Roofing Mistakes Homeowners Should Avoid

With style inspiration everywhere, we should be at no loss for ideas on how to decorate and care for the interior of our homes. But when it comes to the roof, the general population isn’t so clued up. We’ve seen more roofing mistakes than you can shake an aerial at, so read ahead for our guide on what NOT to do with your roof.

Not cleaning your gutters

Cleaning your gutters regularly and thoroughly is a surefire way to maintain the health of your roof, and stop it from causing costly problems to the rest of the structure.

Leaves, sticks, stones and fallen debris from the surrounding environment clog up gutters and stop them filtering water away from the roof. Without removing these blockages, pooling is much more likely, leading to drips, damp and mould, as well as infestations of nasties, the thought of which is enough to make anyone want to clean their gutters on a daily basis!

Luckily, a gutter cleaning session need only happen twice a year for the average home to avoid this most damaging of roofing mistakes– if there’s more foliage in the surrounding environment, you may be in need of a check-up more often. Call a professional in to do this, so that safety is maintained, and your gutters are spick and span and ready to go with the flow (of water). 

Neglecting your flashing

Roofing isn’t just tiles. Flashing is a key part of maintaining a roof’s watertight seal at the joints and edges. This sheet metal is arguably the most important part of the structure, and neglecting it is one of the most common roofing mistakes around.

A stitch in time saves nine, they say, and so does a new sheet of flashing. Before you get a waterfall in your living room (which can be the gateway for many other structural and mould problems), glance up at your flashing every few months when you get home, just to check everything is in order. If anything is out of place, call a professional. The work will be quicker and cost less if you catch the problem on day one.

Doing it yourself is also an option if you’re particularly handy with DIY, but be careful not to cut costs by reusing old flashing, or cut corners by literally cutting the flashing out wrong! Scrimping on costs isn’t always a good idea when you could be risking the structural integrity of your home.

Not hiring a trusted roofer

We’ve all heard of the term ‘cowboy builder’, and it comes as no surprise to know that they exist in the world of roofing too. To avoid a roofer who’ll leave you with drippy ceilings (and out of pocket), read reviews, make enquiries, and get quotes from a number of different roofers to make sure they seem like the right people to get the job done.

Bad roofers are just as likely to make crucial roofing mistakes as the average homeowner, so make sure you’re putting your money where you put your trust!

Attempting DIY

You wouldn’t risk your home by doing your own electrics, so why risk it by doing your own roofing?

Roofing mistakes can be just as dangerous if completed to a poor standard, so it’s always best to hire a trusted roofing professional when you spot leaks, missing tiles, or just want a general check-up. Because they know what they’re looking for, they can diagnose issues in a matter of minutes, saving you time and energy.

Furthermore, they’ll carry everything out safely, using the right equipment and protection for themselves and your roof. If you can’t boast the same, stay off the roof. Stepping in the wrong place when you haven’t spotted a soft patch could leave you with more than just some broken tiling!

So leave it to the experts

Great roofers can spot roofing mistakes in an instant, and prevent you from making your own. As long as you take a glance at the condition of your roof and gutters once every few months, you should be right as rain (which should stay well out of your living room!).