Roofing

A leak does not automatically mean a new roof. Here is how to separate a local fix from a system that is near the end of its life.

Metal lasts longer on paper. Asphalt is familiar, lighter, and usually cheaper up front. The better choice depends on the house, the climate, and the budget you actually have.

A long warranty number on a shingle wrapper is not a promise that someone will buy you a new roof in year 30. Workmanship and materials are different contracts.

The useful checks are licence, insurance, a written scope, and who actually shows up. A low number with none of those is not a bargain.

A normal reroof is a loud, short project. Knowing the sequence keeps you from mistaking tear-off day for a disaster, and from missing the moment when the deck is visible.

Catch the water, photograph the source path, and do not climb a wet roof. The useful first hour is inside the house.

An ice ridge at the eave is usually a heat problem. The weather starts it. Warm air leaking from the house builds it.

Moss is not a cosmetic stain. Left in place on a shaded slope, it lifts shingle edges and holds water against the mat.

Most skylight drips start at the curb and the flashing, not in a cracked pane. Replacing the glass and leaving the old curb is a common expensive miss.