Levittown was built by Levitt and Sons as a post-war subdivision from the late 1940s, and many of its Cape Cod and ranch roofs date from that build-out. The age of those roofs changes the repair: the decking, the underlayment and the flashing have had decades to dry, soften and split, and the roof forms have their own leak points at the dormers, the valleys and the long runs.
Key takeaways
- Many Levittown Cape Cod and ranch roofs date from the post-war build-out that began in the late 1940s.
- Age changes the scope: the decking, the underlayment and the flashing are checked before a covering is repaired.
- Cape Cod roofs leak most often at the dormers and valleys, where water collects.
- Ranch roofs leak at the joints with vents and skylights, and along the long runs where water can travel far.
- A dated report of the roof's condition is the most useful record a Levittown homeowner can keep.
What is the Levittown build-out, and why does it matter for the roof?
A post-war subdivision built by Levitt and Sons from the late 1940s. Many of its houses are Cape Cod and ranch forms, and their roofs are now several decades old.
Levittown was built as a post-war subdivision by Levitt and Sons, beginning in the late 1940s. The houses were laid out in one build-out and many of them have Cape Cod or ranch forms. The roofs on those houses are now several decades old, and the age of the roof is the first thing a roofer considers on a Levittown call.
The age matters because the materials have aged. Decking and underlayment that were installed decades ago have been wet, dried and wet again, and they soften or split over time. A repair that does not account for that age can fail at the nail line or at the flashing.
What does a Cape Cod roof look like, and where does it leak?
A Cape Cod roof has dormers and valleys, where two slopes meet and water collects. The junctions of the dormers with the main slope are the most common leak points.
A Cape Cod roof has a steep main slope with dormers set into it, and the dormers have their own cheek walls and covering. Each dormer meets the main slope at a junction that must be sealed, and each valley is a line where two slopes meet and carry the water from both.
Those junctions are where the water collects and where the flashing is most exposed. On an older roof, the flashing has often been resealed or patched, and the joint between the old and the new material is the weak point. The roofer checks each junction and renews the flashing and the underlayment as part of the repair.
What does a ranch roof look like, and where does it leak?
A ranch roof has long, low runs and joints with vents, skylights and hatches. The joints are the most common leak points, and water can travel a long way along the decking on a long run.
A ranch roof covers a wide area with long runs of covering, and the runs share one deck. A leak can enter at one point and travel along the decking for a long distance before it shows at a ceiling. The stain may be far from the opening, so the attic check is essential.
The joints with vent pipes, skylights and hatches are the second common leak point. Their flashing and sealant dry and crack over time, and a storm can open a gap that lets water in around the pipe or the frame.
Why is the decking so important on an older roof?
Because the decking is the base the covering and the nails depend on. Soft or split boards will not hold a new covering, and a repair on top of them fails early.
Decking that has been wet for a long time softens at the edges and at the eave. A nail driven into soft wood does not hold, and a new shingle nailed into it can lift in the next storm. The roofer presses the boards from the attic and checks them from the roof, and replaces the soft ones before the covering is fixed.
The decking allowance in the scope covers this, and the homeowner should ask how any extra boards are priced and shown before they are replaced.
What about the old patches on the roof?
Patches added over the years often fail at their edges, and they can hide soft decking beneath. A repair that removes the failed patches and replaces the section is more reliable than another patch.
A roof that has been patched over many years carries a history of repairs. Each patch has edges, and the edges are where the water finds the way in. A patch can also hide soft decking beneath it, which is why the roofer lifts the edge of a patch to check.
The roofer notes the patches in the report, so the homeowner and the next roofer can see the history. A roof record with the patches listed is one of the most useful things a Levittown homeowner can keep.
What should a Levittown homeowner check each year?
The dormer junctions and valleys on a Cape, the long runs and the vent and skylight joints on a ranch, and the attic for stains and damp. An annual check catches the small faults before they spread.
Each year, look at the dormer junctions and valleys from the ground, checking for lifted shingles and cracked sealant. On a ranch, look along each run for lifted or shifted shingles, and at the vent pipes and skylights for cracked sealant or a gap at the flashing.
