Roof Installation Vs. Material & Manufacturer Selection

No matter how good the materials are that you use on your roof, they are only as good as the installation. Unscrupulous or poorly trained roofing technicians can make mistakes that will cost you a bundle. A multitude of components can be installed incorrectly, including but not certainly not limited to:

• Using the wrong nails (too short usually) can cause total structural failure in high winds. Insufficient size and spacing of nails or fasteners can cause you to lose shingles during a storm. Generally, the nail must be long enough to penetrate the sheathing.
• Shingles or other roofing materials aren’t waterproof, that’s what underlayment is designed to do. Using inadequate or improper underlayment can allow water to penetrate the roofing material.
• Improperly installed gutters, flashing, valleys, roof caps and drip edges, will allow water to penetrate beneath the roofing material.
• Improper materials for your state or city code can cause all kinds of problems — for instance, in hurricane prone areas, there are special regulations and requirement for installing roofing materials to allow it to stand up to hurricane force winds. In addition, certain communities (like planned builder communities) often have standard requirement for not only the materials used, but also the color and style. Get it wrong and it’ll cost you when the HOA sues for non-compliance.

Any one of a number of installation mistakes can turn out to be very costly - oftentimes a whole roof replacement. Not only will improper installation reduce the life expectancy of your roof or cause immediate damage that needs repair, but mistakes can also invalidate manufacturer requirements and parameters, thereby invalidating your warranty. Repairs outside of a warranty are coming out of your pocket unless you can get the roofing company to own up to its mistakes.

That’s why it is so important to hire a reputable roofing company to handle your installation. Installed correctly and professionally, and depending on your choice of roofing materials, your roof can last a lifetime.