Roof Replacement Nightmares
A roof replacement is a massive undertaking. It’s not an investment that most homeowners take lightly, but a dependable roof is a must for any comfortable home. That’s why it’s that much more devastating when something goes horribly wrong on the roof replacement. But when you don’t hire a roofing company you can trust, or you wait too long to replace your roof, you might end up with more regrets than comfort.
Fortunately, in today’s age of social media and reviews, customers who have had bad experiences with roofing in the past are able to share their experiences and warn others of what went wrong on the job. In today’s blog, let’s share roof replacements gone wrong and how you can avoid them.
Storm Chasers Never Came Back
The Story
“A bad hailstorm hit our city and damaged a lot of roofs. Almost immediately after that, a roofer came up to our door offering a free roof inspection and a deal on repairs to fix the damage. We paid the roofers and made the insurance claim for the storm damage, and everything seemed to be fine. But after that, the roofer just disappeared. They never came back to do the repairs, and they couldn’t be reached by phone or email. By the time we realized it was a scam, it was too late to do anything about it.”
How to Prevent This
Unfortunately, storm chasers are all too common, and these storm chasers are often nothing more than fraud. Beware of storm chasing “roofers” who ask for money upfront. Make sure that you research anyone you hire to work on your home thoroughly. How long have they been in business? How many reviews do they have, and what do those reviews say? Make sure they have an easily accessed track record before hiring anyone.
These roofers may also try to pressure you into hiring them before you can do any research by threatening that it’s a limited-time offer or using other high-pressure sales tactics. This in itself is a warning sign. A legitimate roofer won’t need to resort to high-pressure sales tactics in order to find clients, and they’ll understand that you need to make an informed decision.
Warranty No Longer Valid
The Story
“We had a roof replaced for a family home some time ago. After about fifteen years, it started to leak and get worn down. We decided to replace it, but when we did, we realized that our warranty didn’t cover everything. The warranty claimed to be a lifetime warranty, but that turned out to only be for the roof itself; the workmanship warranty was only 10 years. We ended up paying way more for the roof replacement than we meant to because we didn’t realize the warranty was no longer valid.”
How To Prevent This
Sometimes roofers will boast their lifetime warranty, but when you read the fine print, you find that it’s not truly a lifetime warranty. The product might have a prorated lifetime warranty, but the workmanship warranty is significantly shorter. Make sure you read up on your warranty before scheduling a roof replacement, including the fine print. When you’re having a roof replaced to begin with, take a look at all the aspects of your roofer’s warranty and ask any questions you might have. At Houston Roofing, we offer the GAF Golden Pledge warranty, the best warranty in the business, including a 25-year workmanship warranty and a 2-year shingle replacement warranty.
A Roof Neglected
The Story
“We had a great roof, and the company said it was low maintenance. So honestly, I didn’t think much of it. I’m busy with work and my family — especially in the past couple of years, so I fell behind in roof maintenance. Sometime last year, I started to notice some water damage in the ceiling and some electrical issues. I called a home inspector who traced the problem to the roof. The roof was not only leaking but had developed roof rot that had spread to the structure of the house.”
How To Prevent This
The truth is homeowners don’t often think about maintaining their roof. They might not spend much time even looking at their roof because they’ve become so used to the security of knowing its overhead. But roofs need maintenance to stay in shape. If you don’t clean your roof gutters, for instance, they’ll clog, leaving water and debris to pile on your roof and wear it down. The same can apply if you allow moss to continue to grow on your roof without cleaning it. Roof ventilation and attic insulation are both important to keeping your roof free of ice dams.
Even things that seem small, like a missing or damaged shingle, can lead to big problems. Sometimes you can’t even see the issue with your roof yourself. That’s why it helps to schedule yearly roof inspections so that an expert can go over it and make sure there’s nothing you missed.
Avoid all these nightmares by working with a roofer you can trust for your roof replacement. We go above and beyond to prove to our customers that we’re trustworthy. Contact Houston Roofing today for more information or to get started with a free estimate today.