. The durability of the roof depends on the skill of the crew and the quality of the materials, not the calendar month. Leading manufacturers like GAF have specific guidelines for cold-weather installation that, when followed, preserve the full warranty of the roof. Myth 3: You can’t use pneumatic nail guns in winter. The Truth: Cold air can affect air compressors and humidity can freeze air lines, but this is an equipment management issue, not a dealbreaker. Experienced crews use winter-grade lubricants, keep moisture traps clear, and monitor compressor pressure to ensure every nail is driven flush. The Surprising Advantages of Winter Roofing While most people view winter installation as a last resort, there are actually strategic benefits to scheduling your project during the colder months. Faster Scheduling and Turnaround During the peak summer season, the best contractors in Westchester, West Harrison, and Mamaroneck are often booked out for weeks or even months. If your roof is leaking now, you don’t have the luxury of time. In winter, demand typically slows down. This means you can often get your project on the schedule much faster, minimizing the time your home is exposed to the elements. Preventing Further Damage A small leak in December can turn into a massive structural issue by March. The freeze-thaw cycle is brutal on roofing materials. Water that seeps into cracks will freeze, expand, and widen those cracks, potentially rotting your decking and insulation. addressing the problem immediately prevents a “Wait until Spring” snowball effect that could cost thousands more in repairs. Getting Your Home Ready for Sale Spring is the prime real estate season. If you are planning to list your home in Eastchester or Mamaroneck when the market heats up, having a brand-new roof installed in winter puts you ahead of the curve. You’ll be ready to list as soon as the flowers bloom, with a major selling point already completed. Challenges and How We Overcome Them We believe in transparency. Roofing in winter is harder than roofing in summer. It presents specific challenges, but at American Star Contractor, we have developed robust protocols to mitigate every single one. Challenge: Brittle Shingles Asphalt shingles lose flexibility as the thermometer drops. Below 40°F, they can become brittle and may crack if they are bent or dropped. The Solution: We treat materials differently in winter. We never throw bundles of shingles. We store them in heated environments until the last possible moment before installation. If we need to cut shingles for valleys or ridges, we ensure they are warm enough to cut cleanly without fracturing. Challenge: Hidden Hazards Ice and frost on the roof deck make the working environment dangerous for our crew. The Solution: Safety is non-negotiable. We closely monitor weather reports and will not start a tear-off if precipitation is imminent. If we encounter morning frost or ice on the deck, we wait for it to melt or clear it completely before laying any new materials. Our crews are equipped with proper fall protection gear suited for winter conditions. Challenge: Daylight Winter days are short. In New York, we lose light early, which reduces the number of working hours in a day. The Solution: We adjust our crew size and project phasing. By deploying larger crews, we can accomplish more in a shorter window. We also focus on sealing the roof section-by-section, ensuring that even if the sun sets, your home is watertight overnight. American Star Contractor’s Winter Roofing Process When you hire American Star Contractor for a project in Westchester NY or the surrounding areas, you aren’t getting a “business as usual” approach. You are getting a tailored cold-weather strategy. 1. Intelligent Scheduling We don’t force a job.
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So, how long does a flat roof actually last? While the simple answer is anywhere from 10 to 30 years, that huge range depends almost entirely on the material protecting your building. The first step to knowing your roof’s future is figuring out which “family” of roofing you have, which you can often do with a quick visual check. If your roof looks like a large, seamless black rubber sheet, you likely have an EPDM roof. Think of it as a giant, durable inner tube stretched over your building. This material is a favorite for its impressive resilience against temperature swings and hail, giving it a typical rubber roof life expectancy of 20 to 30 years. Another common sight is a bright white or light gray membrane, which is usually a “plastic” roof like TPO. Prized for their energy efficiency, these roofs act like a giant reflector, bouncing sunlight away to lower cooling bills. When people ask how long does a TPO roof last, the answer is generally 15 to 25 years. While the full story on EPDM vs TPO roof durability is nuanced, TPO’s heat-welded seams offer fantastic leak protection. Finally, if your roof has a granular, sandpaper-like surface similar to asphalt shingles, it’s a Modified Bitumen roof. Built in tough, overlapping layers, this system is like a mini-roadway for your rooftop, offering exceptional puncture resistance. The average life of a modified bitumen roof is the shortest of the group, typically landing in the 10-to-20-year range, making it a common choice for projects where initial cost is a primary factor. The Two Biggest Enemies of Your Flat Roof: Sun and Standing Water While a sudden storm gets all the attention, your flat roof’s biggest enemies work every day: the sun and standing water. Think of how sunlight makes a car’s dashboard brittle and crack over time. The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays do the same thing to your roof. This process of UV degradation on roofing membrane slowly breaks down the material, making it fragile and prone to splitting, which creates an open invitation for leaks. Sun damage is made much worse by the second threat. If you spot puddles that are still there 48 hours after a storm, you have what roofers call ponding water—a major red flag. This constant moisture adds immense weight, magnifies the sun’s destructive rays, and gives water time to work its way into the tiniest cracks. This is a primary cause of roof ponding water damage. Ponding happens because a key feature has failed. Your “flat” roof isn’t actually level; it’s built with a slight slope to guide water toward drains. When leaves or debris clog those drains, the water has nowhere to go. This simple backup is behind many common flat roof problems, defeating the roof’s most important design feature and leading to expensive repairs. 