3 Roofing Pitfalls You Should Avoid

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Roofing Encyclopaedia: Tips For Repair, Maintenance And Replacement

Hello there! I'm glad you dropped by. As the manager of a body corporate agency, I deal with a range of problems every day. Unwanted pests and burst drains are everyday occurrences. Sometimes, there are more unusual situations. Once, I had to deal with a tenant who was keeping a horse in his fourth-story unit! The most common problems I face are related to roofs as poorly-maintained roofs can cause leaks, fires and flying debris. Since I am always encouraging body corporates to maintain, repair or replace roofs before major hassles occur, I have become a bit of a roofing encyclopaedia. I can speak with reasonable knowledge about the best materials, techniques and tradespeople in the industry. I thought others out there might be seeking information about roofing repairs and benefit from my know-how. I hope these entries prove helpful. May you always stay dry!

3 Roofing Pitfalls You Should Avoid

16 December 2015
 Categories: , Blog

The roof is one of the most integral parts of your home. It not only protects you, your family and your household stuffs from incremental weather elements, but also makes sure that the interior sections of your house are not damaged prematurely. Nonetheless, it is not uncommon to hear many homeowners today complain about having faulty roof systems. Unknown to them, most roof problems are caused by poor installation and repair service. Here are some common pitfalls you should avoid when installing and repairing your roof.

Poor attic ventilation

Soffit vents are usually installed to boost the level of ventilation in roof attics. Although these vents may look perforated from the outside of your residential structure, it is extremely vital to ensure that air is travelling through them unobstructed and into the roof attic. In most cases, roof installers may erroneously cover over soffit vents with insulation. When this happens, moisture will be trapped in your roof attic and cause condensation glitches. Having a sufficient volume of air passing through ventilation is similarly as crucial as the exhaust ventilation. If you find that soffit vents on your roof attic are blocked, you can free up the airflow by pulling the insulation away from the vents.

Reusing old drip edges

The function of a drip edge is to provide support for your roof edge and protect your roof line. In addition, a drip edge can help to enhance the appearance of your roof by giving it a superb finishing touch. Deciding to reuse a drip edge for a reroofing project may leave you with a twisted piece of metal tarnishing the exquisite finished appearance of your roof. What is more, re-using a drip edge will lead to the formation of old nail holes that can allow water to enter your house if the holes are not sealed. Even if you can't afford to replace the entire roof structure due to budget constraint, it is an intelligent move to change your drip edge since it is relatively cheaper than the overall cost of a premature roof replacement that you might eventually need.

Improper flashing installation Roof flashing helps prevent rainwater or stormwater from leaking inside your residential structures. It is, for that reason, vital to put flashing in trouble spot areas such as the valleys or around the chimney. You should also make sure that the flashing is of correct length. Flashing that is not long enough won't effectively deter water leakage.

Whether you are embarking on installing a roof on a new house or needing roof repairs, note of the above-mentioned blunders will play a great part in ensuring that you end up with a reliable roof above your head.