Your roof is arguably one of the most important aspects of your home. Aside from being one of the most visible parts of a home’s exterior, the roof functions as your essential barrier from all of the elements. Whenever everything is in good shape, your home stays cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter and dry when it rains. A damaged roof can lead to annoying issues, further damage and unwanted exposure to the weather. Because of this, it is important to always have a qualified roofing company take care of any necessary repairs as quickly as possible. Always choose a highly skilled and experienced roofer with a strong reputation to make sure that you avoid these 10 common roofing mistakes:
Covering Old Shingles Rather Than Replacing Them
This is perhaps one of the biggest issues that lower quality roofing companies try to do. The proper way to repair or replace a roof is to remove all of the old shingles and replace them with new ones. Placing new shingles on top of old, damaged shingles creates a variety of places for moisture and dirt to collect. This can lead to deterioration and damage much more quickly than if the roofing job was done right. Always make sure that your roofing contractor has removed all old roofing materials before installing your new roof.
Reusing Old Flashing
The metal flashing on your roof helps to stop moisture from seeping into your home at vulnerable places such as chimneys, skylights and roof valleys. When replacing a roof, some roofers choose to cut corners by reusing old flashing. While the old flashing may appear to be in good condition, this could lead to potential issues down the line. Talk to your roofer about their plan for replacing the flashing on your roof. Make sure that they use new flashing that is less likely to wear down.
Improper Moisture Protection
Although your shingles do a great job of deflecting and diverting water off of your roof, it is very important to install proper moisture protection underneath. This moisture barrier protects your decking from rain and prevents moisture from seeping into the underlying materials. A high quality moisture barrier will properly protect against moisture.
Incorrect Fastener Length
Whenever nails that are too short are used to fasten your shingles, you run the risk of your shingles loosening. Not only can this lead to them shifting, it can result in your roof requiring premature replacement and repairs. Ensure that nails are long enough so they go well into the decking. This keeps your roof shingles from shifting and being displaced down the road.
Incorrect Nail Placement
In addition to fastener length, nail placement is also very important to the overall integrity of your roof. When nails are placed improperly, it can cause some very serious structural issues. Instead of leaving the nail heads exposed to damaging sun, wind and moisture, all nails should be placed underneath the top layer of shingles. This can help keep them from corroding, which can eventually lead to holes in your shingles.
Improper Flashing installation
In addition to replacing your flashing, you should make sure that your roofer installs the new flashing properly. If it is misaligned, improperly overlapped or insufficiently fastened, then your roof is not sufficiently prepared to protect you from heavy downpours.
Improper Overhang
Although it does give your home a certain aesthetic appeal, there is a reason why your shingles overhang the eaves of your house. If your roofing materials do not hang past the eaves, then you risk wind damage. Heavy winds can go underneath the edges of your shingles. Make sure that your roofer gives your roof the proper amount of overhang. To further protect from wind damage, make sure they are using the correct number of fasteners per shingle that are recommended for the wind zone of your location.
Mismatched Slate Coloring
If you are having a slate roof, rather than a shingled roof installed on your home, then you should be concerned about how well the slate matches. Have your roofer inspect all slate before installing it onto your roof. Even slate that comes from the same source can have a variety of colors. You will want to ensure proper consistency of slate coloring when the slate is on the ground. On the roof, different colors could look mismatched.
Improper Ventilation
When thinking about roofing repairs and replacements, many homeowners do not know how important ventilation is. High quality roofing contractors and materials companies use advanced roofing materials to ensure that your roof is structurally sound and properly vented. If your roof is not vented well enough, it can lead to excess heat build-up and damaging moisture collection.
Decking Issues
The decking on your roof lays the foundation for the shingles. Because of this, it is one of the most important aspects of your home. Make sure that your roofer inspects all decking before they install shingles. This is to make sure that it is in proper shape and has been installed correctly. Furthermore, it should be properly protected by the elements by moisture barriers, shingles and other coverings.
Whether you are repairing a roof damaged in a recent storm, or just from normal wear and tear, the above mistakes can make or break the overall life of your roof. Talk with your roofing contractor about these points before they start the job. But better, choose a local, reputable company to do your roofing work. This can help you avoid many of these common errors.
This is especially true after a significant weather event or other occurrence that results in many roofs being damaged. Severe storms bring in droves of storm chasers that may do a substandard job. Most of these companies are difficult (or impossible) to contact later on. Your roof is the most important part of your home. Make sure you put it in good hands.