Roofing is one of the most expensive and extensive projects you do for your house or property. To get the best quality of work, you need to check your roofer’s work when they’ve done the job.
After spending thousands of dollars, you want your roof to look great and perform as it should. A poorly maintained or poorly constructed roof not only looks bad but can also lead to some costly problems. Not to mention structural damage due to leaks and moisture.
Unfortunately, not all roofers install roof systems correctly. In this case, your roof will not function as advertised. Due to the warm subtropical weather in Florida, you can’t afford a bad roof decoration. How can you really check if your roofer’s work is good or bad?
- Do a Visual Scanning
One of the easiest ways to check your roofer’s work is to inspect it visually. This may seem obvious, but most people don’t do a thorough visual inspection of the roof installation after the project is complete. A quick visual inspection from the ground should reveal consistency issues.
When analyzing a roofer’s job, make sure the roof looks consistent throughout. Any bump means you’re dealing with a bad roof job. Also, look for missing or ruptured shingles. The presence of stains usually indicates a leak.
So, what is the first thing you do when your roofing contractor has done the job? Yes, you should take a visual look with your bare eyes. Any professional contractors will accept this behavior since they want to keep their best quality of service.
- Check Your Roofer Work by Inspecting the Flashing
Flashing is another important detail that contractors should carefully consider. A good roofer always installs a lot of sheet metal around leaky areas like pipes or chimneys.
A trusted contractor is always on the lookout for leaks. Because leaks are the number one cause of damage to homes and roofs. Unless contractors go to great lengths to inspect flashing, they will hardly estimate the cost or process accurately.
Plus, the end results won’t withstand Florida’s wet weather and will break quickly, leaving you to deal with potential leaks. Drip edges are an area that bad contractors often mess up.
- How Was the Underlayment
Check your roofer’s work by taking a look at the underlayment. Make sure these are properly done. The bad luck is if you can’t find the presence of underlayment. This is a big red flag!
Any qualified roofer will install an underlayment between the sheathing and the partitions of the house. Underlayment acts as another barrier to protect your home from moisture or leaks.
It also extends the life of the roof itself. The underlayment should not be arbitrary. A skilled contractor must use a strong synthetic underlayment.
A qualified roofer will always use a high-strength underlayment. These synthetic pads are about 40 times stronger than old felt paper of underlayment.
- Check Your Roofer Work by Check The Drip Edge
Drip edge is an element that needs to be installed by roofing contractors. They should install it on each roof edge.
This kind of component is needed to prevent the water from damaging your property. It also protects if there is any pest infestation in the attic. Water, animals, or random things might interfere with your roof. This is normal because a roof is just like a border between your property and the outer world.
The classic problem is, most property owners find it hard to find whether their roofs are equipped with drip edges or not. Most of the owners might find it too late when the leaks and moisture are already infested by the roof.
If your contractor is trustworthy, they will happily show their plan and the execution to you. Qualified roofers always use drip edges to seal and protect roofs. This lays the groundwork for the bulkhead installation itself. Some companies also offer custom drip edges to create a more secure border on your roof.
- Does Each Component or Parts is Attached Correctly?
Roofs are made in separate parts and should be joined and attached correctly. This type of damage is completely preventable. But choosing the wrong contractor often means that materials were installed incorrectly. The most common case is they do not comply with local and/or state building codes.
One of the most common roofing mistakes is using the wrong type of nails to join materials or not using the correct amount of material, which can eventually lead to damage.
Check the work of your roofer by inspecting the common joints. Such as the sides, and between the edge of the roof. Also, you can ask your contractor what job they have done considering the attachment of the roof.
A well-proven roofer will answer you in a good and clear manner. Each piece of information will be given to you in no time if you are working with a trusted roofer.
- Check on The Attic
When your roofer arrives at your home, the first thing they should look at in your attic. Make sure the contractor also looks around your attic. In particular, check the ventilation of the attic and whether there is rotting wood on the roof.
You’ll want to look up to make sure it’s well ventilated for your attic to breathe. If the insulation is poor, you should pay close attention to excessive wear on the roof, as excess heat can seep in. In winter, this heat can cause ice dams and causing severe problems.
If your attic is not well ventilated, you can have problems with your roof in the future. Trapped hot and cold air can drastically shorten the life of your roof.
- A Good Quality Contractor Leave Your Property As They Were Before
What do you feel if you found out that there is a lot of debris? Have you found old shingles or any kind of leftover from the job? You must be hoping that the job is done smoothly and cleanly in the first place right?
This kind of problem won’t be found if your roofing contractor is one of the good ones. Those who take the job seriously will likely dispose of the garbage and debris themselves.
Many even brought their own construction waste bins to clean up the site during construction. If a company asks you to collect and dispose of these materials yourself, this is a true signal of a red flag.
Conclusion
Roofing is complex work and needs to be done by professionals. As a customer, you have all the rights to check your roofer’s work. From visual scanning, the details, and do they clean after it.
By checking how your roofers did their job, you can decide whether you will use their service more in the future or not.
Contact Preventive Maintenance to get your professional and credible roofers in Boca Raton, Fl!