Roof replacement and repair for Kelso homes, WA 98626

A lot of Kelso homes have been reroofed by laying new shingles right over the old ones, sometimes twice. That saves money in the short term, but it adds weight, hides soft decking, and makes it hard for new shingles to lie flat. When we tear off a Kelso roof, we expect to find some spaced plank sheathing from the original build and some boards that need replacing. We quote decking replacement by the sheet so you know in advance what each one adds. Removing the extra layers also lets us see the rafters, which sometimes show old water stains from leaks no one knew about.

Many of these older houses also have small low-slope roofs over back porches or additions. They were often roofed with shingles that are not meant for such a gentle pitch, which is why they leak first. We replace those with a low-slope membrane or torch-down system that suits the slope. Where the porch roof meets the house wall, we add new apron or step flashing, since that joint is often where water first gets in.

Kelso shares the Cowlitz River valley's damp winters with Longview. Fog and drizzle can sit over the river for days, and roofs on the lower streets stay wet long after the rain stops. Under-ventilated attics in older homes make it worse, because moisture from the house collects under the roof deck and slowly softens the wood. When a cold snap brings ice or snow, it builds along eaves where attic heat melts snow on the upper roof and the water turns back to ice at the cold edge. Those ice dams push water back under shingles and into walls.

We inspect the roof surface, the attic and the gutters, and we tell you plainly if a repair makes sense or if the roof has reached the point where replacement is the better spend. On replacements, we tear off to the deck, fix soft boards, add ventilation where the house allows it, and check with the City of Kelso about permits. For active leaks, our phones are answered 24/7. If a repair will only buy a season or two, we say so.