The roof on your home is the first line of defense against whatever Mother Nature decides to throw your way. If you have any problems with your roof, those issues are likely to become problematic sooner rather than later. Many roofing issues are caused by roofing mistakes, so it is important to confirm that your roof has been installed and repaired correctly. The five mistakes we have listed below are things to think about when considering the condition of your roof.
Poor Nailing Job
One important part of a standard roofing job is to manage the nails properly. There are a couple of things which need to be done right here. First, of course, is that the nails need to actually be driven into the nailing strip, where they are meant to go. This might seem like an obvious point, but it is missed more often than you might believe. Also, it’s important to drive the nails to the appropriate depth. If the nail isn’t driven far enough into the shingle, it can easily work its way out down the line. Or, if the nail is blasted all the way through the shingle, it actually won’t be holding onto anything and the shingle will be loose.
Dealing with the Valley
The low point where two sections of the roof come together is known as a ‘valley’, and it’s important because this is where water will head before making its way off the roof. Another common mistake seen in residential roofing is to skip the use of a metal piece to help usher water away. As you might imagine, skipping the valley metal is inviting problems with leaks down the road.
Failing Flashing
Flashing is an important part of many roofing jobs, as it helps to move water away from spots where it might be able to work into the home otherwise. Inexperienced roofers may have trouble using flashing correctly, which is a mistake that might not make itself known for a while – but is likely to be a problem down the line. When a new roof is installed, it might be possible for some of the old flashing to remain, but anything that is damaged or no longer serving the intended purpose should be replaced.
Out of Line
Shingles are meant to be installed in straight lines, and in a uniform manner. That part of the job is a pretty easy task for an experienced roofer, but those without much time on the job may struggle. While the odd appearance of such a roof is one thing to worry about, you may also wind up with performance issues if the shingles aren’t straight.
Shingles on Shingles
Believe it or not, sometimes a new roof will simply be tacked on right on top of an old one. This is simply not a good idea. Before new roofing shingles are installed, the old shingles should be removed and disposed of properly. Saving some money now by skipping the removal of the old shingles is going to come back around and cost even more in the long run.
