Think you’ve got a roof that isn’t up to scratch? While most roofers are normally respectable professionals, that isn’t always the case. if you’ve got a roof that you’re unsure about, you’re in the right place.
In this article, we’re going to look at a few different signs of a bad roofing job – whether you’ve got shingles, membrane, or any other type of roof.
The best way to help prevent getting a bad roof is by making sure you use a good roofing company. They aren’t all the same. So that means you need to take a bit of care when looking around.
Try asking neighbours or friends – other people you KNOW have been happy with their roofing contractor. If you don’t know anyone personally, try checking a few review sites online or our own article about questions to ask a roofer before signing the deal that will help you make sure you hire the right contractor.
Perhaps most importantly, a good roofer should be able to show you countless examples of their finished work. Not just in their portfolio, but also with actual real examples and places you can visit to see the finished job. If they can’t show you this, or have recently moved to the area, you might want to look elsewhere when deciding who to hire.
Now that you know a little bit more about finding the right roofing firm for you, how can you tell if an existing roofing job has gone wrong?
Here are the signs of a bad roofing job to look for
The roof doesn’t have a uniform appearance 
One simple way to actually tell if you’ve got a roof that’s in poor condition or hasn’t been installed properly, is to look at it. It’s probably the first thing you should try. By having a good look at your roof (maybe even getting up and having a look at it), you’ll be able to spot all sort of problems. But you’ll especially be able to spot if your roof doesn’t have a uniform appearance.
A good roof should look uniform throughout. A bad roofing job should be able to show quite easily with a visual inspection. If you notice any sagging roof lines, this could be a major indication that you’ve got a problem, or your roof wasn’t installed by a quality contractor.
Some other visual indicators of a poor roof include if some of the shingles are different colors. A big sign that your roofing job was carried out by a low-quality contractor is if one section of the roof is made from a completely different material to the rest. Roofers shouldn’t run out of material, and when they do – they should only buy the same to finish the roof. But not every roofer does this.
Incomplete flashing 
via: scoop.it
The drip edge flashing is what roofers install around the edge of a roof. This is so that it can prevent water damage to the main structure of the roof. Good flashing can also protect your actual home from pest problems that often start in the roof area or attic. While this wasn’t always the case, installing flashing is a requirement if you’re having a shingle roof installed.
If your roof is missing complete coverage from drip edge flashing, you could have a problem. The problem is, spotting missing drip edges can sometimes be quite difficult. Regular homeowners like yourself might not normally be able to spot any issues, so hiring a reputable roofer to inspect might be necessary.
Are are just a few problems a bad drip edge flashing could cause:
- Rotting
- Mold
- Staining
- Flooded basements
And more.
Poor shingle nailing job 
Bad roofing jobs often have poor nailing-work around them. Property, high-quality roofing contractors will know how to nail properly, but not every roofer does.
Your roof might have overdriven nails which is where the nails have been hammered too hard and deep into the shingle layer. You’ll often be able to notice this, and the nails will look too sunk into the shingle.
Another sign of poor quality nailing is actually down to the quality of the nails themselves. A good roofer that wants to perform a high-quality job will use the best nails available, and these will especially be ones that do not rust. If you notice your roof nails rusting, then your roofer might have cut costs. The best nails are normally galvanized and stainless steel, and these should not rust.
Another indicator of poor quality nailing is when the nails simply aren’t in the right place. This is a more common problem than you might think, but a high quality roofer will know exactly where the nails should go. Nails should normally only be applied 2.5cm from the edges of shingles.
Old material being reused 
When you get a new roof put in place, it should be made up from new materials. One short-cut many low-quality roofers take is by ripping up and re-using old materials as a way to try and cut costs. Most commonly, your roofer might have re-used old slashing around the edges of your roof instead of installing with completely new material. This can often lead to leaks and other issues.
Roof flashing can only be used once, so re-using it is a big no-no and a proper sign of a poor roofing company. Even if your older roof flashing looks fine, that doesn’t mean it is.
Rotted parts of your roof 
Another big indicator of a poor roofing job is if parts of the roof (particularly the decking). If a roof needs replacing completely, your roofer should strip the old roof off entirely before starting on a new one. This allows your roofer to check the decking underneath to see if there are any other issues or leaks, and especially so they can spot rotting.
Rotted decking will not be able to hold nails and therefore roofing shingles in place. You’d be surprised how many low-quality roofers ignore this step of checking the decking underneath. That means they could be nailing shingles into an area that won’t hold them very well. This could make your roof much less durable than it should be – and last nowhere near as long.
Hopefully, these simply tips have been enough to give you a good idea what to look for when trying to spot a poor roofing job. And that you will never have to deal with yourself.
