Burnet County has been through enough hail seasons in the last decade that most roofs out here have been replaced at least once. A good number of those jobs were done in the rush after a storm, by crews that set up a yard sign, knocked on doors for a month, and moved on to the next county. Some did fine work. Others left problems that won’t show up until a hard rain or the next wind event.
The hard part for a homeowner is that this kind of damage hides. From the driveway in Burnet or out toward Marble Falls, the roof looks like a roof. The shortcuts are underneath: flashing that got reused instead of replaced, nails driven through the wrong part of the shingle, underlayment that wasn’t lapped, soft decking that was covered over instead of swapped out. Here’s how we find it.
What Hidden Roof Damage From a Rushed Job Looks Like
Reused or face-nailed flashing
The metal around chimneys, walls, and valleys is supposed to be replaced when a roof is torn off. Pulling old flashing, cleaning it up, and bending it back into place is faster and cheaper, and it’s a common corner to cut. Reused counterflashing that’s been face-nailed and caulked to the brick rather than set into the mortar will start letting water into the wall within a few Burnet winters.
Nailing problems you can’t see
Shingle manufacturers specify a narrow nailing zone and a set number of nails per shingle. A crew working too fast overdrives nails, underdrives them so the heads sit proud, or places them above the strip entirely. None of that is visible once the next course is down, but it’s why shingles start blowing off a three-year-old roof in a storm that shouldn’t have touched it.
Decking that was covered, not corrected
If the old roof leaked, the plywood underneath may be soft, delaminated, or stained with mold. A proper tear-off replaces those sheets. A rushed one lays new shingles over questionable decking because nobody’s going to see it. You feel it later as spongy spots underfoot and fasteners that won’t hold.
How a Roof Inspection Finds What the Last Crew Left
A real roof inspection goes past a visual once-over from the yard. We’re on the roof checking nail placement and lifting shingles at the edges, checking whether flashing is cut into the masonry or stuck to it, looking at the underlayment laps at the eaves and valleys, and reading the decking for moisture and give. We go into the attic, where water staining, daylight at the sheathing, and rusted fasteners tell the rest of the story.
We document it with photos so you can see what we’re describing instead of taking our word for it. If the last job was solid, that’s a good thing to know for certain. If it wasn’t, you find out on a clear week in Burnet instead of during the storm that exposes it. Every inspection we run also puts $50 toward our Roof-A-Vet fund for local veterans.
What to Do When the Damage Is Real
Not every shortcut means another full replacement. A section of improperly nailed shingles, a run of bad flashing, or a few sheets of soft decking can often be handled as a targeted roof repair that brings the roof back to where it should have been. We fix what’s wrong and leave the sound parts alone.
When the problems are spread across the whole roof, or the decking is compromised widely, a repair becomes money spent on a roof that was never installed right. In that case a proper roof replacement in Burnet done to manufacturer spec is the better spend, and most of ours wrap in a single day. Either way, we warranty our labor along with the materials, so the accountability doesn’t leave the county when the truck does.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if my previous roofer did a bad job?
Often you can’t from the ground. The signs are under the shingles and in the attic: flashing stuck on with caulk, nail heads sitting high, no underlayment lap at the eaves, and moisture or staining on the decking. An inspection that gets on the roof and into the attic is the way to know.
My roof is a few years old. Could it already have hidden damage?
Yes. Installation shortcuts don’t wait for the roof to age. Overdriven nails, missing flashing, and covered-over decking cause failures on roofs that are three or four years old, usually during the first significant storm.
Is hidden damage from a past roofer covered by warranty?
It depends on who installed it and whether that company still stands behind its work. Many storm-chasing crews are gone or unreachable. A local contractor’s workmanship warranty is worth something here, but the contractor has to still be around to honor it.
Does insurance cover damage caused by poor installation?
Generally no. Insurance covers sudden storm events, not workmanship. If a later storm caused damage that a proper installation would have withstood, a claim may still apply to that event.
Let’s See What’s Really on Your Burnet County Roof
Burnet homeowners count on us to tell them the truth about their roof, then back it up with work that holds. We’ll check the work the last crew did, get into the attic, and give you photos along with a straight assessment.
Call us at (254) 300-1413 or reach out here to schedule a free inspection.
If your roof is in danger, call the Lone Ranger.