Roof Repair & Emergency Tarping in South Lake Tahoe

Where do Tahoe roofs actually leak?

Almost never in the middle of a slope. Leaks show up where something interrupts the roof: at the eaves where ice dams push meltwater under the shingles, at chimneys and skylights where flashing has separated, at plumbing vents where the rubber boot has split in the sun, in valleys where two slopes dump snow into one channel, and at sidewalls where a deck or addition meets the roof. Wind lifts shingles along rakes and ridges. A leak you see in the living room often starts several feet uphill of the stain, which is why diagnosis comes before any material goes on. We trace the water, not just the wet spot.

Ice dam damage

Ice dams are the most common winter call we get. Heat escaping into the attic melts the snowpack from below; the water runs to the cold eave, freezes into a ridge, and the pool behind it backs up under the roofing. The immediate fix is to get the water off the roof safely and dry the interior. The lasting fix is a repair that adds ice-and-water shield at the eave, restores the flashing that was pushed apart, and improves ventilation or insulation so the roof deck stays cold. We do the first part fast and lay out the second in writing. Our ice dam guide covers removal, prevention and insurance claims in detail.

Emergency tarping and storm damage

When a tree limb comes through, a section of roofing blows off, or a leak opens up during a storm, the priority is stopping more water from getting in. We secure heavy-duty tarps over the damaged area, anchored to hold in Tahoe wind, and protect the interior until a permanent repair can be scheduled in safe weather. We photograph everything for your insurance claim and can provide the written repair estimate the adjuster will ask for.

Repairs on every roof type

We repair asphalt shingle, standing seam and exposed-fastener metal, and flat roofs. Typical work includes replacing missing or damaged shingles and matching the color, resealing or replacing fasteners on metal roofs, re-flashing chimneys and skylights, replacing vent boots, clearing and repairing valleys, patching membrane seams on flat roofs, and repairing rotted fascia and eave decking after years of ice damage. Every repair comes with a written estimate first and a clear note on whether the rest of the roof has life left in it.

What to expect from a roof inspection

A roof inspection in South Lake Tahoe takes about an hour for a typical home and costs nothing. Here is what actually happens:

1. Outside, from the ground and the roof. We look at the slopes, eaves, valleys, flashings, vents, gutters and the condition of the shingles or panels, and we walk the roof when it is safe to do so. In winter we inspect what the snow allows and come back for the rest.
2. Inside, in the attic. Stains on the underside of the deck, wet insulation, daylight at penetrations, and how much air the attic is getting all tell us where water and heat are going.
3. Photos of everything we find. You get the pictures, labeled, so you can see the problem yourself rather than take our word for it.
4. A straight answer in writing. Repair, replace, or leave it alone, with a written estimate for whatever we recommend. No pressure and no invented urgency; if the roof has years left, we say so.