Wall flashing
Step flashing along walls and flashing around skylights and vents is resealed or replaced without relying on a tube of caulk.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Repair Dumont, NJ
A roofer in Dumont can repair a cedar shake roof by replacing split, cupped or missing shakes, fixing valley and ridge leaks and clearing moss, and tell you honestly how many good years the roof has left. Dial (551) 374-2031 to talk with a local roofer about the repair.
A cedar roof does not fail all at once. Years of wetting and drying make shakes cup and crack, and a crack that lines up with the gap in the course below lets water straight through. Shade, moss and packed debris keep the butts wet long enough to rot, which is where most leaks on older wood roofs start.
A weathered silver color is normal for cedar and says nothing about whether the roof still works. A roofer checks shake thickness at the butts, how many shakes crumble or snap when pressed, whether the nails are rusting through and how the sheathing feels from the attic. When the majority of shakes are still solid, replacing the bad ones and fixing the details extends the roof for years.
Please do not go up to check it yourself. Walking on weathered cedar is dangerous and breaks the very shakes you are trying to save. Jot down which side of the house the leak is on and whether it only appears in long, steady rain.
Cedar Shake Roof Repair is often paired with cedar shake roof replacement and roof moss removal, depending on the cause.
Dealing with this in Dumont, NJ right now? Call (551) 374-2031 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Dumont.
Call nowThe process
How cedar shake roof repair works
A good cedar repair fixes the cause and leaves the sound shakes alone.
Check the wood
The inspection covers the field of the roof, the valleys, the ridge and the flashings, plus the underside of the roof boards from the attic. That tells you whether repair makes sense or whether the money belongs in a new roof.
Clean the keyways
The roof is cleaned gently so the crew can see every crack and so water can run off freely.
Replace damaged shakes
Damaged shakes are split out, their nails are cut with a ripper, and new cedar of matching length and thickness goes in with the right side gaps. The new shake keeps a gap of about three eighths to five eighths of an inch at the sides so it can swell when wet.
Valley work
Valley metal is checked for rust, holes and shakes cut too close to the center, and it is cleaned out or replaced. A clear valley carries a large share of the roof’s water, so this step stops a lot of leaks.
Repair the ridge
Broken caps along the ridge and hips are replaced, alternating the overlap the way the original caps were laid. If the ridge is vented, the vent material is checked for gaps or crushing.
Protect the wood
Once repairs are done, many roofers apply a cedar preservative or fungicide treatment to slow moss and decay. More sun and airflow keep cedar healthy.
What is included
Repairs a cedar roofer can handle
Valley metal
Worn valley flashing is renewed so the busiest drainage channel on the roof stays tight.
Ridge cap repair
Broken hip and ridge caps are swapped with longer nails into solid wood.
Split shake repair
Split, cupped and missing shakes are replaced one at a time using corrosion-resistant nails hidden under the course above.
Roof cleaning
Growth is removed gently so the wood fibers are not torn so the roof can drain and dry between storms.
Related service
Cedar Shake Roof Maintenance Dumont, NJ
The point of maintaining a cedar roof is to keep water from sitting on the wood. That means clearing needles and leaves from the keyways and valleys, keeping gutters flowing, trimming branches back and removing moss before it grows thick. Every couple of years is a sensible interval for most homes, more often under heavy trees.
Pressure washers do more harm to a wood roof than almost anything else. Blasting water at shakes erodes the wood and drives moisture into the layers underneath. Ask the Dumont roofer about soft washing and a preservative treatment instead.
Related service
Wood Shake Roof Repair Dumont, NJ
Whatever the species, wood shake repair follows the same rules: cut the old nails, slide in new wood and leave room to swell. Shakes are split rather than sawn, so they are thicker and rougher than cedar shingles, and replacements need to match that thickness to sit flat in the course. The color difference fades as the new cedar weathers.
On many shake roofs, strips of felt woven between courses act as a second barrier, and that felt is checked whenever shakes come out. Where the felt has rotted, the roofer can slip new interlay under replaced shakes. Ask the Dumont roofer about the layers below.
Local help
Cedar Shake Roof Repair Near Me
Cedar shake repair calls in Dumont usually come from homes whose wood roof has weathered for years, and most of the damage comes from shade, trapped moisture and seasons of sun and storms. Homes in Dumont and nearby towns like Haworth, New Milford, Bergenfield and Cresskill often sit under mature trees that keep cedar damp, so keeping the roof clear matters as much as the repairs, and small repairs keep it that way.
Need cedar shake roof repair around Dumont? Call (551) 374-2031 for a Dumont roofer who serves the towns around it too.
What the local climate does to a roof
Winters here are long and cold, with snow on the roof for weeks at a time and plenty of nights below freezing. When warm attic air melts the snow, the meltwater runs down and freezes again at the eaves, which is how ice dams form and back water up under the shingles. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. Most homeowners in Dumont, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why not wait
Drier ceilings
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Roofers who know Dumont
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Dumont and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about cedar shake roof repair
Should I pressure wash my cedar shake roof?
Pressure washing is one of the fastest ways to wear out a cedar roof. It removes wood along with the dirt and leaves the shakes thinner and more absorbent. Soft washing, hand removal of moss and a preservative treatment are the safer path.
Why is moss bad for cedar shakes?
Moss keeps cedar wet long after the rain stops. That constant dampness rots the butts, lifts shakes and lets water wick sideways into the keyways and onto the sheathing. Soft washing, more sunlight and a preservative treatment keep the roof dry enough to resist it.
How long does a cedar shake roof last?
Most cedar roofs last somewhere between 20 and 40 years, depending on thickness, climate and care. Roofs under trees or in damp shade wear out faster, and roofs that are cleaned and repaired last longer. Timely repairs to split shakes and valleys keep small problems from rotting the sheathing.
When should a cedar roof be replaced instead of repaired?
The condition of the shakes across the whole roof decides it, not just the damaged area. If a large share of the shakes are split, curled or rotted, or the roof leaks in many places, replacement is usually the better use of money. A roof with mostly solid shakes and a few bad areas is usually worth repairing.
Can a few cedar shakes be replaced without redoing the roof?
Single shakes come out and go back in without any tear-off. The roofer cuts the hidden nails with a slate ripper, removes the broken shake and slides a new one into place, fastening it so the nails stay covered. The fresh cedar will stand out until it weathers to the same silver color.
More questions? Call (551) 374-2031
Related services
Cedar Shake Roof Replacement
Tearing off worn cedar shakes, repairing the deck and putting on a new cedar or look-alike roof, when the old shakes are too thin to repair.
Learn moreRoof Moss Removal
Clearing thick moss off a roof and checking the shingles it lifted, and repairs to any shingles the moss damaged.
Learn moreRoof Cleaning
Cleaning black algae streaks, lichen, dirt and debris off shingle, tile and metal roofs, so the roof looks clean without being damaged.
Learn moreCedar Shake Roof Installation
Installing cedar shakes or shingles with proper exposure, valleys, ridge caps and ventilation, laid to the slope and climate of the house.
Learn more
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