Due to the recent high winds and storms across the US, many homes have been experiencing roofing problems, resulting primarily in shingle damage.
Wind damage can affect shingles in several different ways. The most common problem is shingles coming loose or being completely torn off the roof. This is a significant problem because missing shingles can lead to leaking, especially if the roof deck is exposed.
Although most shingle roofs have been designed to withstand the winds we have been experiencing, Roof Girl has experienced a much higher call volume than normal. So what is the problem? Currently in Georgia there is no organization to regulate roofing contractors and the way roofing systems are installed. This leads to contractors cutting corners and failing to take all the necessary precautions to properly install a roof. The following is a list of common errors that can lead to wind tearing, lifting or significantly damaging the shingles on your roof.
During our roof investigations, roof assessments, and emergency roof repairs…this is what we have found.
Problem 1. No Underlayment
Typically most roofing contractors who follow new construction practices do not install underlayment under the shingles. Underlayment serves as protection to the roof sheathing which is the wood surface the shingles are applied to. When we experience wind driven rains, they can back water up underneath the roofing shingles causing damage to the wood. If the wood loses its strength, the nails holding the shingles will not do their job and the likelihood of shingles being torn off increases.
Problem 2. Incorrect Placement of Nails on Shingles
Roofers are often in a rush to finish a job. Often they are racing against weather, or they quoted the wrong price and didn’t realize this until they were half way through, or purposely quoted a low price and are cutting corners to get the job done. These roofers get very sloppy and fail to place the nail fasteners into the shingles where they belong. What we have found is many roofers nail high on the shingle and miss securing the shingle below. Therefore, only one row of nails gets installed into the shingle, instead of 2 rows. Also, many roofers do not install the correct amount of nails per shingle, thus creating a high probability that the shingle will dislodge itself from the roof...in short order.
Problem 3. Roof Fasteners Too Short
Roofing nails come in several lengths for various types of roof applications. We must consider the thickness of the plywood roof deck and the thickness of the roofing shingle before deciding on the length of the nail. Most manufacturers will tell you right on the bundle of shingles what length of nail to use. Why aren't these roofers reading? On many of these roofs that are failing we have found that the roofing nails have not penetrated through the roof sheathing to meet the minimum manufacture specifications. When dealing with low price roofing companies, keep in mind that 1” roofing nails cost $10.00 per box less than 1” ½ roofing nails. Factor 2 boxes of nails per roofing job over 200 jobs = $4000.00 over the course of a roofing season. This is just one of a million ways to cut corners when installing a new roof, which ends up being more costly to the homeowner in the long run.
NEXT: The affect of hail to your roof.