Roofing and General Construction for Elizabeth and Linden Homes

It comes down to three things: how old the shingles are, how much of the roof is affected, and whether the decking underneath is still solid. A leak in one spot on a roof under fifteen years old is usually a repair. Soft decking in several places, or shingles past their rated life, usually means replacement is the honest answer, and we show you the photos either way rather than just telling you.

Yes. A lot of the multi family housing and row homes around Elizabeth have flat or low slope roofs, which fail differently than a pitched shingle roof. Most flat roof leaks trace to a seam that has opened, a drain that is clogged, or flashing at a parapet wall that has pulled away. We check all three before assuming the membrane itself has failed.

We walk the roof surface itself, not just look up from the ground, and we go into the attic if there is access. The attic often tells us more than the shingles do, since a water trail on the underside of the decking points back to the actual entry point. You get photos from both and a plain explanation of what we found.

It often should be. A chimney with open mortar joints lets water into the same area a roof leak would, and the two get confused for each other more than people expect. When we are already on a roof for a repair, we look at the chimney flashing and the brick around it as part of the same visit.

For an active leak, describe it as urgent when you reach out and we move it to the front of the schedule for a temporary dry-in, which stops the water while the permanent repair is planned properly. A slow drip or a stain that is not actively growing can usually wait a few days for a full inspection.