The roof is one of the most essential parts of your home. It shields your family from harsh weather conditions, keeping them comfortable and your home insulated. Besides that, it represents a considerable investment that could add up to $40,000 or more. Therefore, whether you’re installing a new roof or replacing an old one, look for the following common roofing mistakes to get the perfect results and avoid higher repair costs.
Layers of Shingles
Some municipalities allow homeowners and business owners to lay a new roofing system without tearing the old one in a roof replacement project. However, it is essential to tear off the old roofing system since it allows the roofing contractor to inspect your roof for any potential issues, gaps or weaknesses that it may have. Besides that, depending on how many layers of shingles your roof is designed to support, adding more than recommended would affect its integrity and result in leaks or collapse.
Mismatching Shingles Giving an Asymmetrical Appearance
It’s easy to notice mismatched shingles in a home. They ruin the curb appeal with their asymmetrical appearance and can even suppress a home value. This typically happens when a roofing contractor buys materials from multiple suppliers for a single project. To avoid this, hire a certified contractor and ensure they source the shingles from a single and trusted supplier.
Incorrect Nailing
There are specific guidelines for using nails while securing a roof deck. These guidelines determine the number of nails to use, the size and the techniques to drive them through the decks. Incorrect nailing may result from the following errors:
- Using nails without barbed shanks
- Driving the nails into gaps or knotholes
- Using nails with too small heads
- Driving the nails above the self-sealing strip
Re-using or Omitting Flashing
Most roofing contractors opt to reuse chimney and wall flashing and, in other cases, fail to install them in new roofing projects to save time and costs. Others don’t know how to properly install them or opt to use sealant and tar instead of the flashing. This may affect the integrity of the roofing and eventually damage it, resulting in a considerable repair cost in the future.
Using Wrong Shingles for Hips & Ridges
With traditional 3-tab shingles, roofers cut them into three pieces and use them as ridge and hip caps. However, newer options like laminate and designer shingles don’t allow roofers to use the same technique. Otherwise, once they use this technique, the pieces don’t lie flat on the hips and shingles and may even break or crack over them. Therefore, it’s best to use the particular hips and ridges developed by the manufacturer to avoid such scenarios.
Installing Shingles Over Old Boards
Most roofers commonly use existing roof decks while installing shingles despite their poor condition. This can cause many problems, such as poor fastening of the shingles if the nails used don’t have a consistent surface to drive the nail through. It may also cause the shingles to buckle when there’s contraction or expansion due to season change.
Covered Soffit Ventilation
Some roofers assume the need for proper ventilation for their soffits and mistakenly cover them with insulation. This traps moisture in the attic and causes condensation problems. The best solution is to avoid using the insulation or installing mor-vents to divert the airflow to the attic.
Avoid Common Roofing Mistakes with Roofing Optimum
Understanding the signs of a poor roofing job can help you avoid expensive costs while repairing the roof or mitigating its damages in the future. At Roofing Optimum, we can help you avoid these mistakes with our professional and experienced roof installation process. We always use the best materials and maintain the highest workmanship in roofing services. Download our Roofing Guide or contact us today to learn more about how to make sure you get a high-quality roof that lasts the test of time.
