This house was purchased eight years ago but has not had any repairs or maintenance to the roof for at least 20 years. Confused yet? This homeowner bought this house “as is” meaning that the roof was in THIS condition and has only gotten worse as the years went on. The homeowner claimed that there were not any leaks until just recently. Once the roof inspection started, it was not hard to figure out why.
Shingles
When Aspen Contracting installs a roof they make sure to strip the roof of any old shingles and underlayment. This house has not one layer of shingles but THREE! The previous homeowner most likely went with a lower price aka “bid” for the roof replacement. Sometimes when a homeowner picks an extremely low bid, they can get shoddy work in return. In this case, the previous homeowner got just that.
The roofers who redid this home installed the new shingles without stripping the previous ones. Most contractors charge extra to remove multiple layers of shingles, but it is a critical step to truly making a roof stand against time. Saving money by skipping this important step will often negatively impact an owner in the end. The current homeowner will now end up paying for the poor choice. The roof on this house will have to be completely torn out and replaced.
On top of not stripping the multiple layers of shingles, the other roofs installed another drip edge without taking the previous drip edge off. There is no reason to have another drip edge on the roofing system. This job not only looks bad and was completed lazily, but it will unquestionably cause leaks if not taken care of properly.
Flashing
The headwall flashing is completely missing to the latest addition to the structure of the house. Headwall flashing sits on the first layer of roofing and is then covered by the second layer. Flashing is crucial to keep out running water and debris from leaking into the structure of the house. The previous roofer never installed flashing on the house. Improperly sealed areas are more prone to leaks over time and damage to the home; it is a wonder why the homeowner has not seen any leaks until just recently. A leak can be terrifying to an owner because it may lead to more unforeseen damage to the structure of the property.
Flat Roof
This particular roof also had a flat roof section. This section of the roof was not done properly and was noticeably leaking. Before our Project Consultant spoke with the current homeowner, two other roofing contractors had inspected the roof and had been scared away from the already-present problems.
Aspen Contracting employees, however, never back down, we are not afraid to get our hands a little dirty. Our Project Consultant knew just what this flat roof needed. This section of the house will need to be stripped of the layers from the previous hot tar on the flat roof. It will need to be re-decked and have an application of TPO laid down and partially going up the side of the wall. This process will make this section of the roof secure and completely leak proof.
Recap:
Aspen Contracting does the job right from day one. If you are worried about the condition of your roof and need an inspection call Aspen Contracting for a free inspection! Aspen Contracting employees always do their best to help the customer feel safe in their home or property, by understanding a proper roof system and providing an unmatched lifetime ironclad warranty. We help homeowners never experience a disaster roof!