A Synthetic Composite Alternative
While there are some great benefits to rubber shake shingles, there are still drawbacks primarily the cost and the smell of new rubber roofing material . While it can be a more durable option than cedar shakes, it costs the same to install, so you arent saving that much. Thats where synthetic composite roofing products add value.
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The Roofer Didnt Replace The Old Vents With New Ones
Roof vents are part of what helps your home to breathe. Circulation throughout the home prevents moisture from collecting, which when allowed to happen will result in mold and rot. Some vents are there to release exhaust, such as from a hot water heater or gas from sewer lines. Dont allow your roofer to reuse old roof vents, because just like your old flashing, the nails driven into the roof vents might not line up with the old holes, which can lead to leaks, and thats why replacing old vents with new ones is a requirement.
Excess Weight From Snow And Design Flaws
Every roof is designed to support a specific maximum weight and anything above this, especially for long periods, can cause the roof to sag. In cold-winter climates, snow is the most common cause of excess weight on the roof.
If you suspect snow is causing your roof to sag, for your own safety and to protect your roof, consider calling a professional to clear your roof of heavy snowfall. Incorrect snow removal can further damage your roof, making it more vulnerable to water damage and worsened sagging. A roof rake can help you deal with lighter snowfall. Keep your attic well insulated and ventilated to prevent ice dams, which can cause roof leaks.
Weight-related sagging can also be caused by design flaws that leave the roof unable to support its own weight. Common flaws include undersized rafters, insufficient sheathing or too few rafter or collar ties.
In a stick frame sloped roof, these issues usually cause the roof ridge to sag in the middle, giving it a swayback look, but can also cause one side of the roof to sag. Installing new rafters directly alongside the weak or damaged ones is often enough to correct this problem.
If the roof sags between the rafters or trusses, the most likely cause is sheathing thats too thin for the area it covers. The fix here is to replace the thin sheathing with thicker, sturdier sheathing.
Multiple layers of shingles and new roofing material thats heavier than the roof was designed for can cause sagging even in a well-constructed roof.
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Wind Damaged Shingles And Common Roofing Problems
Wind and hail can cause extensive damage to your roof and will expose your home to the elements. Just one missing shingle can be enough to put your home at risk! Below are some examples of what this may look like What Does Wind Damage Look Like? Wind damage can range from a variety of damages. These forms of damage include, but are not limited to: Peeled Up Roofing Materials Roof Material Lifting Flying Hazards Fallen Debris or Shingles Warped or Bent Fixtures Clogged Gutters All forms of wind damage should be taken seriously
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There Is Missing Underlayment

Underlayment plays a big part in your roofing system, as it is a felt-like material installed below your shingles and above your roof decking. Its an added layer of protection, so if its missing, you could experience premature aging of the roof and will most likely experience leaking. By some accounts, missing underlayment will make a roof that is only 10 years old appear to be at least four to five times its actual age.
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Leaks In Spots Conforming To Structural Irregularities
If youre in a part of the house beneath where you know there are some roofing problems, and when it rains, theres a leak, well, youve probably got roofing issues. The issue could require completely tearing out the old roofing and installing something new. You want to have professional appraisers examine the situation to avoid spending too much unnecessarily.
Asphalt Roll Roof Systems
The most common rubber roof alternative for flat and low-sloped roofs is asphalt-roll roofing. Asphalt roll roofing is applied in sheets in a fairly easy installation process.
For this reason, asphalt roll roofing is popular for sheds and small buildings, as well as for do-it-yourself projects.
However, asphalt roll is only a temporary roofing solution, as it has a very short lifespan.
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Ceiling Or Water Spots
Watch for dark water stains on your roof or on your ceiling as a sign of water damage. The stains may be just slightly darker than the ceiling color, yellowish, or even bubbled. Water damage in the ceiling is caused by leaks in the roof.
The damage can cause failure in the interior of the home on the ceiling and down the inside wall lining. This will create mold and rot, potentially collapsing.
Solution: Check the roof for damaged shingles and the attic or crawl space for leaks in the deck. Look for cracks in the flashing around the chimney and vents. On the rafters, check for leaks that travel away from the original source. If you notice water spots, contact your contractor immediately to determine potential damage to the roof, the attic, and interior ceiling.
