• Can I roof over the top of my existing roof?
• I've heard different roofers talk about guarantees that run from 10 to 30 years. Are these guarantees meaningful?
• What's the minimum slope I need to install asphalt shingles?
• I did some repairs to my roof and noticed there is no roofing felt under them. Is this the correct way to install shingles?
• The roofer didn't remove the little plastic strip from the back of my shingles. Should this have been removed?
• I hate the color of my shingles. Can I paint them?
• I want to use staples instead of nails to install my shingles. Is this method approved?
• One contractor says a nail gun is better and another says hand nailing is better. Which is the preferred method?

Roofing Contractors Search

Thinking of Roof Repair?

Roofs are the most important part of our home's weatherproofing. A leaking roof can cause incalculable damage in a relatively short period of time.

When people spot a leak, they will discover that getting a roofer out to make simple repairs is always difficult. If we understand why roofers are reluctant to make repairs, we can better position ourselves to procure the services of a competent roofer for repair work. Obviously, a roofer makes more money doing a replacement than he or she does doing simple repairs. But this isn't the main reason roofers avoid repair work.

Doing roofing repair work is often a thankless task. To start with, it can take a good chunk of time to make a diagnosis. Homeowners tend to discount the value of this time as they don't see any "work" being done. With pressure from the homeowner, the roofer may feel rushed to make a quick diagnosis.

You'd be better served if the roofer takes enough time to make sure they have an accurate diagnosis. For best results, when talking to roofers about coming to your house for repairs, indicate that you understand the importance of a good diagnosis and don't rush your roofer. Another problem roofers have with repairs is that if the homeowner sees a leak three months after the repairs were completed, the homeowner feels let down and may want additional repairs for free - even if the new leak is unrelated to the old one. Compounding this problem is the fact that when roofs fail in one way, they often fail in other ways soon afterwards.

The roofer ends up choosing between irritating his customer or doing work for free -- the proverbial rock and a hard place. So when talking to a roofer, look for opportunities to reassure the roofer that you won't hold him accountable for things for which he isn't responsible. Many roof repairs are necessitated by falling trees, high winds and other fits of Mother Nature. Sometimes Mother Nature gets help from negligent or ill-informed homeowners. In recent years, many roofs have been destroyed by well-meaning homeowners trying to shovel snow off them in a misguided attempt to prevent ice dams.

Most commonly, roofs fail because some aspect of the installation was done poorly. Many roofers don't pay much attention to the details. Problems caused by poor installation often don't show up for five or ten years. By the time there's a leak, the home has changed hands or the homeowner has no recollection of who did the roof -- let alone any idea where to find them. There are plenty of sloppy roofers out there that never even know about the problems their poor workmanship causes.

Then there are the lucky few homeowners whose roofs fail simply because the materials have surpassed their useful life. Typically these roofs go 20 years or more without a leak and replacement becomes obvious because many of the shingles are starting to curl or tear. Many roofs are covered with asphalt shingles. These shingles should last 20 years or more but often fail after about 15. If your roof is starting to leak and is 15 years old or older, there is a good chance that you'll need a new roof soon.