Investing in major home improvements can be a stressful process. These projects can be expensive, have a monumental effect on the stability of your home, and when dealing with the wrong company, go wrong.
All of this can lead to an instinct to take shortcuts when it comes to replacing, maintaining, or improving your roof. While this may seem like a good idea at first, these shortcuts can lead to expensive issues with the rest of your home and can even be a danger to your family.
In this months post, we’ll take a look at 6 roofing shortcuts to avoid when it comes to caring for and installing a new roof.
Going with a contractor who can’t meet your expectations
When building a roof for your home, one of the biggest shortcuts you can make is not choosing a contractor that can actually deliver results. Doing so can lead to a faulty roof, delays in completion, or just a bad looking home.
Everyone knows that you need to find a good contractor. But how do you do this if you never purchased one before? After all, new roofs are only needed every 25-30 years, meaning there is a good chance you have little-to-no experience buying one.
If your taking a look at roofing companies for your new roofing project, keep an eye out for the following qualities:
- Good communication
- Roofing knowledge
- Positive reviews
- Local experience
- Utilization of good roofing products
- Product and labor warranty
- They’re insured, licensed, and bonded
- Free estimates
- Good work — with examples to show you!
Installing a new roof over an old roof or using old materials
Never fall for a roofing contractor that wants to complete a “recover” roofing job, which is not even always legal. This style of roofing installation is generally just a re-shingle job, which will not fix the fundamental issue.
Similarly, the use of old materials is a common way for roofers to try to make more money while delivering an inferior product. Many will tell you that you can reuse your flashing or vents to save on materials costs. While these may be fine in the moment, they will have already had extensive wear and tear since the last roof installation and will wear our SIGNIFICANTLY faster than the rest of your new roof. This means you’ll soon be dealing with a failing roof, costing lots of money and time.
Both of these types of jobs will be advertised as a “quicker” and “less-expensive” options, when in reality they are just delaying the inevitable.
Not maintaining it
While your roof is designed to not require lots of maintenance, it does need love from time to time — particularly here in Oregon.
Some key roof maintenance items to practice include making sure:
- It’s free of debris
- Moss or mold is not growing on it
- It’s kept clean
- Any missing shingles are replaced (this could also be a sign you need a new roof)
- Gutters are regularly cleaned
- There is never any standing water on it
Not doing these items can lead to catastrophic failure of your roof and incur further damage to your home. Keep in mind too that maintaining your roof is significantly cheaper than replacing your roof and paying for the fallout to the rest of your home.
Waiting too long to fix a roof
While your roof is at the top of your home, it’s the foundation of your home’s ability to deter moisture and the outside world from infiltrating it. Not fixing it when it needs some love can cause thousands in damage, including excessive mold or structural damage and damaged belongings.
As stated above, the average lifetime of a roof is 25-30 years old. Keep in mind though — this is the average, not the be-all, end-all. Even new homes will have to have their roof replaced under certain circumstances.
Some signs that it’s time for your home:
- Missing shingles
- Buckling or curled shingles
- Wet spots in your home
- Pieces of shingle in your gutter or around the base of your home
- Daylight coming through roof
- Excessive moss
- A shiny roof (fiberglass is showing)
- It simple doesn’t look good
Not fixing a leaky roof
When a roof is leaking and the issues are not dealt with, the consequences can be dire. Water damage to your home is one of the most expensive issues to resolve. Leaks will never just magically go away, so never just ignore them.
Potential issues from leaky roofs include:
- Wood-decay fungi and mold: Water and home interiors don’t mix. Once moisture has entered your interior and has an opportunity to spread, a leaky roof is no longer a small issue. If mold develops, it could take a large remodel to get your home back to normal. Your home could even develop wood-decay fungi, which is just as bad as it sounds! Growing under similar conditions to mold, this wood eating fungus will eat away at wood until your home’s structure is completely destroyed.
- Loss of insulation: Heat rises. What is at the very top of your home home? Your roof. When there is any sort of leak, that means there’s a hole that not only lets water in but your inside temperature-controlled air out. This loss of insulation will make your home more drafty and uncomfortable, and cost you A LOT more money to keep at the desired temperature.
- Personal belongings destroyed: Your home’s structure isn’t the only thing that can be irreversibly destroyed by water. Items like televisions, furniture, and appliances can all incur significant damage or be destroyed with even just a small leak. Worse yet, this water and electronic mix can lead to hazardous conditions or even fires.
Not doing research
The worst shortcut you can take when gearing up for a new roofing project is not doing research to ensure you set yourself up for success. Even reading this post is a great first step!
As we mentioned above, finding a good roofing contractor is key, and arguably the most important part of the roofing process. Make sure to research any roofing company you’re looking to work with and make sure they are as good as they say they are. If they give you references, make sure to call them.
Fivecoat Roofing can help you protect your home
At Fivecoat Roofing we are experts in helping Hillsboro property owners keep their home safe and their roofs effective for years. We’re licensed, bonded, insured, and offer a best-in-Hillsboro warranty.
Our seasoned roofers never take shortcuts and always ensure you receive a premium roof and 5-star customer service. Don’t believe us? Read our reviews and contact us with any questions. We are always here to help!
