Readers of JLC know they never have to look far to find stories about roofing issues, like this one a few weeks back.

It’s easy to see why. The crush of new roof builds, repair, and replacement projects has many roofing contractors scrambling to keep pace, especially in today’s tight labor market. Taking a shortcut or two around the chimney, dormers, skylights, roof/wall intersections, valleys, and other transition areas is woefully far too common.

Flashing right the first time is easy to say. However, it’s not so easy to do when impatient owners are breathing down your neck or you’re managing inexperienced help.

Brandon Wulf knows all about the dangers. “Remediation of an improperly installed roof is five times more expensive than doing it right the first time,” he cautions.

“Wherever there’s a transition, there’s a natural weak point for leaks,” says the veteran sales rep for GCP Applied Technologies, a leading manufacturer of residential roofing products. Wulf says shortchanging detailing has other consequences, too: 70% of all construction litigation is leak-related, damaging contractor bank accounts and reputations. “We’ve been in this business for over 40 years. There aren’t many things we haven’t seen. We know all the horror stories,” Wulf says.

Wulf has a couple ideas to help you avoid those horror stories:

  1. Haste Makes Waste. No project schedule, no matter how compressed, is worth risking a callback. “It seems like common sense to do it right the first time with the right materials with the right detailing. Unfortunately, it’s not always done that way,” Wulf says.
  2. Chimney Challenges. “Chimney details is one area that can be easily overlooked,” Wulf says. “Make sure the membrane collar around the chimney isn’t left permanently exposed. As it is, I get lots of calls about chimney conditions.”
  3. Skylight SNAFUs. Who doesn’t like a nice bright cheery bathroom? Some roofers may not have the same enthusiasm given skylight leak history. “We work with several skylight companies that actually insist high-performance membrane products always be specified in order to avoid callbacks,” reports Wulf.
  4. Underlayment Unease. Wulf identifies characteristics contractors should look for in underlayment: 1) The product should stick to the substrate – “Nothing fancy, it’s just common sense.” 2) The membrane should stick to itself on the overlap. 3) The membrane self-seals around fasteners. Otherwise, “… you just punched a bunch of holes in your roof,” he warns.
  5. Intersection Indigestion. Make sure there are no membrane cuts where wall meets roof. Always leave a generous lap of at least 4 to 5 inches to help seal-off moisture.
  6. Tech Talk. In doubt about the details on a flashing application? Don’t think twice. Immediately contact the underlayment manufacturer’s technical rep. If they’re like the ones at GCP Applied Technologies who support more than two million homes, you’ll find their solved-it-all experience will reveal a quick, lasting solution.

Nothing in the trade is worth a callback on a leaky new roof. Wulf says take the time to do it right the first time. Learn more about how to avoid roofing callbacks: www.gcpat.com.