Does Your Los Angeles Home Need A New Roof?
As roofs are the most important part of our California home's
weatherproofing, a leaking roof can cause incalculable damage in
a relatively short period of time. Unfortunately, once a leak
has sprung it's often difficult to get a
professional roofing contractor out to make simple repairs.
However, understanding the reasons behind a roofers' reluctance
to make repairs can better position you to procure the repair
services of a competent roofer.
Never Pressure a Contractor to Make a Quick Roof Repair
Diagnosis
Obviously, a
professional roofing contractor makes more money doing a
replacement than he or she does doing simple repairs. But this
isn't the main reason roofers avoid repair work. Roofing repair
work is often a thankless task. It can take a good chunk of time
to make a diagnosis, yet homeowners tend to discount the value
of this time as they don't see any finished "work." With
pressure from the homeowner, the roofer may feel rushed to make
a quick diagnosis. For best results, always indicate to the
roofer that you understand the importance of an accurate
diagnosis and don't wish to rush it.
When Roofs Fail In One Way, They May Soon Fail In Others
Another reason roofers are hesitant to repair is that if the
homeowner sees a leak three months after the initial repairs
were completed, the homeowner may feel owed additional repairs
for free -- even if the new leak is unrelated to the old one.
Often a roofer must choose between irritating his customer or
doing work for free -- the proverbial rock and a hard place. So
reassure the roofer that you won't hold him accountable for
things for which he isn't responsible. Many roof repairs are
necessitated by falling trees, high winds and other fits of
Mother Nature.
Be Aware that Installation Problems Don't Show Up Immediately
Just because your roof has never leaked before does not mean the
original installation went smoothly. In fact, roofs most
commonly fail because some aspect of the original installation
was done poorly. Problems caused by poor installation often
don't show up for five or ten years. By the time there's a leak,
the home has changed hands or the homeowner has no longer has
any recollection of who installed the roof. Then there are the
lucky few homeowners whose roofs fail simply because the
materials have surpassed their useful life. If your roof is
starting to leak and is 15 years old or older, there is a good
chance that you'll need a new roof soon.
David Hollies is a remodeling industry
educator and consultant. He is also the founder of Washington
D.C.-based Home Connections, Inc.
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