Skylight leaks and shake re-roofs on Tigard homes, OR 97223

The split-level is a Tigard classic, and its roof is trickier than it looks. Two roof planes at different heights meet a tall wall in the middle, and that wall joint depends on step flashing and counterflashing that were often done with a single strip and sealant. Add a skylight or two over the kitchen and family room, popular when these homes were built, and you have several places for water to get in. Old acrylic domes turn cloudy and brittle, and the curbs under them rot when the flashing fails. Many owners first notice a stain around the skylight well and assume the whole roof is gone.

Cedar shake roofs on these homes are mostly past saving. Shakes split, cup and grow moss, and the spaced board decking under them was designed for wood, not for composite. Converting means new plywood sheathing over or in place of those boards, then underlayment and architectural shingles. It is a good moment to replace or remove the old skylights too, rather than flashing new shingles around units that will fail in a few years.

Most of Tigard sits on lower ground where winter weather means steady rain from storms moving up from the southwest. Those storms push water sideways against the tall middle walls of split-levels and test every flashing joint on the windward side. On Bull Mountain the same storms hit harder, because homes sit higher and more exposed, and ridge caps and hip shingles take most of the beating. Street trees and backyard firs across the lower neighborhoods drop needles that clog gutters and keep shaded slopes wet, which feeds moss on the north faces.

We start at the problem spots this housing stock is known for: the middle wall on split-levels, every skylight, the chimney and the valleys. We go into the attic to check for stains and soft sheathing, then lay out repair and replacement options with prices. For conversions we note how much decking needs replacing and whether skylights stay, change or go. We check City of Tigard or Washington County permit rules for your address and pull permits where required.