The best way to prevent roofing leaks is to buy quality roofing materials from an experienced builders supply company. In order to get the most out of your warranty, your contractor will need to ensure your roof is protected against leaks. In this blog post, we will go over the 7 ways your contractor can prevent a leaky roof and maintain warranty coverage. To learn more about how you can prevent roofing leaks in your home, be sure to consult with a roofing supply store.
1. Install Waterproof Barriers
Prevent leaks by installing waterproof barriers for roofs at eaves, vents, chimneys, dormers, skylights, and other areas prone to leaks. Like the name suggests, waterproof barriers prevent water from being able to seep through your roof to cause water damage, mold, and mildew.
2. Install Pre-manufactured Flashing
Prevent roofing leaks by installing pre-manufactured flashing along all roof openings, such as chimneys, dormers, and skylights. Roof flashing is specially designed to direct the flow of water away from vulnerabilities in your roof.
3. Install Roof Deck Protection
Install underlayment (roof deck protection) to help shingles lay flat. Otherwise, water will be able to get underneath curling shingles. An underlayment will also protect your shingles from being damaged by wind-driven rain.
4. Ventilate Attic
When’s the last time you measured the humidity or temperature in your attic? You may be surprised by how much warm air escapes from rooms on the first and second floors. Since heat rises, you’ll need to make sure it won’t get trapped in your attic.
Make sure you ventilate your attic to decrease temperature and humidity levels. A residential shingle roof will leak if the attic is not properly ventilated. The more hot and humid your attic, the more likely you’ll discover mold and mildew.
5. Install Hip and Ridge Cap Shingles
Protect roof from wind damage by installing hip and ridge cap shingles. The added benefit of installing these types of roofing shingles is that they add curb appeal to your home. Why not kill two birds with one stone?
6. Inspect Skylights
Inspect skylights to make sure there’s no water coming in along the edges of the window. Due to their construction, skylights have a reputation for letting water into your home. When installing your new roof, it’s good practice to replace your skylight at the same time. The latest skylight designs have better energy ratings and will save you money in the long run.
7. Avoid Competing Warranties
Install roofing products from the same building supply store to prevent conflicting warranties between different types of roofing products. The last thing any homeowner wants is to have two warranties competing when there’s a repair that needs to be done. Timeliness is of the essence when repairing a leak, which is why you don’t want to waste time having two different companies pointing fingers at each other for who should pay.
Ultimately, preventing roofing leaks is less expensive than having to pay for repairs. For the best results after home roofing installation, be sure to head over to a roofing supply store to learn how to prevent leaks from happening in the first place.
Eikenhout is a building supply company that is dedicated to helping homeowners and contractors find high-quality building products for their next project. If you are interested in our inventory of residential and commercial building supplies, please feel free to call any of our nine Michigan locations.