Roof Leak Repair in Hackettstown, NJ

Leaks in Hackettstown look a little different

In most of New Jersey, a roof leak usually means rain. Up here in the Musconetcong valley, it's just as likely to mean snow. Warren County averages somewhere around 30 to 40 inches of snow a year, more than most of the state, and that brings two kinds of leaks that coastal homeowners rarely see: meltwater backing up behind ice at the roof edge, and slow leaks that only appear on sunny days after a storm when the snow on the roof starts to melt.

So when you're trying to work out what's going on, the timing tells you a lot:

• During heavy rain - usually flashing, a valley, missing shingles or a failed pipe boot
• Only in wind-driven storms - water being pushed sideways under shingles or behind chimney flashing
• On sunny winter days after snow - almost always ice damming at the eaves
• On cold mornings with no rain - often condensation or frost in the attic melting, not a hole in the roof

Where the water usually gets in

The spot on the ceiling is rarely directly under the hole. Water runs along the roof boards and rafters before it drips, sometimes several feet. A roofer works backwards: from the stain to the attic, then up the slope to the actual entry point. On Hackettstown houses, the usual suspects are:

• Chimneys. Older homes near Main Street and across town often have brick chimneys with worn mortar and flashing patched with tar.
• Eaves. The lowest three or four feet of the roof, where ice dams form and push water back under shingles.
• Valleys. The channels where two roof slopes meet carry a lot of water and snowmelt.
• Plumbing vents. The rubber boots around vent pipes crack after 10 to 15 years of sun and cold.
• Skylights and dormers. More joints means more places for water to find.
• Damaged shingles from branches, wind or old age.

Things you can do right away

1. Catch the water and move anything valuable.
2. If the ceiling is sagging, make a small hole at the lowest point so it drains into a bucket instead of collapsing.
3. Switch off power to any light or fan near the wet area.
4. Look in the attic with a flashlight and note where the wet wood or insulation is.
5. If it's an ice dam leak, rake snow off the lower part of the roof from the ground with a roof rake. Don't climb up, and don't chip at the ice.
6. Take photos and note when the leak happens. It really helps whoever comes to look at it.

How the repair usually goes

A roofer will check both the roof and the attic. Once the source is clear, the fix is often one of these: new chimney or wall flashing, a replacement pipe boot, a handful of new shingles, a rebuilt valley, or sealing exposed nails. If the boards underneath have gone soft from water getting in over several seasons, those get replaced too. For ice dam leaks, the repair is only half the job - the other half is understanding why the dam formed, which usually comes down to attic heat and ventilation. See ice dam roof repair.

Don't let a winter leak wait until spring

It's tempting to put a leak off until the weather warms up. The problem is that water getting in all winter soaks the insulation (which then stops insulating), stains and weakens drywall, and rots roof boards. A roofer can often make a temporary repair in winter to stop the water, then finish the job properly when conditions allow.