How to Spot a Bad Roofing Job

Roofing Contractors from Napa Offer Insight Into Roof Repair and Damage

A healthy roof is essential to a healthy home. Not only does it protect you from the elements, but also it affects the performance of your air conditioning system, impacts your health, and overall plays an integral role in your home. Like any fixture in your home, however, it can deteriorate with age. While roof repairs should always be left to the pros, it’s important as a homeowner to know when those repairs are needed and how to spot a bad roofing job. In this article, we’ll be doing just that, helping homeowners understand the ins and outs of their roof repair concerns.

How Can a Damaged Roof Affect Your Home?

The first way that roof damage affects a home is by lowering property value. Having missing or loose shingles, punctures, structural or moisture damage speaks volumes when it comes to a bad roofing job or just a job that needs to be re-done. An appraiser would immediately lower the property value on a home when seeing these issues. Not only does property value go down, but so does the curb appeal.

If the roof damage is severe enough to file an insurance claim, you may have issues with the insurance company as well, depending on a few key points.

Are you up to date with premiums? Is your home maintained to their standards? If the answer is no, your claim may be denied. Your policy may have a mandated change, meaning it will go up in cost, depending on the situation you are in. Also, if they deem the damage within the owner’s control, such as damage from branches or faulty issues that the homeowner neglected, the claim can also be denied.

The structural damage from roof damage can also take a heavy toll. You may start dealing with damage to the support under your roof. This is entirely another issue that will take a roofing expert, and other professionals, to fix.

What Are Common Signs of A Bad Roofing Job?

One of the most noticeable signs of a bad roofing job, that even a novice inspection would show, is the appearance. There may be oddly placed material or even slight variation in the types of shingles because the roofer ran out of material. Perhaps the roofer just patched some areas without speaking with the owner about it first, either way, the appearance tells all.

There may also be a lack of drip edges. This is an absolute requirement, but that doesn’t stop faulty contractors or roofing companies from not doing the job. The purpose of a drip edge is to prevent water damage and keep pests away. Without the proper installation of drip edging, the roofer is setting your home up for failure.

The next sign of a bad roofing job is lack of underlayment. The underlayment serves as a barrier between the shingles and the sheathing. The main purpose is to be a barrier against water, which can ultimately result in moisture damage. Your roof will degenerate much faster than normal without proper underlayment.

A bad roofing job signifier is also the lack of replacing old vents with new ones. Old vents should never be reattached due to the damage they are certain to have taken throughout the years.

The Importance of Hiring A Reputable Contractor

It may be tempting for some to grab a bunch of their family and friends and try to cut the costs of a new roof. The issue is, your family and friends are not roofing experts. There are so many potential risks and hazards, such as injuries and mistakes. Hiring a reputable contractor will ensure the job is done right the first time and will leave you with a roof that will last for years to come.

Reputable contractors can often get materials more cost-effectively than the common person. They have built up a rapport with companies over years of repeat business, and therefore, materials come at a discount for them. Hiring a reputable contractor is actually more cost-effective than trying to purchase materials on your own.

Another great reason to use a reputable contractor: the warranty. An experienced contractor will have a warranty on both labor and materials which may save you money in the long run if something out of your control negatively impacts your roof.

Finally, the expertise of a reputable contractor cannot be beaten. These experienced contractors have been roofing for years and know what they are doing. Chances are, they have worked on a wide variety of roofing jobs, and will know exactly what to do for yours.

You Can Count on Modern Method Roofing

Modern Method Roofing was developed over fifty years ago in Napa Valley. They are committed to client satisfaction and maximum value. Not only do they offer full roof installation services, but also they can help repair minor issues like leaks, protecting your home and family from extensive damage.