After a roof replacement, the last question any homeowner wants to be asking is, “why is my new roof leaking?” After such a large investment, you’re not expecting your new roof to start leaking so soon. This can cause a lot of fear, frustration, and confusion.
There are a few things that could cause your new roof to start leaking, but there’s one we see more often than others. At Elite Exteriors, we want homeowners to be educated when it comes to their new roof investment, and have the information they need during this stressful time. In this article, discover the main reason your new roof may be leaking, and three things you need to do about it.
Table of Contents
– Why is My New Roof Leaking?
– Steps to Take if Your New Roof is Leaking
– Contain the Leak
– Call Your Contractor
– Review Your Warranty
– How to Find a Reputable Roofing Contractor
Why is My New Roof Leaking?
Ceiling stain caused by new roof leaking
Why is my new roof leaking? The last thing any homeowner expects after investing their hard-earned money on a new roof, is for it to start leaking shortly after installation. Unfortunately, in most cases, a new roof leaking is caused by improper installation.
Improper installation can happen for a variety of reasons. Maybe the contractor you hired is lazy, and cut corners to save on cost and time. Or maybe they simply do not care, and don’t take pride in their workmanship. Either way, if you hired the cheapest contractor without doing your due diligence, this is more than likely the case.
And we’re not saying this is always the reason, as mistakes can happen. However, if your contractor uses proper installation techniques and pays attention to detail, your new roof shouldn’t have any issues. Again, this isn’t the only reason a new roof begins to leak, it’s just the reason we see most often. The only way to determine the true cause of a new roof leaking is to have someone come out for a roof inspection.
Steps to Take if Your New Roof is Leaking
Above we’ve answered the question, “why is my new roof leaking?” Now, let’s discuss what to do if you find yourself in this situation. Below are three steps you need to take if you find that your new roof is leaking.
Contain the Leak
Containing the leak is the first course of action should you find your new roof leaking
There are a lot of emotions and questions that arise after first discovering your new roof leaking. But once you spot the leak, the first thing you should do is contain it. This is typically done by putting a bucket or some sort of container in your attic to catch water as it comes through your roof.
This step is crucial, as it can prevent widespread damage. If you don’t contain the water, it will spread and cause water damage to the inside of your home. This can very quickly become a very expensive repair.
With that being said, do not do anything to the roof itself to stop the water from coming in. This may sound counterintuitive, but doing so could put you in an even more costly bind. This will void any roof warranties you have, which means you’ll end up having to pay to fix the leak yourself.
Call Your Contractor
Homeowner calling their contractor to deal with their new roof leaking
After containing the leak, the next thing you need to do is call the roofing contractor who installed your roof, and let them know about your new roof leaking. You will want to do this right away, and a reputable roofing company will come out as soon as they can to resolve the issue.
Unfortunately, we’ve also seen contractors avoid these calls and not call customers back. If you can’t get a hold of the roofing company that originally installed your new roof, then you’ll have to find a new one to repair the leak. This does mean that your original warranty will be voided, and the repairs will have to be paid for out of pocket.
Review Your Warranty
Homeowners reviewing their warranty paperwork after discovering their new roof leaking
So, let’s just say that you were able to get a hold of your original contractor about your new roof leaking. After your chat, the next step is to review your warranty paperwork. This information will help you determine if your roof leak will be covered.
If your roof leak was caused by improper installation, then your contractor’s workmanship warranty should cover it. This means you won’t have to pay anything to have the roof leak repaired. It’s important to mention that if you hired a contractor who’s not on the up-and-up, they may not honor their warranty, footing you with the repair bill.
If the roof leak was not caused by improper installation, then you’ll have to rely on your material warranty. This is provided by the manufacturer of your roofing materials, and covers defects on the materials themselves. If there is something wrong with the roofing materials, then the manufacturer will pay to replace them.
Both of these warranties can be found on your estimate. And it’s so important to obtain a copy of this in writing, just in case. With that said, the warranty you’ll rely on to fix your new roof leaking will depend on what the roofing contractor finds during their inspection.
How to Find a Reputable Roofing Contractor
Hiring a quality roofer is crucial to a smooth and successful roof replacement
The roofing contractor you hire plays a huge role in the quality of the finished product, as well as the protection of your new roof investment. If you hire a reputable contractor from the start, it’s less likely you’ll have to deal with the side-effects of improper installation. And if your new roof is leaking for some reason, they should honor their warranty and take care of the problem.
Unfortunately, we’ve seen time and time again in the roofing industry, contractors who don’t stand behind their work and/or honor their warranty. If this happens to you, then you’re back to hiring another contractor to resolve the issue. This is not only a huge headache, but can create stress and fear around hiring the wrong roofer a second time.
This is truly the benefit of hiring a vetted, experienced, and knowledgeable contractor from the start: peace of mind. But how do you know if a potential roofing contractor is the right one for you? What questions should be asked during the hiring process?
We want to help homeowners with this exact issue, which is why we created the blog, “5 Questions to Ask a Potential Roofing Contractor [For Professionalism and Peace of Mind].” Knowing the right questions to ask goes a long way, and can help you weed out contractors that don’t fit the bill. Working with a reputable contractor you trust from the start will make the roof replacement process a breeze, leaving you feeling confident in your new roof investment.
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Elite Exteriors is the Southeast’s premier residential and commercial resource for unparalleled service, superior craftsmanship, and incomparable quality. And it’s all backed by an unprecedented lifetime labor and materials warranty! Not only are we fully bonded, licensed, and insured, but we can provide any references you may need, and are more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Give us a call today at 470-350-3024 for a NO-COST initial consultation and inspection, or fill out our online form for more information!