10 Things to Do in Common Leak Areas

It’s important to make sure a roof is protected at critical areas to avoid coverage problems and not all roofing manufacturer warranties are the same. In order for the homeowner—and the roof—to get the most out of a warranty, it’s important that the contractor ensures a home is well protected from leaks. The right materials can make the difference. Here are 10 things a contractor should do to ensure warranty coverage for a homeowner:

Install waterproof leak barriers at critical areas that are prone to leaks including valleys, side walls, penetrations, chimneys, dormers, and eaves.Use edge metal at rakes and eaves to help protect from water infiltration at the roof’s edges. This is especially critical in high wind areas and colder climates.Install premanufactured flashing at all pipe penetrations to help prevent water entry.Install roof deck protection, also known as underlayment, to ensure shingles will lie flat and to protect against wind-driven rain that can blow under the shingles.Install proper attic ventilation to help manage the attic temperature and prevent moisture from being trapped in the attic space. Shingle roofs last longer when attics are properly ventilated.Install hip and ridge cap shingles to help protect those areas since they get more wind pressure than other parts of the roof. The finished look of hip & ridge cap shingles can also help increase curb appeal.Check skylight conditions. Old skylights should be replaced to better match the new roof’s age; also, new skylights will probably have better energy ratings.Install a single roofing system, like GAF’s Lifetime Roofing System.* When installing components from different manufacturers, mismatches in warranty coverage can occur. A complete system with shingles, leak barriers, hip and ridge cap shingles, roof deck protection, starter strips, and attic ventilation from the same manufacturer will allow all these components to be covered by one warranty and help to avoid finger-pointing in the event of an issue.Take advantage of problem-prevention inspections by factory-certified roof inspectors, when available. For example, when a homeowner buys a GAF Golden Pledge ltd. warranty**, they are entitled to an inspection by a GAF inspector. These inspectors are technical experts who also provide feedback on the installation.Install systems that have transferable warranties. This is a valuable feature to have if you ever sell your property in the future.

For more information on GAF’s residential warranties, see our comparison.