Roofing Maintenance Mistakes to Avoid For Your Tiny Home

By Alexis Stephens | September 5, 2020

Reduce long-term maintenance needs with tiny home roofing done right the first time.

Building a tiny house is a big trend for many young people today, as well as those approaching retirement. The demand for these homes is increasing, as they’re cheaper and easier to maintain than a traditional house.

Tiny houses may have small spaces, but you can still have the complete house requirements such as kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and a living room. Designers also consider the structural integrity of the unit and try to follow the building codes for houses.

This is an especially important reference for safe, durable tiny house roof construction.

If you are planning to have a small or tiny home, you should know the following roofing maintenance mistakes to avoid.

You Think You Know How to Do It

If you have a tiny house project and are building it by yourself, allow plenty of research time on how to best to install your roofing system.

There are many factors to consider when installing a roof, such as proper equipment, the appropriate distancing of nails, and slopes that meet the corners of your house.

If you find yourself unable to do this on your own, you should hire a professional roofing contractor to do the job. There's nothing wrong with asking for help!

Wrong Roof Slope

Roof slopes are critical, even on your tiny house. Gradients dictate how to collect and control rainwater. If not properly installed, water may penetrate your home and cause some severe damage.

Insufficient Moisture Protection

Make sure that you have adequate moisture barriers to help your roofing system with moisture protection. Most roofing systems are dependent on moisture barriers to protect your home thoroughly.

Roofing With Poor to Little Ventilation

No matter how tiny your house is, your roof must have proper ventilation. Roofing systems should be able to let the heat escape to avoid moisture build-up. It is also uncomfortable to live in a tiny house that heats up like an oven.

Inconsistent Roofing Shingles

Roofing shingles are one of the widely used roofing styles everywhere, but admittedly less so on movable tiny houses. They're clean to look at and provide pleasing aesthetics and protection for the home.

The problem with this type of roofing, after installation, is that you can quickly identify any mismatched shingles.

Inconsistent roofing shingles happen when a roofing contractor procured materials from different suppliers and mixed it with the others. Most contractors will buy bulk orders to get significant discounts, leaving them with more stock materials in their warehouses. Mismanaged warehouses will tend to mix their materials.

Long story short, if you hire out, be sure to ask your contractor to ensure your shingles all match.

Not Replacing Worn-Out Shingles

If you already have a tiny home with shingle roofing, there are chances that some parts of your roofing will deteriorate and require replacement. If you neglect this, they can accumulate more dirt and moisture, which will eventually lead to them deteriorating faster.

The proper way of treating this roofing problem is to remove the damaged shingles and replace them with new ones. Gently scrape off worn out shingles and be careful not to damage the underlayer.

Many tiny homeowners opt for metal roofs for reduced maintenance. However, the downside is the expensive upfront cost as compared to low-cost shingles.

Sagging Roof Gutter

If you plan to stay put with your tiny home, especially in wet climates, consider installing a roof gutter.

Roof gutters collect all the rainwater from your roof and dispose of it properly in the drain. If your gutters are too low or do not have a sufficient slope, water may overflow and enter your house, which may cause electrical damage.

Be Aware of a Bad Roofing Job

Your tiny house may be one of the most precious things for you, and building it requires much attention. Avoid costly repairs with a proper roofing installation from the start, but if unsure, the sooner you can identify issues, the better.

Need professional help? Refer to companies like City Seamless Gutters for consultations about the roofing for your tiny home.

Your decision to move into a tiny home should significantly reduce costly maintenance. Make sure you don't commit these mistakes if you want to maximize your savings on your roof.

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