Why roof repairs get done twice
The most expensive roof repair is the second one, because the first was aimed at the wrong place. Water that gets through a roof does not fall straight down. It runs along the underside of the decking, follows a rafter, pools on the top of the drywall and comes through the ceiling somewhere that can be ten feet from where it got in. A contractor who patches directly above the stain has a good chance of sealing a perfectly sound piece of roof while the real defect keeps working. The ceiling dries out, everyone assumes it is fixed, and it comes back in the next heavy storm — sometimes in a different room, which makes it look like a new problem.
Finding the actual entry point means working uphill from the interior evidence and looking at where water can plausibly get in: pipe boots, chimney and wall flashing, valleys, ridge vents, satellite-dish mounts, nail pops, and any previous repair. On the roofs we are called to in the Mid-South, the answer is at a detail or a penetration far more often than in the open field of shingles.
We repair roofs of every type and age, whether or not we installed them. What matters is whether the roof is worth repairing, and we will tell you honestly when it is not.
- Entry point located, not guessed. We trace the water back to where it actually gets in.
- Penetrations and flashing checked first. Pipe boots, chimneys, walls and valleys are where most Mid-South leaks start.
- Storm damage repaired properly. Lifted and missing shingles replaced and resealed, not glued back down.
- Previous repairs assessed. Old tar and sealant are often the cause, or the sign of a roof that has been failing for years.
- Interior damage addressed. If the leak has stained or softened the ceiling, we can restore that too. Water damage restoration.
- Honest verdict. If the roof is at the end of its life, repeated repairs are not a service to you.
How we approach a repair
Interior assessment
Where the water shows, when it shows, and whether it follows wind direction or only heavy rain. A leak that only appears in wind-driven rain points at a different place than one that appears in any downpour.
Roof and attic survey
Everything uphill of the interior evidence, in order of probability: penetrations, flashing, valleys, ridge, prior repairs, then the field. In the attic we look for the water trail on the underside of the decking, which usually gives the answer away.
Repairing the cause
The defect is repaired with the right material: a new boot, new step flashing, replaced shingles sealed properly, a re-flashed chimney. Sealant on a moving joint is a temporary measure that fails on schedule, so we do not rely on it.
Reporting what else we found
We are on the roof anyway. If three more boots are cracking or the flashing on the other side is going the same way, you hear about it while it is still cheap.
Insurance where it applies
If the damage was caused by a storm, the repair may be a claim. We document it and tell you whether it is worth filing. More on claim assistance.
Why homeowners choose LASIM for repairs
We work uphill from the evidence
Patching above the stain is why leaks come back. We find where the water actually enters.
Fast response on active water
Water coming in now is worth a phone call, not a form. We move active leaks up the list.
Repairs that are detailed, not smeared
New flashing and new boots rather than another layer of tar over the old ones.
We will tell you to stop patching
If a roof needs three repairs a year, the honest advice is not a fourth repair.
Roof Repair Questions
Usually because it was aimed above the stain rather than at the entry point. Water travels along the decking and rafters before it comes through a ceiling, so the visible damage is frequently some distance from the defect. The patch seals sound roof and the real problem keeps working.
It is a useful clue. Wind-driven rain gets under lifted shingle tabs and into wall and chimney flashing that vertical rain never reaches. A leak that only appears in wind usually points at a lifted or unsealed area on the windward slope or a vertical flashing detail, rather than at the open field of the roof.
Call rather than using the form and we will tell you honestly. We are on the south side of Memphis and most of our footprint is within forty minutes. Water actively entering a home is the one situation where we would rather you interrupt us, and after a major storm we run extended hours.
Yes, and that is most of the repair work we do. What matters is whether the roof is repairable, not who installed it. We will tell you if a repair is worthwhile or if the roof is genuinely at the end of its life.
It can be, if the damage was caused by wind, hail or a fallen tree rather than by age. Whether it is worth filing depends on the size of the repair against your deductible, and we will give you a straight answer on that. When it is worth filing, we document the damage and meet the adjuster.
It is common, and it usually means the roof is at the end of its service life rather than that you have been unlucky. At that point repeated repairs stop being maintenance and become an expensive way of postponing a replacement. We would rather assess the whole roof and give you a straight answer.