Whenever you hire a roofing professional to repair or replace your roof, there’s always a bit of a leap of faith involved. Because of how infrequently a good roofing job gets repeated over the life of a home, there’s not a lot of repeat business. You are often relying on word of mouth from neighbors or family members, and not past experience.

Because your roof’s health is so closely tied to the overall condition of your home, being able to recognize a poor job quickly is critical. Also, since bad roofing companies don’t stick around long, it’s important to address a poor job sooner rather than later.

Is the Appearance Uniform?

The first visual inspection should always be the look of the roof itself. Are the shingles laid in a uniform fashion, or are areas mismatched? Inconsistent shingle patterns aren’t just visually distracting, they can also indicate areas of poor workmanship where problems could quickly occur.

When a roofing contractor lets you know work has been completed, it’s the first thing you should check and have fixed before you pay your bill.

Flashing

Another easy-to-spot sign of a bad roofing job deals with flashing, which is the metal edging you see at the edge of the roof and around skylights and chimneys. Less scrupulous roofing contractors may try to re-use your current flashing, or in some cases not install it at all.

While it’s not technically a code violation, any reputable roofing company will always install new flashing. Reattaching the old flashing most often is going to create a second set of nail holes, along with entry points for water through the old ones.

Some contractors may be so bold as to try to not install it at all. When the new roof sees its first bout with serious weather, separation between shingle and decking can begin to occur immediately.

Nailing Issues

Other signs of a bad roofing job may take longer to appear. One of those signs is rusty metal roofing components.

Any nail used in the installation of your roof is supposed to be galvanized, making it corrosion-resistant. A poor roofing contractor skimping on materials can cost you big time in the long run. One rusty nail can let in a gallon of water per hour during heavy rains.

Nails also need to be properly installed. A nail not driven in far enough will not penetrate down to the wood deck, and fail to properly anchor the shingle. Nails driven to far in will crack the shingle, increasing the chance for leaks to develop.

Decking

After your roofing contractor has stripped your roof down to the decking, they should inspect it for rotting or damaged wood. If they find any it should be replaced. Rotting plywood won’t hold nails, making it impossible to properly anchor the shingles. In some cases, completely new decking must be installed before shingles can be laid.

Whenever issues directly related to the installation of your new roof arise, it’s important to address them as soon as possible. A problem roof can quickly become a once-new roof now in need of major repairs in just a few instances of bad weather. We have decades of experience and a customer service reputation that speaks for itself. Contact us today to talk about getting on our schedule for a new roof. You’ll be so glad you did!