8 Roof Replacement Mistakes to Avoid for Orlando Homeowners

Sometimes, replacing your home’s roofing is inevitable. Whether the weather elements and time have taken a toll on your residential roof or the material is damaged or rotting, getting a new roof will protect your home and your family from intruders and harsh weather elements.

Replacing your roof requires you to know what mistakes to avoid and what can hinder the effectiveness of your roofing. Below are eight essential roof replacement mistakes every Orlando homeowner should avoid:

1.  Using Mismatched Tiles or Shingles

Roofing mistakes can be very expensive to correct, and avoiding errors is the best way to avoid these mistakes. One of the most common mistakes most homeowners make during a roofing project is mismatched tiles or asphalt shingles. Mismatched shingles make the roof look incongruent and uneven.

This error often occurs when you or the roofing experts purchase the shingles or tiles from different suppliers without paying close attention to the pattern. When purchasing your roofing materials from more than one supplier, it’s advisable to check the pattern and ensure that they are similar. Otherwise, stick to purchasing all your shingles from one supplier.

2. Overlaying New Material on an Old Roof

Before installing your new roof, it’s essential to tear down the existing roofing materials. Overlaying an old roof is very risky for you and your family. While some states legally allow homeowners to overlay their roofing system only once, it could still be risky, especially if your roof deck is weak.

Even if it’s not illegal to overlay your roof, it may not be the practical thing to do. If your roof deck is weak or contains cracks, gaps, and other issues you’re unaware of, overlaying may result in the deck collapsing, putting your family in danger.

If your roof is damaged, the best way to install a new one is by tearing down the old roof and examining the roof deck for any issues before installing your new roofing materials. Overlaying will only add extra weight to your roof deck, which can damage your home’s structure and walls.

3. Using Roofing Nails Wrongly

This is a problem often seen in DIY roofing projects. If you’re not an expert in roof installation, you may not know the best types of nails to use in different parts of the roof. Any issues related to your roofing nails could result in roof failure in the future.

There are many nail-related mistakes you can make when installing your roof. Some of these include:

• Using the wrong number of roofing nails on each shingle
• Using very short nails
• Driving the roofing nail directly above the roof’s self-sealing strip
• Using nails with very small nail heads

If you make any of the above nail-related mistakes, you may not secure the shingles properly. This can be quite risky for you and your family. Therefore, it’s essential to make sure all the roof replacement equipment and materials you’re using are properly applied and in perfect condition.

4. Underlayment Problems

Your roof’s underlayment is a sheet of special water-resistant roofing material that’s placed on the roof deck before other roofing materials are installed. Roofing underlayment comes in three different types. These include rubberized asphalt, non-bitumen synthetic, and asphalt-saturated felt underlayment.

The underlayment will protect your home from water damage by ensuring that water doesn’t penetrate the roof deck. If you don’t check your roof system for underlayment issues, you will be installing roofing materials directly on an underlying problem.

5. Not Sticking to the Slope of the Roof

When choosing your roofing material, ensure you also consider the roof’s measurements. This also includes its slope. If you don’t do this, you will risk a leakage problem or corrosion of your roofing structure from the water.  

For instance, it’s advisable to install tile, asphalt, and wood shingles in a system with four shingles rising for every 12 units installed. If the materials you chose do not go with your roof’s slope, it could lead to water leakage.

6. Not Vetting the Roofing Company

A roof replacement project needs precise artistry and experience. Otherwise, you will be wasting your money, time, and resources.

This is not a simple undertaking, and you will need an experienced, trustworthy, and reputable roofing expert to help you. Failing to vet your potential roofing expert may lead to poor-quality roofing services.

7. Disregarding to Get a Roofing Permit

When doing a major home improvement project such as replacing your roofing system, it’s essential to adhere to all the municipal and federal requirements. Therefore, ensure you confirm with the local municipality if you need to have a permit.

Before starting the construction, ensure you check all the relevant local and federal building codes to avoid breaking the law. If you don’t have a permit, you risk facing penalties and fines from the relevant governmental bodies.

8. Very Long or Short Extensions at the Eaves

The shingle extensions at the roof spaces should be between 6mm-10mm. Leaving very short extensions may lead to water infiltrating your roof deck, resulting in leakage within your roofing structure.

On the other hand, if the extensions are too long, they will be easily blown off by winds and severe storms. The best way to avoid this mistake is by adding a flashing at the edge of the roof deck to protect it.

Flashing will help protect the deck by supporting the shingles, keeping them from sagging and breaking off. It will also protect the deck against water leakage and discourage small insects and animals from accessing your roofing structure.

Contact a Roofing Expert to Avoid the Above Roof Replacement Mistakes

Replacing old roofs is not an easy process, and it’s easy to make mistakes. However, if you hire a reputable roofing contractor, you will avoid making any of the above roof replacement mistakes. Our team of highly professional roofing contractors will ensure that your roofing replacement project goes smoothly.

We will work within your roof replacement budget and offer you a high-quality service that will exceed your expectations. Contact us today at His and Hers roofing for all your roof replacement needs in Orlando.