What Could Cause a New Roof to Fail?

There’s no doubt about it: Having a brand new roof installed just to fail in a matter of months or even years is every homeowner’s worst nightmare. Nevertheless, new roofs have been known to fail despite seeming perfectly sound. Nothing can make up for a bad roofing job, no matter how many great roofing tips you’ve received. If you haven’t sought out quality work from a contractor like Alpharetta roofing company, there’s a chance that your roof was built too quickly or didn’t come installed with the proper materials for long-lasting protection. Your roof is one of the most important parts of your home’s structure: It protects everything from the ravages of the outside world, including water, heat, and drafts. When you need a new roof, it’s extremely important that you know the signs of a good roofing job versus a sloppy one. If you’re in the market for a new roof, here are a few things to look out for.

There’s Not Enough Ventilation

When building a roof, there are a lot of things to consider. Using the right materials is important, but the roof’s actual infrastructure is one of the most important things to get right during construction. A roof’s ventilation system keeps it from becoming corrupted in bad weather and buckling under from the pressure. If a roof isn’t built with the best ventilation in mind, it will remain vulnerable to problems like moisture buildup and rot. When your roof doesn’t have enough airflow, it can easily get overheated during humid summer months. If that hot air has nowhere to go, it can get trapped and end up weakening the structure of your roof from the inside. It can also find its way to other parts of your home, such as your walls and floors. During winter, the same problem can occur with ice buildup. It doesn’t matter how strong your shingles are: If your roof isn’t built with the proper ventilation, it could fail within a year.

There Aren’t Enough Materials

If you’re trying to cut corners by hiring contractors who will do the job quickly, or if you’re trying to go DIY and take on the project yourself, it’s possible to underestimate the materials you need to finish the roof or end up missing out on certain details. While a homeowner taking on the project themselves would most likely work to correct this, contractors who are doing a rush job might not be so fastidious. When workers are in a rush, they tend to label certain must-have features of your roof, such as sealants or extra protective shields to help your roof withstand bad weather, as ‘extras’ and neglect to splurge on them. The kicker is that you won’t be able to notice until it’s too late. Don’t assume that you and your contractors agree on what’s essential for your roof. Before the job begins, ask as many questions as you can about what materials are included in the price of the job.

There’s a Flashing Failure

Chimney flashings are installed on your roof as a protective measure so that the two elements stay sealed. While it’s not always necessary to install brand new flashing with a brand new roof, you have to have some flashing in order for your roof to be protected. While some contractors think flashings are design features and don’t need to be there, the alternative, which is to use caulking, isn’t a long-term solution for the problem. Anyone who has installed weatherproofing knows that caulking isn’t the most long-lasting material, even when used liberally. To protect the gap between your roof and chimney, you need to have flashings.

The Installation Job was Rushed

As with any job half-done, certain contractors who come in with a low bid will work on getting you a new roof in record time. If you’re a homeowner who wasn’t expecting a sudden roof failure and hadn’t been saving or budgeting for the cost of repair, it can be tempting to go with the cheapest possible job. It’s even better if the job gets finished quickly: No one wants to be pushed out of their own home for too long. However, when it comes to your roof, it pays to wait. When contractors rush through a job, they not only tend to skip some important extra features, they’ll probably put together a sloppy roof to begin with, using cheap materials and hiring inexperienced laborers to get things done quickly. When hiring a contractor, remember to ask questions about the job and what’s included. Ask about their experience with this type of job and about the kinds of professionals they work with, and always remember that whatever you’re saving on a cheap job now you’ll have to make up for later in the event of a failed roof.