A roof is one of the most important and most expensive investments for a house. Take it from a roofing company with several years of experience. Whether you are a new homeowner paying to get a roof attached or a homeowner who is thinking of installing a new roof on a 20-year-old home, you need someone that does the job right.
Unfortunately, not every contractor performs quality work. Hence, a lot of homeowners end up with a bad roofing job. If you are afraid you might be one of them, you should inspect! Here are 5 signs you must look out for:
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1. Stains and Leakage
One of the most common signs of a bad roofing job is black stains on shingles. These stains meant that water is leaking through the roof into different areas of the home. You can repair such leaks without replacing the entire roof, but the damage caused to the interior might be more widespread. Try to find the leak. If it is isolated, it can easily be fixed, but if you notice multiple stains, it indicates that it is a more significant issue and that your roof might have to be replaced.
2 Uniformity
A properly installed roof will look uniform. However, if a roof is improperly installed, you will notice different colored shingles, reused vents, or missing drip edges. You might also notice how some parts of the roof age at different rates compared to others. Under normal circumstances, a roof should wear down evenly along each section. Therefore, you must check your roof often to make sure that any one side isn’t wearing down too fast. Frequent visual inspections will help you notice uniformity issues before they become a significant hassle.
3. Hardware Mistakes
A watertight roof is more than just shingles. It requires the proper hardware. The correct use of vents, flashing drip edges, underlayment, decking, and nails is necessary to ensure you have a uniform, leak-proof and healthy roof. If your contractor makes hardware mistakes, it is a sign that they are off the mark and need to follow best practices and follow certain codes and specifics of material installation.
4. Incorrect Shingle Installation
If your roofing company is trying to save some bucks, they might throw in some different-sized or differently-colored shingles which can look noticeable from your yard. Over time, if you notice that distinct spots of your roof that look more weathered than others, it is an indicator that your contractor has used multiple types of shingles. One cannot determine some bad roofing jobs until later on. For example, storm damage may indicate whether or not the contractor did a good job. Even the sturdiest roofs are susceptible to damage caused by a strong storm, but if only your roof is damaged in the entire neighborhood, then something might be fishy.
5. Poor Nail Use
The use of wrong types of nails and incorrect nail techniques are big signs of a bad roofing job. Roofing nails are made to suit a roof’s specific components and are designed to ensure a perfect roof job. Hence, it would be best if you looked out for:
- Rusty nails: Roof nails are usually rust and weather-resistant, so if your roofing job has just finished and you are already noticing oxidized nails, then this is a sign that the contractor used low-grade work materials.
- Overdriven nails: Nails should be flat or flush across the surface. Nails that are sunken into the wood are a sign of aggressive hammering.
- Dispersed nails: If you see any nails that are irregularly positioned, then the contractor may have conducted the roof job unprofessionally, and you should be observant of other signs as well.
Seek Help from Eagle Prime Construction Roofing Company
If you want to avoid these signs of a bad roofing job, you should contact a trustworthy roofing company in Houston such as Eagle Prime Construction. We provide roofing services in several communities around Houston that will last a lifetime. Whether you need a commercial or a residential roofing job, you can count on our team of roofing experts to deliver precisely what you are looking for! To schedule a free roof inspection with us, call us today at (832) 257-2363 or visit our website for more information regarding our services.