The roof of a home is one of the most important pieces of the home. The roof plays the part of shielding the rest of the home from outside environmental elements such as rain and snow. A roof that is not in good condition can lead to homeowner nightmares such as water damage to the home, or exposure to the outside environmental elements that the roof is supposed to be shielding. Listed below are five common roofing errors and how to avoid them.
1. Simply Putting New Shingles Over Old Shingles
This is one of the most common roofing errors one can make and is often seen with smaller roofing companies. Simply putting new shingles over old shingles gives moisture, dirt and mold an easy place to intrude. If there is any type of roofing issue going on, it is imperative to remove the old portion of the roof (starting with shingles and going as far deep into the roofing structure as necessary) and replace the problem area. Starting with a clean slate ensures that the roofing problem will be fixed and there is no place for moisture or mold to be allowed into the home.
2. Using Too Short Nails
When installing shingles, it is important to use fasteners that are the correct length. If the nails used to attach the shingles to the roof are too short, this can result in shingles becoming loose and falling off. A good way to check proper nail length is to ensure that the nail can be driven all the way into the decking. This helps prevent shingles from loosening or moving and causing damage to the roof.
3. Having Too Short Of A Shingle Overhang
Shingle overhangs on a home are not just there for added looks. Ensuring that there is a proper overhang on the eave of the home is necessary to prevent unwanted shingle damage from wind. If there is too short of a shingle overhang on the eave, wind can blow up underneath the shingles and cause major damage to the roof. The easiest way to prevent this issue is to ensure that the shingle overhang goes all the way over the eave of the home.
4. Using Improper Amounts Of Fasteners
There is a certain amount of fasteners that should be used per each shingle on a roof. Not only is there a certain number of fasteners that should be used, there is also a particular placement that each fastener must be in. It is a common mistake for shingles to either not have the proper amount of fasteners, or the fasteners be in the wrong place. Fasteners installed in the wrong place can cause damage such as extreme issues for the life of roof as a system. The easiest way to avoid this error is to ensure that the installation directions are followed.
5. Moisture Protection Not Properly Installed
One purpose of installing shingles is to provide the roof of a home protection from moisture. It is also necessary to install moisture protection underneath the shingles. Properly installed moisture protection helps provide a barrier from outside elements to the decking of a roof and helps keep moisture from building up underneath the shingles. The easiest way to avoid this error is to ensure that a high quality moisture barrier is installed before new shingles go down on the roof of the home.
Roofing errors do occur, but they do not have to. To avoid common roofing errors it is important to properly follow all installation codes and best practices and to always use high quality materials. Please also know that these are just an example of five of the most common roofing errors and that there are many more that can potentially undermine the quality of roof you are installing.
If you would like to know that your roof is installed correctly the first time, without error, call the professionals at National Home Improvement. We will install you roof system exactly the way it should be to ensure its longest life possible.
