Why Do We Need To Repair The Roof?

The two most common reasons for roofing repair are:

1. Poor workmanship
2. Neglect

Both fall back upon the homeowner. Number one, homeowners are not doing their due diligence and thoroughly research a company before hiring. Instead, they choose the fly by night roofing contractor based on price, not experience and ability, amongst other criteria. The second reason is, for neglecting to require roof maintenance to ensure their home’s roofing’s longevity and functionality. 

We now and again get calls from previous customers fifteen to twenty years down the road that do not understand why they have a roof leak, and the most common comment I hear is always, “I don’t understand, I thought they were 25-year shingles.” I always smile and say, “there is more to a roof system than just shingles, in the same way, that there is much more to an automobile than leather seats and a rosewood dash. Each requires periodic service and maintenance, or they break down. 

Poor Workmanship

This is the most common reason for roof repairs, and poor workmanship is simply inexperience! Hiring a roofing contractor to replace your roofing nowadays can be like playing Russian Roulette. Maybe you’ll win and get a good one, but the odds are stacked against you, and more likely, you won’t, and here’s why.

Roofing is not a recognized trade in Ontario. Unlike a plumber or an electrician where the individual must be trained and licensed, roofing is unmanaged and unregulated and anyone can be hired to install roofing. When I started roofing, pneumatic air nailing guns had not yet been invented ( neither had PC’s and you needed a dime to make a phone call ) and all sloped roofing materials and shingles were hands nailed. It would take one and a half to two years to train a residential roofer to become proficient, knowledgeable, and quick enough for me to be able to pay his wage and make a profit as well. His apprenticeship was thus investment and during that time, he had been taught all aspects of roofing. 

With the advent of pneumatic nailers in the late 1980s, it made workers instantly fast at nailing down shingles with little or no experience and ability to make a living at a trade they knew very little about. Since then, this technology has forever changed the roofing industry. Although there are still many good roofers and roofing companies today, we are not the majority, which is why the general quality and workmanship have suffered. To continue, I will highlight some examples of preventable or common roof repair. 

Wind Damage

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Damage by high winds can be caused by deflections in or a poor quality substrate (plywood/boards – roof decking) to manufacturing product defects that were prevalent from 2008 – 2014 with one Canadian manufacturer in particular to the types of materials. ( they may have different windspeed ratings and tolerances) With flat roofs, which are typically a fully adhered membrane or ballasted type roof, wind uplift that enters at improperly secured termination points is the main reason for damage due to wind. With sloped or shingled roofing, the fault is typically a poor installation with improperly placed, and or, an inadequate amount of fasteners.(roofing nails)

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If your roof looks like the first photo, it should have been replaced several years ago. When a roof gets to this state of wear, there are no repair options and it must be overlayed with a waterproofing membrane or tarp immediately to prevent further damage. These repairs can become very costly and on top of it all, you still require and will have to shell out for a new roof.

Poor Workmanship

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The above photos show a new one-year-old roof and the customer could not understand why it was leaking as. She called the company that installed it on the above photos to show a new one-year-old roof, and the customer could not understand why it was leaking as. She called the company that installed it only a year before, but the number was no longer in service. After I inspected the roof, the reasons for the leaks were rather obvious. The roofing contractor she hired only changed the shingles and had wholly neglected to replace all the necessary & associated accessory items, instead of reusing told deteriorated flashings and vents.

Consult Brian Burnet today, the owner of Tops Roofing Co. He is happy to answer your queries at any time.