Ranch Roof Repair in Hempstead, NY

Why is a leak on a long ranch run hard to trace?

Because water travels along the decking and the rafters for a long way before it shows, and the stain may be far from the opening. The attic is the best place to trace the route.

The decking of a ranch roof is continuous across a long run, so water that enters at one point can spread along the boards. A stain appears where the water finally drips, which may be several feet from the opening. Following the stain back to its highest point in the attic is the fastest way to find the opening.

Once the opening is found, the roofer checks whether the shingles around it have lost their seal, and whether the decking beneath is soft. A repair that stops at the stain can leave the real route in place.

What is the risk at the joints with vents and skylights?

The joints where a vent pipe, a skylight or a hatch passes through the roof are the most common leak points. Their flashing and sealant wear over time and let water in.

A vent pipe or a skylight is a penetration through the roof, and it is sealed with flashing and sealant. The seal is exposed to sun, rain and the movement of the roof, and it dries and cracks over time. A storm can open a small gap that lets water in around the pipe, and the leak then runs down the pipe into the ceiling.

The roofer checks each joint on the run, renews the flashing and the sealant where they have failed and checks the decking beneath for water damage.

How does ice affect a ranch eave?

Ice builds up at the eave where the roof is colder, and water backs up beneath the shingles. The eave is the first place to show damage from winter ice.

Winter ice dams form at the eave of a ranch roof as they do on other roofs, with the snow melting on the warmer run and refreezing at the edge. Water that backs up can reach the decking and the wall. The eave repair replaces the shingles at the edge and checks the underlayment beneath.

The attic ventilation and insulation are checked as part of the eave repair, since the warm air from the house is often the cause of the melt that starts the dam.

Why are the decking and underlayment on an old ranch roof a concern?

Because the house has been through decades of weather, and the decking and underlayment may have softened or split. A new covering is only as good as the base beneath it.

A ranch roof built in the late 1940s, or one that has been patched over the years, may have decking that has been wet at some point. Soft boards hold a nail poorly, and a split underlayment lets water through to the decking. The repair checks both before the covering is fixed.

The roofer records the age of the decking and underlayment where they can be seen, so that the homeowner can plan the next step with the age in mind.

What should a ranch homeowner check after a storm?

The long runs from the ground, the eaves for ice or damage, and the joints at vents and skylights. Those checks catch the most common leaks early.

From the ground, look at the run for shingles that are lifted, missing or shifted. Check the eaves for wind damage and the gutters for debris. Look at the vent pipes and skylights for cracked sealant or a gap at the flashing.

Report any change with the date and place to the roofer. The note from the repair lists the parts to watch, so the check is quick and focused.

• Look along each run for lifted or shifted shingles
• Check the eaves for wind damage and ice
• Look at vent pipes and skylights for cracked sealant
• Check the ceilings along exterior walls for new stains

Why does a ranch roof need its runs checked as a whole?

Because the long runs share one deck and one covering, and a failure at one point often means the adjacent section is weakened too. A repair that checks the whole run is more reliable.

A ranch roof is a long, continuous covering. A section that has lost its seal can let the wind lift the shingles beside it, and a joint that has leaked can soak a wide area of the deck. The roofer walks the run from a safe position and checks each course, not only the section that was reported.

The check also looks at how the run drains. A run that holds water in a low spot will leak sooner than one that sheds it, and the note records any low spot for the next visit.