One time or another, most people have had to deal with one of home ownership’s most annoying problems: a roof leak.
Roof leaks are so frustrating because they can be incredibly damaging if it’s a big leak, and if it isn’t taken care of quickly. Also, unless you frequently inspect and maintain your roof, they are nearly impossible to spot until it’s too late and your roof starts leaking during a rainstorm.
Once you realize you have a roof leak, the first thing you probably think is: “Oh boy, how much is this gonna cost me?"
Well, in this blog, we’re going to be going over:
Please keep in mind that the costs associated with roof repair can vary dramatically depending on several different factors, so the only way to know for sure how much the repair will cost is by having a roofing company give you an estimate.
With that being said, let’s get started going over the common causes of roof leaks, and how much it will cost to fix each one!
Gutters can be the cause of several roof problems, despite them being one of the most helpful parts of our roof systems. This is because so often they get clogged by leaves and debris, and aren’t cleaned out as frequently as they should be. Once a gutter gets clogged, the water it was channeling can no longer flow through, which causes a myriad of issues. The gutter could begin pulling down the soffit, and warp the roof, or if the water backs up onto the fascia, it may begin to find its way through.
This depends on how long they’ve been clogged, and the extent of the damage. If your gutters have begun to damage the decking and fascia, be prepared to part with several hundred dollars to repair this issue, as it might require a good bit of work and material. However, if you catch your clogs early enough, and clean them out, you can save a ton of money. Clean your gutters people!
We see damaged shingles most often on older roofs after being exposed to a particularly strong storm. Shingles act as the first, and strongest line of defense against the elements, so you’ll want to get this taken care of quickly. When there is a hole in the layer of shingles, often next up is the underlayment, and roof decking, which you don’t want to have getting wet.
This will vary depending on the kind of shingles you have, the pitch of your roof, how much area is damaged, and where the damage is located. The costs we usually see can be anywhere between $500 and $3,500, with small holes in a three-tab shingle roof on the low end, and on the higher end, a larger damaged area in a higher quality shingle roof. If your roof is nearing the end of its lifespan, and the cost of the replacement is in that $2,000 to $3,000 range, you may be recommended a replacement, since you would likely need that in a few years anyway.
A pipe boot is what goes around the bottom of a ventilation pipe in order to make sure there are no open areas for water to get through around the pipe. These boots can be made out of various materials, including metal, plastic, and synthetic rubber. The rubber ones are particularly prone to failing, as they can dry out and crack with the heavy sun exposure they receive.
This is one of the more simple repairs to make, as the leak might be able to be sealed with a rubber collar, or if necessary, fully replacing the boot itself. This will typically cost between $325 and $375.
One of the most common problems with a poorly done roof installation, nails that are driven in too far, not driven far enough, or are driven sideways can become a bit of a headache for homeowners. If a nail is driven in too far, it will break the seal on a shingle, creating an opening for water to get into. If a nail isn’t driven enough, or is sideways, the nail will work itself further out of its hole with enough time. This will allow water to run down the nail into the hole that was previously completely occupied.
The cost of this repair hopefully won’t be too much, but as always, varies based on the amount of damage caused. If there are only a few nails like this, they will need to be pulled out and replaced to fix the issue, while filling and resealing the open holes, but if the leak has damaged the roof decking below it, that will need to be replaced as well. Because of how much the extent of the damage varies from case to case, the price does as well, so it's difficult to actually give an accurate and useful range here.
When it comes to skylights, chimneys, and other large roof penetrations, leaks most often come from damaged flashing around the penetration. Flashing is a soft metal that is used to bridge the gap between the penetration, and the roofs surface. Though it's most common, there are other ways for these larger penetrations to be damaged. For chimneys, the siding or mortar could be worn or damaged, and skylights could have cracks in the glass that would be letting water in.
These can be some of the more expensive roof-related repairs to get done, and really can be anywhere from $500 to multiple thousands of dollars. Replacing the flashing can be a little easier to estimate, coming in around $1500, but will be more expensive if you need to replace any rotted wood around the penetration.
After reading this, I hope you feel more comfortable knowing what is going on with your roof, and how much you may have to spend to fix the problem at hand. Depending on what your situation looks like, you might be able to work with your roofing and insurance companies to help cover some of the expenses.
If you’re still looking to learn more about how the roof repair process works, check out our blog on the length of these common roof repairs!
On Tops Roofing has been conducting roof repairs and replacements since 1991, and we’ve worked on over 15,000 roofs. Whatever your project requires, we are happy to help!