Tallahassee Roof Questions About Older Houses, Answered

Plain answers

These are Tallahassee roof questions that come up at almost every inspection of an older house, from the attic hatch to the driveway. Most of them aren’t about storms or claims. They’re about the things an older home brings with it: animals in the attic, vents that were never built, chimneys and antennas from another era, plaster ceilings and roofs that have quietly worn down.

If your question isn’t here, ask the estimator on the free inspection. For what each kind of job involves, see the services page. If a storm has just been through, go straight to hurricane damage.

The questions

• Squirrels keep getting into the attic. Is that a roof problem?

  Partly. Squirrels and raccoons get in where wood has gone soft or a gap was never closed, usually at the roof edge, a gable vent or a corner where two rooflines meet. We replace the rotted fascia and decking, close the gaps with metal and seal the vents with screens. Getting the animals out first is a job for a wildlife service, and it should happen before the openings are closed.

• My older house has no soffit vents. Does that matter?

  It can. A roof needs air coming in low at the eaves and leaving high at the ridge. Without intake vents, a ridge vent has little to pull from, the attic runs hotter and the underside of the deck stays damp longer. Many older homes were built without them. On a re-roof we price opening up the soffits along with the exhaust, so the two work as a pair.

• Can a repair match my old shingles?

  Close, but rarely exactly. Shingles fade over the years and some older styles aren't made any more, so even the same colour name looks different beside a weathered slope. We bring samples, put the repair where it shows least when we can, and tell you honestly how visible it will be before you agree to it.

• What does a roof warranty actually cover?

  There are usually two. The shingle or metal maker's warranty covers defects in the material, and often depends on the product being installed to their instructions. The roofer's workmanship warranty covers how it was put on, which is where most problems come from. Ask for both in writing and keep them with the closed permit.

• When is the best time of year for a re-roof here?

  Late fall through spring tends to be easiest, with fewer afternoon thunderstorms and no hurricane watching. Summer jobs still go ahead; the crew simply starts early and strips only what it can dry in before the afternoon storms build. Booking ahead of hurricane season gets you a start date before storm repairs fill the calendar.

• Will the tear-off crack my plaster ceilings?

  It is uncommon, but older plaster on wood lath can let go where it was already loose, because a tear-off shakes the framing. Before the job we walk through the top floor, note any sagging or cracked ceilings and photograph them. Take down anything hanging from the ceilings or high on the walls under the roof, just in case.

• Do I need to be home while the crew works?

  No. We need access to the driveway and an outdoor outlet, and the gate unlocked if the dumpster goes in the yard. Most people go to work as normal. The estimator calls at the end of each day with what was done and what was found under the old roof.

• There's an old chimney we never use. Can it come out when the roof is replaced?

  Often it can. A mason takes the chimney down to below the roofline, and we deck and shingle over the opening so it disappears from the outside. That removes one of the most leak-prone spots on an older roof. It needs planning, because the masonry work happens first, so mention it at the inspection.

• There's an old TV antenna on the roof. Should it come off?

  Usually, yes. Old masts and their mounting brackets leave screw holes that leak once the sealant dries out, and a loose mast can come down in a storm. We take them off during a re-roof and seal the holes. If a working antenna or satellite dish stays, we remount it with flashing rather than screws straight through the shingles.

• How do I know if hail hit my roof?

  The signs are easier to spot on the metal around the roof than on the shingles. Look for dents in the gutters, downspouts, vent caps and the top of the air conditioning unit. On shingles, hail leaves soft dark spots where the granules were knocked off. If you see dents after a spring storm, book an inspection before deciding about a claim.

• Why are there granules in my gutters?

  A few after a new roof is normal, since loose granules from the factory wash off in the first rains. A lot of granules on a roof that's already old means the shingles are wearing through their top layer, which is one of the clearer signs that a replacement is coming. Bring a handful to the inspection if you like.

• What is flashing, and why does it keep coming up?

  Flashing is the metal that seals the joints where a roof meets something else: a wall, a chimney, a skylight, a valley or a pipe. Shingles shed water across the slope; flashing handles the corners, and that's where most leaks on older houses start. On a re-roof, new flashing goes in rather than reusing the old pieces.