Check the attic on a dry day for stains, damp insulation and frost on the roof boards. A stain on a rafter several feet from a dormer is often the end of a route that started at the junction, so it is worth reporting.
- Dormer junctions and valleys on a Cape roof
- Long runs and vent or skylight joints on a ranch roof
- Attic stains, damp insulation and frost
- The gutter and downspout outlets
When is a repair the right answer, and when is a replacement?
A repair suits a roof with sound decking and a few failed areas. A replacement suits a roof with soft decking across a broad area or a covering that is brittle over most of its slopes.
A repair is the right answer when the decking is sound and the failed areas are small. The roofer replaces the shingles, the flashing and the underlayment in the failed area, and records the work. A replacement is the better answer when the decking is soft across a wide area or the covering is brittle over most of the roof.
The scope sets out the choice and the reasons for it. The homeowner decides, with the report in hand, and the decision is recorded so the next roofer knows the history.
The patching history on an older Levittown roof
A roof that has been patched for decades carries the history of each repair, and the roofer reads that history from the decking, the shingles and the flashing before deciding the work.
Each patch on a Levittown roof was added at a different time, with different materials, and the roofer can often see the sequence from the joints. Old flashing that was reused, shingles that were replaced in one area and not in another and patches that have lifted at their edges all tell the story of the roof.
The roofer writes the history into the note, so the homeowner and the next roofer can see what has been done. A roof record with the patches listed is one of the most useful documents a homeowner can keep.
Storm season and the older roof
An older roof has less margin in a storm, because its seals, its flashing and its decking have aged. A check before the storm season finds the weak points while they are still small.
The storm season on Long Island brings nor'easters and high wind, and an older roof has less margin for them. The seals on the shingles have aged, the flashing has been resealed, and the decking may have softened in places. A check before the season, and another after each significant storm, catches the weak points early.
The note from the check lists the parts to watch. The homeowner can then look at those parts after each storm, and call when a sign appears.
What a replacement looks like on a Levittown roof
A replacement removes the old covering, checks and repairs the decking, installs new underlayment and flashing and fits the new covering. On a Cape or ranch roof, the dormers, valleys and joints get particular attention.
The old covering is removed down to the decking, and the roofer checks each board. Soft boards are replaced, and the underlayment is renewed across the whole roof. The flashing at the dormers, the valleys and the vents is replaced, not reused, and the drip edge is fitted at the eave and the rake.
The new covering is laid to the manufacturer's method, and the note records the underlayment, the flashing and the nailing. A homeowner can ask to see the finished roof's junctions and joints before the crew leaves.
Choosing the covering for a Levittown roof
The covering is chosen for the age and the form of the roof, the wind exposure of the house and the homeowner's preference. The choice is explained in the scope, with the wind rating and the nailing pattern.
On an older Cape or ranch roof, the covering has to fit the decking and the framing that are already there. The roofer checks the pitch, the form and the wind exposure, and recommends a covering that suits them. The wind rating and the nailing pattern are stated in the scope so the homeowner can see the reasons for the choice.
The homeowner can ask to see samples of the covering, and to compare the color and the profile with the other houses on the street. A replacement that matches the neighborhood is part of the planning, and the roofer explains what matching is possible.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Levittown roof from the 1940s still worth repairing?
It depends on the decking and the underlayment. The roofer checks both and says whether a repair will hold, or whether a replacement is the better decision.
Why does my Cape Cod leak at the dormer?
The dormer junction is a common leak point. The repair renews the flashing and the underlayment at the junction and checks the decking beneath.
Do you check the attic on a ranch roof?
Yes. The attic is checked along the length of the run, since water travels along the decking before it shows at a ceiling.
Will the report help when I sell the house?
A dated report of the roof's condition and its repair history can help a buyer understand the roof. The homeowner decides whether to share it.
Sources
- Hempstead, New York, Wikipedia (Levittown and the post-war subdivision)
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts
This guide is general information for Nassau County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.