You've finally gotten around to cleaning your gutters and you notice that you may have a more serious problem. Your roof looks like it is starting to sink in a couple of places. Although your roof isn't brand new, you don't think it's time to replace it quite yet. What else can you do to repair your sagging Atlanta roof?
A Good Atlanta Roof Deck Must Be Level
You can't see it from the outside, but your roof deck is the platform that supports your shingles and keeps them appearing straight and in plane.
A typical roof deck (sometimes called "roof sheathing") is made by placing plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) over your roof's trusses or rafters. Your home's builder probably decided which material to use, but in either case, the 4′ x 8′ wood panels should have been nailed in place according to local building codes.
It sounds simple enough, but there are a few critical steps that must be taken to ensure that each slope of the roof deck is as flat as possible. Before hammering the first nail to build a roof deck, a good builder will always check the trusses/rafters to make sure they are level. If they aren't, he will install shims and/or clips as needed to bring roof deck panels into a flat plane. In some cases, a builder will even install blocking beams between trusses to align and stiffen the them.
And of course, professional builders know they must use the right sized nails and tight enough nail spacing to prevent roof deck panels from warping.
The simple fact is that misaligned or poorly fastened panel edges in your roof deck can cause lines, steps, warping and bowing that can't be hidden or masked by the best Atlanta roofing contractor or the thickest dimensional shingles.
A Good Atlanta Roofing Contractor Minds The Details
If a sturdy and level roof deck has been built, your Marietta roofer has been given everything he needs to build a beautiful roof. All he needs to do is pay attention to detail and perform quality work while installing the underlayment and your roof shingles.
While laying down the underlayment, your Atlanta roofing contractor should take great care to avoid wrinkling the material. Wrinkles in the underlayment can produce steps or lines that are visible in the shingle installation, which obviously detract from the beauty of your home.
If your roofer doesn't mind the details at every step along the way, your roof will look like a job that was done on the cheap, even if you spent the extra dollars on high-end laminated shingles.
Repairing A Bad Roof Deck - What A Good Atlanta Roofing Company Can Do
Water damage, poor workmanship, or a combination of both could be responsible for roof problems such as warping, sagging and wrinkles.
The good news is an experienced Atlanta roofing company can diagnose and resolve all of these problems. The solution may be a local repair, or it may be a roof replacement, depending on the age and condition of your roof.
For example, a roof that is 10-15 years old with large, visible problems would most likely need a roof replacement. Mainly, because it is difficult to match the style and color of older shingles with replacement shingles.
But don't let the term roof replacement scare you. It doesn't mean your entire roof deck needs to be pulled up and replaced. In many cases, sagging and warping can be eliminated by replacing select deck panels, adding extra nails, and installing shims and clips.
If you believe your roof may need some repair work, or if you are curious about the condition of your roof, we invite you to contact us today for a free roof analysis.
At Findlay Roofing we look forward to helping all of our neighbors in Atlanta, Marietta and across North Georgia keep strong and beautiful roofs over their homes.
