Roof Questions Answered Plainly, From Ladders to Ice Dams

Repair or replace: a rule of thumb and where it stops

The Department of Energy's Handy Homeowner brief, citing a trade field guide, says that the advice is a new roof if over 10 percent of the roof needs repair. It is a useful yardstick for a conversation, nothing more. The same brief does not cover flashing, flat roofs, gutters or ice dams, and those can decide the question on their own.

What tips a roof toward replacement in practice is what the roofer finds: soft boards under the shingles, a surface worn through in many places, or leaks that return after patches. Ask to see photos of what was found.

Ice at the eaves starts in the attic

University of Minnesota Extension explains ice dams as a heat problem. Uneven roof temperatures let warm air from the house melt snow, and the water refreezes at the cold overhang. Air leaking through ceiling openings is often the main heat source, so its advice runs in a set order: seal the air leaks, then add insulation.

At the Somerville airport station, January averages 29.9°F and the high stays at or below 32°F on about 17 days a year. Extension also says a roof rake may damage the roofing and recommends hiring professionals for roof work in winter.

After a storm, in order

New Jersey's insurance department lays out a sequence. Report the loss to your insurer, photograph all damaged property before anything is thrown away, make temporary repairs that stop further damage and keep every receipt. The adjuster comes from the insurer, and the insurer's suggested contractor is optional. The department's consumer line answers on weekdays at 1-800-446-7467, from 8:30 until 5:00.

Before any of that, check the lines overhead. PSE&G and FirstEnergy both ask people to keep at least 30 feet from a downed wire, treat it as live and call it in to 911 or the utility.

A roofing contract is part of the roof

On home improvement work over $500, New Jersey expects a written contract that every party signs. It names the seller, the work with its main materials, the full price, and a start date and an end date. Changes to the terms are put in writing too. A scope that names the materials and the steps leaves less to argue about later.

The asphalt roofing trade group adds two cautions seen after storms: be wary of anyone asking for money up front, and get a written proposal. Under federal rules a buyer gets three days to back out of many sales made at home, though emergency repairs and repairs the owner requested are left out.

Ordinary rain and Ida-sized rain

The Somerville airport normals for 1991 to 2020 add up to 45.49 inches of precipitation a year, with 4.93 inches in July and 5.18 in August. Ida's remnants were a different animal: the state weather network's recap lists 7.65 inches for Long Hill Township and 2.72 inches in a single hour at Basking Ridge.

A roof that sheds an ordinary August can still show a weakness in a downpour like that, usually at a flashing joint or a gutter corner. FEMA's low-slope sheet adds that an overflow route matters on a flat roof, since drains can clog.

Which of these questions is yours, and who do you ask?

If the question is about a stain, a missing shingle or a wire after a blow, the write-ups on roof condition check and storm and wind damage are the place to start.

Call (908) 827-6709 with the question as you would put it to a neighbor who happens to roof houses. Renters can forward it to the owner of the house, since the owner decides about the work.

Ten short answers in one table

• 

  An Eight-Stop Roof Walk for Warren Homes, Ground to Attic

  Read this guide

• 

  What Moves a Roof Quote, Factor by Factor

  Read this guide