6 ROOFING MISTAKES YOU NEED TO AVOID

Posted by MichealH Alexander on January 8th, 2021

A roofing system must have a full-proof plan to keep it running for long. If you have to prevent your property from damage for a long number of years, it is the roofing system that must be strong enough to sustain the property.

A cracked roof leads to leaks, damps, discoloration, and damage to the entire property. Do not forget the extra costs you have to bear to repair a roof and the damaged property.

Do not hire an incompetent roofing service during the construction. Only professional and well-experienced roofing contractors know how to build a strong roof that can sustain weathering for years.

Here are six of the most common roofing mistakes that you must avoid.

Cheap material

First and foremost, the most common mistake people make to save a few bucks is getting cheap materials for the roofing. This is one mistake you must avoid anyhow. It may appear that you did a great job by saving a few bucks now, but in the long run, you will end up spending a bomb. Residential Roofing Companies Indianapolis

A faulty roof with cheap, inferior-quality materials will soon give away to weathering and start leaking and crumbling. They make the house weak and prone to damage. Having cheap materials for the roof, makes it most vulnerable to all sorts of damage you can imagine within a few years. Do not be surprised if you find cracks within two to three years. Very soon, you can see your whole property suffering the damage. It will lead to a considerable cost to repair the entire property.

Therefore, it is wise to spend more initially and get high-quality materials for the house to last for years without any sign of damage. That is the best decision you can take for your property to save your costs in the long run and keep it in pristine condition for years to come.

Improper Flashing

Flashing is another protective shield for the roof. It keeps the roof safe from leaks. Flashing consists of metal pieces that protect weak areas that have chances to suffer weather damage. It blocks the infiltration of water, preventing cracks and leaks. But improper flashing is one common mistake that makes the roof prone to wear and leaks soon.

Many times roofers reuse old flashing, which is a grave mistake to make. Since the flashing protects the weakest areas of the roof, reusing flashing is a bad idea.

Old flashing doesn’t protect the roof well enough. Do not go for old flashing even if they appear new and in good condition. They won’t last long and, instead, will make your roof prone to leaks.

Installing new flashing is not expensive, but repairing leaks caused by old and faulty flashing can be quite heavy on the pocket.

Improper Nailing

A proper roof installation requires enough nailing to fasten the shingles. Inadequate nails can keep them loose and make the roof prone to damage. One of the major mistakes of roof installation is improper nailing or using an insufficient number of nails.

Lack of nails makes the shingles insecure. When the shingles are not fastened tightly, they become loose within a few months. This makes the roof exposed to the elements.

Apart from wind, storm, and UV damage, rainwater is the biggest threat to the exposed roof. The rainy season and the winter snow can spell havoc on your roof because of the loose shingles.

Therefore, when the roofing is being done, the nail must enter the nailing strip correctly to secure the shingles in place. It increases the longevity of the roof and keeps it safe from damage.

Some incompetent roofers may cut your budget or cheat you by using fewer nails for the shingles. Ensure that they do not make this grave mistake. Each shingle requires at least four nails on the nail strip.

Faulty Shingle Placement

Shingles act as a shield for your roof and help to protect it from weather damage. But when the shingles are faulty, nothing can save your roof from quickly deteriorating.

Shingles should be appropriately aligned in straight lines. Any gap or uneven areas can cause roof damage very quickly. Therefore, during the roofing process, the contractors must align any uneven area or fix any gap left between them before proceeding.

It is best to keep an eye while the shingles are being placed to ensure that the job is done correctly. People who have no know-how about shingle placement can get cheated by contractors who leave after a faulty job.  Get the shingles aligned if you find any gap or uneven patch of area.

These small but significant mistakes can be enough to leave the roof so damaged that it needs replacement after a few years. Also, regularly inspect the roof shingles to find any gaps that may have occurred over the years.

Lack of Regular Maintenance

One of the biggest roofing mistakes is the lack of proper maintenance. You can build your property using the best materials, but things are bound to suffer without inspection and maintenance.

Timely inspection at regular intervals and immediate repairing is the best way to maintain the roof. It also helps to increase its longevity and prevents major problems.

Repairing a roof is easy and inexpensive only when the defects are slight and new. They aggravate and take a severe turn when you ignore them for a long time or leave them unattended, unaware of their presence. This may happen if you do not inspect the roof often or call the professional roofers for regular inspection as a part of yearly maintenance. When the cracks and defects aggravate, it is difficult and costly to repair them.

Moreover, leaving the defects unattended for a long time is the most significant damage you can do to your property. There will be innumerable things to repair and redo once you leave the house exposed to damage by a cracked roof. Indianapolis Roofing Contractor

Inspect and repair roof damages at the earliest to maintain it within the warranty period.

Leaving the valley unprotected

The valley is the point where two roof slope down and meet. Before the water and the snow make their way down the roof, they collect at this valley point. Most inexperienced contractors will leave the valley bare and unprotected. This is a grave roofing mistake seen in residential properties.

Usually, a metal piece is fixed at the valley point to prevent the water and snow from collecting. The valley also needs two layers of roll roofing or flashing as an underlayment for better protection.

When the valley is unprotected, it invites leaks very soon. The stored water and snow can damage the roofing and lead to leaks.