What is cupping? Over time, the cumulative effects of sunlight, moisture, and changes in temperature can cause asphalt roofing shingles to curl or cup. Cupping shingles have concave centers and/or raised or curled edges on the sides and/or corners. Stay off the roof, as curling and cupping asphalt shingles are extremely fragile. Walking on them you run the risk of cracking them and causing roof leaks.
Another cause of cupping asphalt roof shingles can be the result of ice dams. Ice dams are water that works its way up under shingles and then freezes, distorts, and stresses the asphalt shingles significantly.
What Is A Bonnet Roof
You can think of a bonnet roof as a reverse mansard roof.
They are also referred to as kicked-eaved roofs and like mansard roofs, they feature a double slope but unlike mansard roofing, the upper slope has less of a pitch on a bonnet roof.
With a bonnet roof, the lower slope hangs over the front and back of the house, making it an excellent cover for a porch or outdoor patio.
These types of roofs are not particularly common in the U.S. outside of the southeast , but they do offer some advantages.
These include extra living or storage space under the roof, plenty of room for dormer windows, and the overhanging eaves help protect the siding and the rest of the structure from water damage.
Plus, the structure which is essentially a modified hip roof is more durable than a gable roof.
Keep in mind that if you have a bonnet roof, are considering purchasing a home that has one, or planning on building one, a bonnet or kicked-eave roof can be more expensive to install or maintain due to its complex structure and the possibility of water settling in the valleys between the slopes, so extra care will need to be taken when waterproofing those spots.
Bonnet roofs can be crafted from nearly any standard roofing material, including asphalt shingles, metal shingles, slate, or wooden shingles or shakes.
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Filing A Complaint With The Better Business Bureau
Another course of action for a bad roofing job is filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. They help homeowners settle disputes related to sales, contracts, customer service, warranties, billings, and refunds against roofing companies and other businesses.
Even if the roofing company isn’t part of the Better Business Bureau, you can still file a complaint. To file a complaint, all you have to do is go to their complaint page, find the business, and answer some questions.
Below is a quick overview of the timeline for the complaint process from the Better Business Bureaus website:
- File the complaint online.
- The Better Business Bureau works to process the complaint within two business days.
- The business that the complaint is filed against will be asked to respond in 14 calendar days from the date you filed the complaint. If a response is not received, a follow-up letter will be sent to the business.
- You, the homeowner, will be notified of the businesss response when the BBB receives it and will be asked to respond.
- If the business fails to respond, youll be notified. Complaints are generally closed within approximately 30 calendar days after filing.
What really happens during this process is that the Better Business Bureau will step in to try to help mediate a complaint between the roofing contractor and the homeowner. If the business answers and has a resolution that the homeowner is happy with, then mission accomplished.
Poor Shingle Install Around Vent Pipes
Vent pipe installation requires a flexible seal and flashing.
To prevent water from leaking into your roof
There are some standard installation methods for installing vent pipe flashing.
This is not it.
The shingle course on the sides of the vent pipe
Should be overlapping the flashing.
Not the other way around.
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Dealing With A Bad Roof
Are your shingles curled and cracked? Is there light peeking into your attic? If so, youre dealing with a bad roof and should have it replaced as soon as possible.
Looking for a competent roofing company in the Sarasota, Florida area? SonShine Roofing is the company to call.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation!
How Long Does Roofing Take To Learn

It can take up to 2 years to complete. You get on -the -job training and spend time with a college or training service.
How hard is it to learn roofing?
Is the roof easy to learn? The basics of roofing are easy to learn for simple tasks like lifting a house. However, the roof is more challenging and specialized for the more complex models found on buildings. However, any skill can be learned through practice and training.
Is doing roofing hard?
The roof can be a physical activity. It takes strength to stand, climb, and walk carefully in hot, cold, and sometimes windy, snowy, or rainy weather. Work is done by homeowners to ensure that buildings are comfortable and safe for workers or assets that are protected by a roof.
