Why Quality Matters
Having your roof installed by a skilled professional is essential. Paying bottom dollar for a new roof can often cause numerous problems to appear within a few years. Improper installation can void the warranty on singles and can end up costing far more than hiring a quality roofer in the first place.
We frequently work with customers with leaky roofs and shingles blowing off, sometimes these problems can be repaired, sometimes they require an a full re-roof.
Common Roofing Pitfalls
High-Nailed Shingles: Roofers that are in a hurry won’t take the time to properly nail each shingle along the prescribed nail line. Doing so allows the nail to easily punch through the single and make it much more likely to blow off. This is one of the most common issues that can befall a homeowner. A dozen high-nailed shingles can be repaired, an entire roof of high-nailed shingles needs to be replaced. We re-roof several houses each year that have issues due to high-nailed shingles. Proper installation is especially important in the extreme weather conditions of Montana.
Sloppy Underlayment: Many roofers believe that roofing underlayment (tar paper and synthetic underlayment) doesn’t need to be water tight since it is covered by the singles. On the contrary, the underlayment is an essential link in the chain of water management and acts as a last line of defense for any water that manages to wick under the shingles in various problem areas. These problem areas include valleys, chimneys, skylights, pipes and places where the roof is adjacent to a wall. Taking the time to properly install underlayment is the sign of a quality roofer!
Poor Installation Around Skylights and Chimneys: Many homeowners have issues with leaks appearing around skylights and chimneys. A surprising number of roofers don’t know the proper way to install underlayment and metal flashing around these common problem areas. This can easily cause water damage to the interior walls of the house. Common symptoms include peeling paint and swelling drywall. If left untended, these leaks can cause fungus and mold to establish themselves in the attic and can be very expensive to eliminate and repair.
The biggest problem with a poorly installed roof is it can be very difficult to tell until you have a major issue. A bad roof looks often just like a good roof from the ground. To avoid these common problems you should always work with a knowledgeable roofing company that cares about the quality of their work.