Roofers view.

Roof related problems.
Seen thru the eyes of an experienced roofer.
Specialty:preventative maintenance.
Prolong the life of an existing roof.
Visual check,photograph and document roofs and its components to ensure a watertight seal.
Repairs are done on the spot or an assessment is given.
Pictures shown are the most common problems found.
Steep:shingles,slate,spanish and french tile.
Flat:hot tar,modified (smooth,granular),epdm,tpo.
Misc:rain gutters,copper valleys,sheet metal works.
Reflective aluminum coatings (fibered and non fibered)

Friday, March 11, 2022

Water dripping from the light fixture


Very unusual roof leak.
The tenant us called very concerned a severe roof leak was taking place and water was pouring in even after the rain had stopped,
3rd floor bedroom ceiling 

Another water stain appeared by the circuit breaker panel 
the water could be heard dripping in between the walls (the tenant mentioned)
inspected the roof above the affected area,found a low spot on the roof next to the rain gutter.

Sealed the roofing membrane over the gutter edge and applied a permanent patch over the low spot.and onto the gutter,this is a permanent solution for this problem

The material on the gutter edge needs to be re applied.


Punctures and deep marks on the roofing membrane were found during our roof assessment prior to any repairs.

Used a few pens/pencils to show the actual holes found after a very close inspection 

Openings on the siding were also found,most likely these are the culprit for the water behind the flashing any rain hitting these walls would find its way in.small details overlooked.and definitely the lack of maintenance.




Pieces of the siding need to be replaced,and all these wall protrusions have to be sealed as needed.


Loose roofing membrane at the lowest point of the roof 
This only spells disaster.



After a close look found the flashing on the adjacent wall was loose,most likely water trapped behind the roof membrane 

We cut an opening at the lowest spot of this "blister"to allow the water out 
Trapped water gushing out of the cut made 
We anticipated this was going to happen 
So we installed the first permanent patch on the gutter edge.
The wall will be reflashed with a new piece of material.

This roof holds a lot of water 
Close to the gutter edge .
We applied caulk on all the openings found on the siding 

Sealed all the openings found 
When in doubt.we use clear caulk.
"When nothing else will match"
Generously  applied sealant and tooled inside the openings .this piece of siding needs replacement soon (concrete siding)
Applied large permanent patch on the area where several holes were found during the roof assesment /inspection 




Wind damage

the homeowner called us when she found shingles on the ground 
Recent strong winds will do this type of damage and then some.
We removed all the loose shingles and replaced with new ones 
Sealent was applied to make sure the new shingles and the existing material were adhered to one another 
Finished sweeping the loose shingle granules 
Seen from the peak of the roof.making sure we didn't miss anything 
Completed.!! Another happy homeowner 

Thursday, March 10, 2022

Basic shingle roof maintenance

The homeowner called 
He wants the roof checked and serviced to prevent roof leaks 
Keyword:"Preventative maintenance "

The vents on the roof need to be checked
Normally the exposed nail heads will rust and pop up allowing wind driven rain inside the attic 
Working satellite dish with exposed bolt heads.the water will  find a way in unless this roof protrusion gets sealed 
These vents need to be replaced in the near future.the snow and ice have taken a toll 
The base will be sealed as well as the shingle keyways to prevent water traveling from a different angle.
The rusted nail heads are a clear indication water has traveled underneath the shingle tabs.possible ice dam not to mention. The roof its a low slope.


All the vents shown were nailed down and sealed with high  quality caulk ( urethane based ) this material lasts a long time.its always exposed to the elements .

All of these vents shown need to be replaced to allow the proper air flow inside the attic.
This roof will be replaced soon 
The work done its temporary to prevent further leaks.
The soil stack pipe was sealed with roof cement previously since then this had expanded and contracted resulting on large gaps. All of these small issues will result in a roof leak if not addressed.


Old roof cement cracked open at the base of the chimney.we sealed these openings for the time being.
Visible cracks on the existing material 



We applied roof cement and tooled inside the crevices and cracks.
This will stop any possible roof leak 

Antenna brackets and satellite dish were sealed at the base 
These are all a source of a roof leak 
All the roof protrusions have to be sealed.

Some of the shingle have lost the adhesive and ready to blow off 
Adding a bit of sealant to act as "glue around the base of the roof vent shown here.

We applied sealant  on the adjacent shingle keyways to stop water from traveling towards the base of the vents.

The base was sealed.this is the best measure  to keep this roof watertight 
All the roof protrusions need to be addressed.