5 Telltale Signs Your Flat Roof Needs Attention You don’t have to be a roofing expert to know when trouble is brewing. Many of the most common signs of flat roof failure are visible from a second-story window, the ground, or even from inside your building. Keeping an eye out for these visual cues is one of the best ways to catch small issues before they become expensive disasters. Here are the five most common warnings that your roof needs a closer look: Blisters or Bubbles: These look like pockets of trapped air or moisture just beneath the roof’s surface, similar to a bubble under a large sticker. Cracks and Splits: Brittle-looking lines or obvious tears in the material, often resulting from long-term sun exposure. Peeling Seams: The edges where two pieces of roofing material join are lifting or separating. This is a common entry point for water. Damaged Flashing: The metal strips that seal around pipes, vents, and AC units appear bent, rusted, or are pulling away from the roof. Water Stains Inside: A brown, discolored spot on your ceiling is the most urgent sign—it means water has already made its way through every layer of defense. Spotting one of these issues, especially a small blister or a single peeling seam, doesn’t necessarily mean you need a new roof. However, it’s a clear signal that the roof’s defenses are weakening. These are the most common flat roof problems, and solutions begin with a professional inspection. Catching them early is the key to a simple repair, preventing a much costlier replacement down the line. How to Add Years to Your Flat Roof’s Life: A Simple Maintenance Checklist Now that you know the warning signs, you can shift from reacting to damage to actively preventing it. The single most effective way to extend your flat roof’s life doesn’t involve expensive treatments, but a simple, proactive routine. Spending just 15-20 minutes twice a year on basic upkeep can prevent the vast majority of common issues, as their solutions often start this simply. This straightforward flat roof maintenance checklist helps you distinguish between safe DIY tasks and jobs best left to a roofing professional. Your Job (Twice a Year): Clear all leaves, twigs, and debris from drains and the roof surface. Visually inspect for new cracks, blisters, or peeling seams from a safe vantage point. A Pro’s Job (When Needed): Repairing any leaks, seams, or damaged flashing. Performing a detailed inspection, especially on roofs over 10 years old. That simple routine is your most powerful tool. Keeping drains clear prevents the standing water that turns tiny imperfections into major leaks, saving you from costly water damage and premature replacement. It’s the difference between a roof that fails early and one that provides decades of protection. Your Action Plan for a Worry-Free Flat Roof Your flat roof is no longer a mystery. You now have the knowledge to look up and understand what you’re seeing, turning anxiety into awareness. You can spot the difference between materials, recognize the early warning signs of trouble, and see how simple actions directly impact your flat roof lifespan. Your plan to extend your flat roof
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American Star recently completed a roofing and gutter replacement project for a residential property in White Plains, New York. The homeowner was experiencing aging shingles, minor leaks, and failing gutters that were no longer draining water properly. The goal was to upgrade the entire exterior system for long-term protection, durability, and improved curb appeal. Project Overview Our team began by removing the old roofing materials and inspecting the roof deck to ensure it was structurally sound. Any weak or damaged areas were addressed before moving forward. We then installed a high-quality GAF synthetic underlayment, creating a strong moisture barrier and a solid foundation for the new roof. Roof Installation We installed GAF architectural asphalt shingles, known for their excellent performance, wind resistance, and clean, modern appearance. GAF is one of the most trusted roofing manufacturers in the U.S., providing long-lasting protection and enhanced energy efficiency. The new roof significantly improved both the look and reliability of the home. Gutter Replacement To complete the project, we replaced the old gutters with new seamless aluminum gutters, ensuring proper water flow away from the roof and foundation. This helps prevent water damage, soil erosion, and basement issues. Results Durable GAF shingle roofing system New seamless gutters for efficient drainage Improved weather protection and energy efficiency Increased home value and curb appeal Reliable workmanship by American Star Materials Used: GAF Architectural Shingles, GAF Underlayment, Seamless Aluminum Gutters Request a FREE quote Are you looking for a reliable contractor in NYC? American Star Contractor is ready to serve your needs with our exceptional expertise and dedication. Free Quote
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