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XIX

How to spot a bad roofing job
Poor Contractors
One of the most expensive parts of your home to repair is the roof.
Sadly, this is also one of the most common places to find poor workmanship.
A badly built or repaired roof can lead to numerous problems in the future,
including further roof work and structural damage due to leaks. The good
news is that you don’t have to be an expert to spot a bad roofing job. The
following are several common signs that your roofer wasn’t worth the cost.
Five Common Signs of a Bad Roofing Job
Be on the lookout for the following roofing issues:
1. Missing drip edge flashing
A drip edge is a flashing material that contractors must
install at the edges of your roof. The purpose of a drip edge is to
prevent water damage. It also protects your home from pest
infestation that starts in the attic. Nowadays, installing drip
edges is a requirement for roofing shingles. Homeowners may
never know whether their roofs have drip edges or not. Roofing
contractors usually spot this problem after receiving complaints
about leaks and moisture concerns.
2. Your roof doesn’t have a uniform appearance
Many people rarely look at their roofs. Be sure to do a
visual roofing inspection from time to time. Ideally, your roof
should look uniform throughout. Some signs of a bad roofing job
are easier to spot, and an uneven appearance is one of them.
Do you notice sagging roof lines? Are some asphalt shingles
different in color? Is one section of your roof different from the
rest in terms of material type? Perhaps the roofer installed a
different material on one area because they ran out of your
preferred material.
3. Improper roof shingle nailing
Another one of the common signs of a bad roofing job we
see is wrong nailing techniques. Certified roofing contractors
use proper nailing techniques. They can also identify the
following problems with shingle nailing:
Overdriven nails – This refers to nails that are
driven too deep into the shingles. You will notice that the
nails look sunk or buried. Overdriven nails imply that too
much pressure was exerted when fastening the shingles
in place.
Using nails that rust – Roofing contractors must
utilize nails that are corrosion-resistant. Nails that are less
likely to rust include galvanized steel and stainless steel.
Nails in the wrong locations – Improperly located
nails are common. Contractors should apply nails 2.5 cm
above the cut-out and also 2.5 cm from the edges.
4. Reusing old flashing material

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