Your Roofing Questions Answered

Q: How do you know when an asphalt shingle roof needs replaced?

A: The biggest flag is age. If your shingle roof is 20+ years old it may be time for replacement. More tell-tale signs are shingles that are lifting, cracked or missing, developing curled edges, or the protective granules have worn off. Also, go into the attic on a sunny day and, with the lights off, check the underside of the chimney and the stack vent. If you see little pinhole spots of light, the flashing is shot—another indication that the roofing might not be in good shape.

Q: You often mention "flashing" & I noticed damage in creases and ridges of my roof. Can you explain exactly what roof flashing is? 

A:  Flashing is just material (usually aluminum or galvanized steel) that's used over joints on your roof to prevent water seeping in and causing damage. Most roofs have flashing  in peak valleys, around the chimney and pipes, and around dormer windows or skylights. Flashing that's deteriorating due to weathering and oxidizing or if the flashing has come loose, then you will need a repair. 

Q: How do you repair flashing or will I need a bigger repair or replacement?

A: Most flashing problems can be patched or repaired. Depending on your roof, custom cut and shaped flashing from sheet metal will be used, but the most common flashing pieces come pre-formed and can be applied without much difficulty using caulking or roof cement. We would need to look at your roof in-person to assess further damage or bigger repair concerns. 

Q: I've noticed ice on the nail tips sticking through the roof sheathing. Do you know why? Is there anything I should do about it?

A: What's happening is that warm, moist air from inside your house is seeping into the attic and the moisture is condensing and freezing on the cold steel. And yes, you should do something to stop the seepage because it can reduce the effectiveness of your insulation and encourage mold growth.

First, seal off any openings for air to leak into the attic. Maybe a bathroom fan isn't venting outside or the pull-down attic stairway needs weatherstripping or the light-fixture boxes aren't sealed.

Second, try reducing moisture levels in the house by turning on exhaust fans when bathing and vent fans when cooking.

Third, make sure the attic is well ventilated so that any moist air that gets past your defenses has a way to escape. Soffit and ridge vents are more effective ventilators than fans, and they don't use any energy. If you already have these vents, make sure they aren't being blocked by insulation.

Q: We purchased an 84-year-old two-story house that has a 40- to 50-year-old porch on the ground floor. The porch roof leaks where it meets the side of the house. Are there any easy solutions, other than reroofing the entire porch? 

A: It's tricky pinpointing the exact location of a leak. It may appear to originate in one area, but water moves in unexpected paths. So before you jump into this job, you can try to determine where the leak is coming from. If the porch has a finished ceiling, for example, remove a few boards and check the underside of the roof sheathing for water stains—they may help pinpoint the leak's location. In the case of a low-pitched roof, you may have no alternative but to remove all the roofing just to track down the problem.

Chances are, the leakage is probably due to the flashing, not the roofing material itself. Damaged, corroded, or improperly installed flashing is a common problem at this location (and a lot of other locations, too). If the roofing material is in good condition, you may have to remove an area of siding as well as some of the roofing to replace any damaged flashing. (Generally, the only reason to remove all of the roofing would be if it's nearing the end of its useful life anyway.) We can make this repair, but would like to come take a look first.