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Use Of The Wrong Nails
Most people dont realize that using the right kind of nails can mean the difference between you having to replace your entire roof after 4 years or 15 years, particularly in areas with rough weather. As a result, if you or your roofing contractor happens to use the wrong kind of nails, or fail to space them out correctly, then you will most likely experience some roof damage or even flying debris. As a result, make sure that you check the kind of nails used by your roofing contractor.
Structural Problems With Bad Roof Installation
Generally, structural roofing issues may be hard to spot from the untrained eye. Therefore, it is best to do some research when hiring a roofing contractor and know what to ask your roofing contractor before the work begins. Some of the structural problems of a bad roof that you should be aware of include wrong nail type/ improper nailing techniques, hardware mistakes, and crucial roofing materials missing.
Wrong Nail Type/ Improper Nailing Technique
Using the wrong type of nail or nailing technique can cause some serious issues for the well-being of your homes roof. The main issue here to be concerned with is leakage. If the nail is not the proper size, type, or grade the shingles may become damaged. If the wrong nailing technique is used the life expectancy of your shingles may deteriorate much faster than they should. For example, if a nail is under-driven, over-driven, or crooked, a leak is very likely along with lost shingles.
Hardware Mistakes
Most times, when people think of a roof, they think of shingles. Although shingles are a crucial part of the roof, there is much more than just the shingles. All of the hardware needed for the roof is just as important as the shingles as they all work in unison. The hardware consists of nails, vents, drip edges, vents, and much more. If there is a mistake in the hardware, your roof isnt guaranteed to be healthy and free from leaks.
Roofing Materials Missing
One Last Note to Consider
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The Good The Bad And The Ugly Of Grouting
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Wrong Nails Or Improper Nailing Techniques Are Used
To ensure the roof wont leak, the right type of nails must be used. This includes correct type, grade and size of nails, which will differ depending on what materials theyre being used. Its also important that the nails be driven into the materials correctly. For example, an under driven nail will not penetrate through to the deck, increasing the risk of leakage or missing shingles. An over driven nail will cut into the shingle, increasing the risk of leaks. A nail that is driven in crook will also increase the likelihood of damaged shingles and leaks.
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Holding Down The Roof In High Winds
Q: My daughter lives in hurricane country in a 15-year-old stucco house. Can she install hurricane clips to prevent her roof from blowing off?
Don, McKeesport, Pa.
A:Tom Silva replies: Those galvanized metal straps and clips that strengthen the connection between walls and rafters really do help to hold a house together in high winds. But it will be next to impossible to reach those spots from the attic. The only way to retrofit hurricane clips in most houses is by cutting out a section of the siding and the wall sheathing at every spot where a rafter rests on a wall or taking off the roof sheathing at the eaves.
Here’s an easier option: Go up into the attic and run a bead of construction adhesive alongside each rafter where it meets the plywood roof deck. That simple measure will roughly triple a roof’s resistance of being torn off by wind.
Identifying A Fiberglass Roof
Most modern RVs do not have fiberglass. The reason being the fiberglass RV roofing is becoming rare. Fiberglass roof display below characteristics.
- This type of roof will be hard. Fiber roofs are known to be the hardest and none flexible.
- The fiberglass is smooth and slippery when wet.
- It can be dangerously sleek when it is wet. Thus, one needs to be cautious when cleaning it.
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Pay Attention To Home Insurance Policy Changes
Some states require full house replacement for siding or roofing if some product is damaged and the product is no longer made by the manufacturer. However, some companies will hide a change in the 20-plus page document they send each year which states that is no longer valid unless you add a low-cost rider to your coverage. Most people would pay the small extra charge to cover this, but they dont even know that it has changed. When you receive that booklet, call your agent and ask if anything is changing that you should know about . Otherwise, you may be in a situation where you have to find the closest match available for only the siding or roofing that is damaged. This could mean a checker-board look to your house as your insurance company only covers individual shingles or siding panels.
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Signs Your Roof Needs To Be Replaced

How Do I Know If My Roof Needs to be Replaced? Here are 10 Signs to help you out.
Its important to keep an eye on your roof. A damaged roof can let water or other element in to your house that could cause thousands of dollars in damage. Here are 11 signs of roof damage that should be dealt with to protect the inside of your home.
Damaged Shingle Roof with Curled Shingles
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