The 3 Most Common Roofing Mistakes Made by Homeowners

The 3 Most Common Roofing Mistakes Made by Homeowners

It’s one of the most amazing parts of your home. It protects your family from flying debris and bad weather. It keeps your home warm in winter and cool in summer. It is constantly exposed to sunlight, rain, wind, sleet, freezing temperatures and unbearable heat, yet you usually only have to think about it once every 20 years.

Considering how important and effective it is at doing its job, you probably owe it to your roof, and yourself, to give it a little more attention. And that’s number one in our list of the 3 Most Common Roofing Mistakes Made by Homeowners.

Mistake #1

Not Giving Your Roof Enough Attention – Think about: if you came home one day and the front door squeaked slightly when you opened it, you’d probably have it oiled by the weekend. How often do you clean your windows? Change your furnace filter? Patch the mortar around your home?

Yet, despite being perhaps the single most important part of a home, the vast majority of homeowners do no regular maintenance on their roof. Heck, they don’t even give it a glance or a second thought.

That leads to a number of problems, including premature aging of the roof and the potential for costly leaks. All of which could be avoided if you just inspected your roof once every year or so.

Mistake #2

Choosing the Lowest Cost Roofing Company – You paid more for your home to get into a better neighborhood. You got the higher-priced granite for your washroom. And you have the best appliances money can buy in your kitchen.

So why, when it comes to the thing that protects all of those investments, would you choose the cheapest option?

More than cost, you should seek out a roofing contractor who is able to show you a consistent record of successful roof installations in your area and for your type of roof. Ask to speak to former customers. Check them out the best you can. Choose the one you are most comfortable with, regardless of cost.

Mistake #3

Thinking That the Shingled Bit is the Entire Roof – Yes, asphalt shingles are the most popular roofing material in Canada. Yes, asphalt shingles cover almost your entire roof. 

But there’s far more to your roofing system than the shingles. 

Your roof is supported by the system of trusses and decking underneath it. If there is a problem in that support structure, like a warp or crack, your roof may not be able to do it’s job and the resulting repairs can be very expensive. 

Also, the water that runs off your roof is drained away by a system of eavestroughs and downspouts. If that system clogs or is otherwise unable to drain water away effectively, the resulting damage to your roof could also be costly – and worse in the rest of your home.

In a nutshell, if you think about your roof a little more often, give a look every now and then and understand its importance in keeping your home dry and free of water damage, it will go a long way toward extending your roof’s lifespan and avoiding costly repairs.

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