Today’s blog post was written by a guest writer. We at Salt Point Services enjoy collaborating with others in the general contracting community to bring you the best information available to help keep your house in great condition! With heavy snow and rain typical of winter and spring, now is a great time to learn what to avoid in case you need your roof to be repaired.

Every homeowner dreads having to deal with roof repairs, but delays in addressing roofing issues will only make the damage worse. If you don’t fix it now, you may have to replace your roof later – and replacing a roof doesn’t come cheap.

With roof replacement costing tens of thousands of dollars these days, it’s unsurprising that many homeowners are quick to repair their roofs anytime they notice signs of damage.

Has your roof sustained significant damage? Are you planning on making repairs soon? If you are, here are six common roof repair mistakes you need to avoid.

1. Not Hiring a Professional Roofer.

Working with unlicensed roofers may seem like an opportunity to save thousands of dollars on roof repair costs, but the decision comes with an enormous risk as well. Without roofing insurance, it’s almost impossible for you to recover your losses if the roofer messes up or fails to complete the job.

Also, if the roofer you hired doesn’t have a license, how do you know for sure that they’re qualified to fix a roof and deliver what they promised?

2. Taking the DIY Route.

Many homeowners take pride in being handymen, but roof repairs are something you shouldn’t attempt to DIY unless you have a strong background in roofing.

Instead of fixing your roof on your own, get a professional to do it for you. Having a roofing contractor handle the repairs will save you a lot of time and energy. You’ll also have peace of mind knowing that the job is carried out by experts and all issues are addressed properly.

3. Repairing a Roof that Needs to be Replaced.

Everybody wants to get as much use out of their roof as possible. It’s a huge investment, after all. This doesn’t mean, though, that it’s okay to keep repairing a worn-out roof that’s nearing the end of its life.

There will come a point when replacing your roof will be more cost-effective in the long term. And when that time comes, you’ll want to find a roofing company that specializes in installing the kind of roof you want for your home.

4. Using Low-Quality Roofing Materials.

If you use low-quality roofing materials to fix your roof, don’t be surprised if you have to do the same repairs again in the not-so-distant future. Substandard materials aren’t going to stand against constant beating from the elements for long.

To ensure that your newly-repaired roof stands the test of time, make certain that your roofing contractor only uses high-quality materials for the project.

5. Reusing Old and Damaged Flashing

Recycling is beneficial to the environment, but reusing worn-out flashings or outdated roofing materials can cause more harm than good.

When making roof repairs, it’s important to also replace the flashings instead of making do with the one that’s already there. If you don’t, you’ll wind up with damaged and dysfunctional flashings that do very little to prevent weather damage on your roof. Reusing old materials will cost you more in the long run than if you simply replace them now.

6. Not Requiring a Warranty.

It’s not enough that your contractor has roofing insurance. They should also offer warranty for their work.

The insurance is a financial safety net that you can pursue to offset the costs of fixing any mistakes made by the contractor during the course of the project. The warranty, on the other hand, is a legal agreement and formal commitment from the contractor that they will personally fix any identified mistakes at no extra cost to you.

If you need to have your roof repaired, make sure to choose a company that offers a warranty for their work. Without it, you leave yourself vulnerable to shoddy repairs and the additional costs of employing a new contractor to do the same job all over again.

Thank you to our guest writer for sharing insight on roof repair mistakes to avoid. If you’re in need of new roofing or repair to your current roof, please schedule a free quote to get in touch with us.

Schedule a Free Quote