Roof repairs are always a bit tricky and require true attention to detail. Oftentimes leaks appear in different areas than they occur. A detailed conversation with our customer and an on-site inspection are absolutely necessary to properly diagnose the true source of the leak and avoid any unnecessary repairs. Roof repair costs vary greatly depending on the extent of damage, access, and difficulty of the roof, and how widespread or localized the issue is.
these are the rubber gaskets around the plumbing ventilation stacks penetrating the roof. The rubber gaskets shrink, crack, and dry rot after prolonged exposure to the sun’s UV rays. Once deteriorated they allow small amounts of moisture into the home’s interior. Usually, these leaks develop over months or years as small amounts of water slowly accumulate over time before showing themselves on the interior. These are relatively simple repairs to identify and fix and as a result, are relatively inexpensive.
poorly installed or damaged flashings are a common source of water intrusion. Often these leaks are attempted to be repaired using sealants such as caulk, silicone, or rubberized sprays such as Flex Seal. These types of fixes are usually more harmful than beneficial and only result in trapping the moisture inside the wall of the home. Proper repairs to flashings are usually the replacement of the flashings which also necessitate the removal and replacement of shingles around the affected area.
Exposed nail heads will exist on almost every roof in areas such as at one end of ridge cap shingle runs. While this is unavoidable, the nail heads should have a dab of silicone over them to keep them from rusting. Other exposed nail heads, such as field shingles nailed below the proper nail zone, will result in the rusting of the nail head and shank. Once rusted away, they will leave behind a small hole in the shingle where water will penetrate the roof. These leaks form over long periods of time and are very difficult to locate. When found, the hole can be filled with silicone for a temporary solution or the shingle can be replaced for a permanent fix.
ridge vents rarely leak if installed and maintained properly. However, aluminum ridge vents are often secured to the roof by nails or screws. These fasteners will rust and leak over time if not covered by a sealant such as silicone. Screws with rubber washers are recommended but rarely used, resulting in rust and deterioration. Shingle over ridge vents can allow moisture intrusion when snow lingering on the roof is drifted upwards by winds. This is why At Your Service Roofing uses the Owens Corning VentSure 4-Foot Strip Heat and Moisture Ridge Vent which has a filter on the underside forcing snowdrifts to pack and limiting the amount of snow entering the home’s attic or interior.
Dead Valleys is a term used to describe a design feature of the home where a valley ends in a sidewall rather than emptying on the roof or in a gutter. As water and snow collect here it can find its way behind flashing and under shingles. Water intrusion can be prevented in these instances by installing a custom fabricated metal pan underneath the area that extends up the sidewall behind the siding. If not possible, then Ice and Water Guard can be installed in the same manner. These are complex repairs and tend to be costly as on-site fabrication and highly skilled labor are necessary.
there tends to be an old adage in the roofing industry that states, “it’s not if a skylight will leak, but when.” We believe that a properly installed skylight rarely leaks. Unfortunately, as we inspect and replace roofs in the market we rarely find well-installed skylights. Temporary repairs to skylights are ill-advised and generally require the replacement of the skylight to avoid future leak issues. Skylight replacements are not inexpensive but most homeowners prefer their replacement to keep the benefits a skylight provides.
As leaves, twigs, seeds, and other debris accumulate in a gutter, the water flow becomes disrupted resulting in the accumulation of water in the gutter. If not allowed to properly drain, the water will overflow the gutter. As water spills over the rear lip of the gutter, the water can find its way into the soffits where it will rot the soffit material or backflow into the home. Proper maintenance and cleaning can solve this issue as well as installing a gutter guards system. In our experience, the most common cause of downspout blockage is the occurrence of sporting balls such as tennis balls, lacrosse balls, etc. being thrown on the roof where they are captured by the gutter and flow to the downspout connection. Simply removing this obstruction will solve many gutter issues.
Ice dams are a complex issue that have many variables. Design of the home and its roof system, improper ventilation, and lack of sun exposure to certain areas are common causes of ice dams. Unfortunately, ice dams are sometimes unavoidable as no roof systems are waterproof, only water-resistant. Ice dams can sometimes be corrected by installing a custom fabricated metal pan under the affected area or correcting attic insulation and ventilation issues. These repairs are cumbersome and time-consuming and are therefore usually an expensive repair.
