Shingle design has come a long way in 100 years. Below are a few styles that are available today. For more information on these or other options contact us.

A roof systems primary function is to keep water from entering the house structure. This must always be the first goal in the installation process. When proper install practices are used, the workmanship will mirror the lifespan of the materials.

Low nails are another major cause of roof leaks. When proper care is not taken, nails can be shot too low and end up below the shingle overlap. This too will usually take time before a noticeable leak appears.

The result of the bad nail location. Luckily the homeowner caught the problem early and ceiling damage was minimal.

Starter strip overlap is another crucial detail that causes eave leaks over time. Offsets or steps in shingle installation are required to prevent double stacked butt joint leaks. this same offset is just as necessary for starter strips. If the offset is too little, water can find it’s way past the starter and penetrate the roof causing deck and structural wood damage. This offset is about an inch and a half. Clearly well under the necessary requirement.

It can’t be argued that the primary goal in roofing is to protect the home from water damage. However, the close second is a roofs look or appeal. Although the images below won’t cause leakage, aesthetically these homeowners are not getting their moneys worth.

When money or speed becomes the driving force, situations like this occur. Either the company didn’t want to lay out the extra money for more cap shingles or the installation crew were trying to finish as quickly as possible. Another case where the roof is watertight, but is aesthetically sub par.

More images of lackluster workmanship.

Its easy to see how materials only play part of the roll in a quality roof. We see these problems on a daily basis. It is the driving force behind our company to save as many homeowners as possible from such nightmares.  Here are a few images of what a homeowner should ALWAYS expect for their money.

Perfect lines not only look great, they also ensure that nails are covered and adhesive strips adhere in the proper place.

Straight cut valleys look clean and are preferred over “California cut” valleys. This method is also the least likely to cause build-up of debris.

Painted boots & vents not only look better by blending in with the roof color, they also tend to add another layer of protection to the vents prolonging their life and painted boots tend to deter squirrels from chewing the lead.

Properly spaced nails are the most important factor on a shingle roof. They prevent leaks from occurring while also ensuring that the shingles stay in place in high velocity wind storms.

Drip edge’s, vents and boots also require correct nailing to keep them in place during wind storms as well.

Cementing protrusions correctly prevents leakage. Layered cementing during installation adds another layer of protection and prevents potential tab lifting in storms.

Better materials give a cleaner more finished look and provide better protection.