Roof repair
Roof Repair in Utica, NY
Leaks, missing or lifted shingles, worn flashing, open valleys, chimney leaks and the damage ice dams leave behind. We find where the water is actually getting in, show you photos of it, and put the fix in writing before any work starts.
- Free roof inspection
- Written quote within 24 hours
- 10-year workmanship warranty
- 5.0Google rating
- 10-yearWorkmanship warranty
- 24 hoursWritten quote after a free inspection
The short answer
315 Roofing repairs asphalt shingle roofs on homes in Utica and the towns around it. A repair starts with a free inspection to trace the problem to its source, because the stain on your ceiling is rarely right under the hole. You see photos of what we find, get a written quote within 24 hours, and the repair is covered by our 10-year workmanship warranty.
- Leak traced to its source
- Photos of the problem
- Written quote before work
- Honest call on repair or replace
Why homeowners call us
How we handle a roof repair
You see the problem before you pay for it
We photograph the damaged shingles, the failed flashing or the wet decking and show you the pictures. You know exactly what is wrong and why the fix we suggest is the right size for it.
The fix and the price in writing
Within 24 hours of the inspection you get a written quote that says what will be repaired, with what materials, and what it costs.
Repairs carry the same warranty
A repair is covered by our 10-year workmanship warranty, the same as a full roof. If the work we did fails because of how we did it, we come back and make it right.
How it works
Finding and fixing the real source of a leak
Water on a roof does not fall straight down. It gets under a shingle or a piece of flashing, then runs along the underlayment, the deck boards or a rafter until it finds a low spot to drip from.
That is why a brown ring on a bedroom ceiling can come from a vent pipe several feet uphill, and why patching the shingles directly above the stain so often fails to stop the leak.
A proper repair starts by working backward from the stain. We look at the roof surface above and uphill of it, at every place where something passes through the roof, and at the attic underside where we can reach it, following water marks on the wood.
Most leaks on a shingle roof turn out to be at a joint rather than in the middle of a plane of shingles.
Where shingle roofs usually leak
- Pipe boots, the rubber collars around plumbing vents, which crack and shrink after years of sun and cold
- Chimney flashing, where the metal steps and counterflashing pull away from the masonry or the sealant has dried out
- Valleys, where two roof slopes meet and carry a large share of the water off the roof
- Walls and dormers, where step flashing was skipped, reused or bent out of place
- Missing or lifted shingles after a windy stretch, which leave nail holes and underlayment exposed
Each of these has a correct fix. A cracked pipe boot gets replaced, not caulked over. Chimney flashing gets rebuilt in layers so water is shed by overlapping metal rather than held back by a bead of sealant. A torn valley gets reopened and relaid with the shingles woven or cut properly over a waterproof membrane.
Ice dam damage
Ice dams form when heat from the house melts snow on the upper roof and the water refreezes at the cold eaves. Each thaw adds to the ridge of ice, and the water that pools behind it gets pushed up under the shingles.
In the Mohawk Valley, with lake-effect snow off Lake Ontario and long freeze-thaw stretches, this is one of the more common reasons for a winter leak along an outside wall.
Repairing ice dam damage means replacing the wet decking and shingles along the eave and installing ice and water shield, a self-sealing membrane that closes around nails and keeps backed-up water off the wood.
We also look at the attic insulation and ventilation, because a roof that keeps forming ice dams will keep leaking until the heat loss behind them is dealt with.
Matching shingles, rotten decking and when to stop repairing
Small repairs are matched to your existing shingles as closely as possible. Asphalt shingles fade with age and colors change between production runs, so a patch on an older roof may be a shade off at first. We tell you this before the work, not after.
If water has been getting in for a while, the deck boards under the leak may be soft. Replacing rotten wood is part of doing the repair properly. If we find more of it than the quote expected, we show you the photos before we go further.
Sometimes the honest answer is that a repair is not worth paying for. When the shingles are brittle across the whole roof, or a roof has several leaks in different places, a patch buys very little time. We will say so plainly and explain what a replacement would involve, and you decide.
Signs
Signs your roof needs a repair
Most of these can be spotted from inside the house or from the yard. If you notice one, it is cheaper to look at it now than after another winter.
A water stain on a ceiling or upper wall
Even a small stain means water has already soaked through the roof and the insulation. It tends to grow after each heavy rain or thaw.
Shingles missing, creased or flapping
After wind, look for bare patches, shingles lying in the yard or tabs that lift and fold. Each one leaves the nails and underlayment open to weather.
Damp wood or daylight in the attic
Dark streaks on the rafters, wet insulation or pinpoints of light through the deck show where water and air are getting through.
Leaks around the chimney or a vent pipe
Drips or stains near a chimney chase or bathroom fan usually point to failed flashing or a cracked pipe boot rather than the shingles themselves.
Icicles and stains along an outside wall in winter
Heavy icicles at the eaves with water marks on the wall or window trim below are a sign that ice dams are forcing water under the shingles.
The process
Four steps to a repaired roof
Free inspection
We trace the leak or damage from the stain back to its source, checking the surface, the flashing and the attic where we can reach it.
Photos and a written quote
You see pictures of the problem and receive the repair scope, materials and price in writing within 24 hours.
The repair
Damaged shingles, flashing, boots or decking are removed and replaced, and the area is sealed into the surrounding roof.
Check and warranty
We show you the finished repair and explain what the 10-year workmanship warranty covers.
Google reviews
What homeowners say after a repair
“Don't hesitate to call Ivan at 315 Roofing. I had another roofer complete a brand new roof last year, let's just say it was not completed correctly. I called Ivan for a free roof repair estimate. He came the same day.”
“As everyone knows it so hard to get contractors to do work let alone showing up on scheduled days. Ive had work done on my home (gutters) and my daughters home roof repaired.”
“315 Roofing LLC did an amazing job on my roof. Vlad was great to work with from start to finish — professional, honest, and easy to communicate with. His crew showed up on time, worked hard, and paid attention to every detail.”
Questions
Roof repair questions
Can you fix just the leak instead of replacing the roof?
Usually, yes. Most leaks come from one failed detail, like a pipe boot, a piece of chimney flashing or a few missing shingles, and repairing that detail is the right answer. We only suggest a replacement when the shingles are worn out across the roof or the leaks keep appearing in new places.
Why is my ceiling stain not under the hole in the roof?
Water runs along the underlayment, deck boards and rafters before it drips. The entry point is often uphill of the stain, sometimes by several feet. That is why we trace the path in the attic and on the roof instead of patching the spot directly above the ceiling.
What should I do while I wait for the repair?
Put a bucket or towels under the drip, move furniture and electronics out of the way, and take photos of the stain and any wet areas. If the ceiling is bulging with water, keep people out from under it. Do not climb onto a wet or icy roof yourself.
Will the new shingles match my roof?
We match the style and color as closely as we can. Older shingles fade, so a repaired area can look slightly different at first. We tell you how close the match will be when we quote the job.
Is a roof repair covered by your warranty?
Yes. Repairs carry our 10-year workmanship warranty. It covers the work we did. Other parts of an older roof that we did not touch are not covered by it, and we are clear about which areas the repair includes.
Do you fix damage from ice dams?
Yes. We replace the wet decking and shingles along the eave, install ice and water shield, and look at the ventilation and insulation that caused the dam so the problem is less likely to come back next winter.
See all of our roofing guides for more homeowner questions.
Where we work
Roof repair around Utica
Also serving Utica, Marcy, Frankfort, Ilion, Little Falls, Yorkville, Oriskany, Deerfield, Schuyler.
Get the leak found and fixed
A free inspection, photos of the problem, and a written repair quote within 24 hours.