Asphalt shingle roofs are built to protect homes from various weather conditions while keeping residents safe. Whether your roof is newly installed or has been protecting your home for years, its important to determine if it was installed properly. To find out for yourself, Bone Dry Roofing – West shares a few things you need to look for:
Proper shingle nailing. This means there should be at least four to six nails in each shingle, depending on your local weather environment. Four nails are the industry standard, but six nails may be needed if you live in a windy area. Your shingles should also hide the nail heads because they can get rusty or come loose if they’re exposed to the elements.
Consistency over the surface. Another way to determine if your roof is installed properly is to observe the shingles from ground level. You need to check if they look the same across the entire surface of the roof and make sure that there aren’t any patches that vary in color. If some areas aren’t the same color as the rest, this could be due to the quality of the material. But if some of the rows don’t look like they line up correctly, this could be due to improper installation.
All the components are present and correctly installed. A well-built asphalt shingle roofing system should have all the necessary components installed correctly. Your system should have starter strip shingles, which are the primary row of shingles installed at the eaves. Hip and ridge products should also be installed on your roofing system, as they prevent the hip and ridge of your roof from leaking.
Your system should have underlayment installed, as well, and over this layer should be your asphalt shingles, which cover most of your roof’s surface. Your roofing system must also have ice and water barriers that help protect the more vulnerable areas such as the vent pipes, valleys, dormers and chimneys. Finally, a proper asphalt shingle roof won’t be complete without an adequate attic ventilation system. This is to eliminate heat and moisture buildup, which may otherwise accelerate your roof’s deterioration rate.
Bone Dry Roofing – West is a top contractor who knows what’s best for your roofing project. If you live in Fort Collins or surrounding areas in CO, call us at (970) 364-7996 or fill out our online contact form!
