Have you ever wondered why your roof let you down? Have you ever wondered what the major causes for roof leaks are in the first place? Well, you may be surprised to know that the vast majority of all roof repair we have to perform in the Atlanta area are actually not from storm or hail damage, but actually stem from improper installation of the roof to begin with, poorly performed roof repair in the past, and problems with the flashing!

Lets tackle the first issue mentioned above, improper roof installation. Unfortunately, each and every year many residents of the Atlanta area need to have a roof replaced, whether as a result of hail and storm damage, or general wear and tear over the duration of the life of the roof. The biggest challenge they face is finding a competent, licensed and bonded roofing contractor, so lets discuss that first.

The following are steps you should take to make sure you are allowing the right company on your roof:

Ask for references of people that have had their roof from this company for more than a year.
Interview them – generally you can filter out the bad ones using your instincts.
Do they have a physical address for their business, more than one truck?
While there are no guarantees that the aforementioned advice will filter out the bad seeds, choosing the right roofer in Atlanta to install your new roof is important and these steps can help. Most roofers will provide you with a free estimate and even a free inspection for your roof issues. Choose a trusted Atlanta roofer who is locally owned and operated and has strong roots in the community.

The second major issue we discussed that leads to roof damage and the need for roof repair in the Atlanta area was problems with the flashing on your home. What is flashing? Here are some examples:

Chimney
Step
Apron
Valley

Flashing is generally found where anything is connected to the roof or protrudes through it. As you can imagine when flashing is not properly installed and sealed, these are some of the weakest points of the roof. Water is one of the most powerful forces we deal with and has a knack of being able to squeeze into small spaces, expand them, and over time open them up wide! Flashing must be checked during any roof inspection, and certainly during any roof repair!

In addition to the flashing and roof installation issues that lead to roof damage, there are some other common issues you should be aware of when you experience roof leaks. The following are some of the other potential issues that you should make sure your roofer looks into if they are going to perform an inspection or give you an estimate:

• Cracked or missing shingles or tiles
• Clogged Gutters
• Flue in Chimneys
• Poor sealing around windows and siding

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