Roofing in Richmond, CA

Serving Richmond and Surrounding Areas

Roof Problems Mill Valley Homeowners Face Each Winter

Fog rolls off Mount Tamalpais most mornings, and Pacific storms drop heavy rain between November and March. Shaded roof planes stay damp, so water sits on the surface longer, finds weak flashing, and works its way down toward the decking.

We see the same handful of failures year after year around here, and most of them start small.

• Granule loss on aging shingles shows up first. The mineral surface washes off three-tab and architectural shingles after years of wet-dry cycling, and once the asphalt underneath is exposed it cracks and stops shedding water.
• Flashing pulls loose at the details. Step flashing at sidewalls, counter-flashing at the chimney, and the pipe boots around plumbing vents all let water seep in once caulk shrinks and metal lifts with the roof's movement.
• Water wicks into the roof deck wherever underlayment has worn through. Plywood sheathing and OSB rot and soften, and rafters can sag if a slow leak runs for a few seasons.
• Backed-up gutters soak the fascia. Needles and leaves from the redwoods above town clog gutters fast, so water spills behind the fascia, erodes the soffit paint, and pools near the foundation instead of leaving through the downspout.
• Moss takes over north-facing slopes. Roof planes buried in redwood shade never dry out, and moss lifts shingle edges while holding moisture against the substrate long after a storm passes.
• Attic condensation mimics a leak. Fog-belt humidity plus a warm attic pushes moisture up through insulation until it condenses on the underside of the roof deck and drips onto stored boxes.
• End-of-life wear arrives in patches. A roof past its service life fails one plane at a time, so you patch a spot, find another two storms later, and eventually a full tear-off is the honest answer.

Ice dams and steam ice are cold-climate problems, and dam removal is river work, not roofing. We won't sell Mill Valley homeowners services this climate does not need.