Roof Leak Repair
This may seem obvious, but the first step in successful roof leak repair is successfully determining what is causing roof leak and/or where the roof leak is coming from. Sometimes determining the source of the leak is quite easy. See photo here (LINK to picture of tree through Roof). Other times it can be quite difficult to determine exactly where the water is coming from. Water is tricky in that you may see water damage on a ceiling, 10-20 feet away from where the water is actually leaking into the roof. No matter if it is an obvious leak or a less obvious leak, Kuhl specializes in the detection of roof leaks, figuring out the cause of roof leaks and the repair of roof leaks.
If you are experiencing a roof leak and would like someone to get to the bottom of it, here is a 101 on the type of person to hire.
Why hire Kuhl to check out your roof?
What to look for in a leak detector:
- Has Experience in All Roofing Types – See here, and Here
- Understands Houses & Construction – Check out: www.kuhldesignbuild.com
- Has Proper Diagnostic Tools – We have moisture meters, digital hygrometers, infrared cameras, etc.
- Specializes in Ice Dams – A passion of ours, Check out: www.icedamcompany.com
- Likes Attics & Tight Spaces – I know, it sounds too good to be true
- Likes Rolling in Insulation of All Types – We wear full body suits, it can be fun!
- Likes Climbing on Roofs – We sometimes yell like Tarzan
- Likes Shoveling Snow When Necessary – We can’t get enough of this
- Likes Long Walks in the Rain – Who doesn’t?
- Understands the Urgency of the Situation – We’ll get out and make a plan as quickly as we can assess
Big leak or small leak? Residential or commercial building? It really doesn’t matter. Give Kuhl a call and we can send someone out to take a look and give you an estimate for repairs. We have the necessary tools and skills to help.
Kuhl also specialize in dealing with the aftermath of the roof leak – insurance claims, repairing ceiling damage, wall damage, floor damage, insulation damage, etc. Click here to learn more about our Kuhl Insurance Restoration Division. Storm damage? Give us a call. We’ll take a look.
Typical Causes of Roof Leaks?
We break this down into (2) main categories. Warm Season Leaks and Cold Season Leaks.
Common causes of roof leaks during the warm (summer) season include (but are not limited to):
- Poor installation of roofing materials (bad nailing, missing flashings)
- Poor design of building (roofs pitched towards exterior walls)
- Driving wind and rain into building penetrations (windows, vents, skylights)
- Roof damage (hole in roof, broken vents, missing shingles, bad flashings)
- Leaking equipment or AC unit in the attic space
Common causes of roof leaks during the cold (winter) season include (but are not limited to):
- Ice dams
- Moisture/Frost in the attic space
- Rain in conjunction with ice/snow build up
- Bad ice and snow removal job
- Large amount of snow (covering skylights, vents, etc)
- Homeowner habits and use of dwelling/building
- Frozen pipes or equipment in the attic spaces
Roof Leak Repair
Now that you’ve found the leak – what next? How much does it cost? Great questions! The answer, it greatly depends on the cause of the leak. We have a job minimum of $250-$350 depending on your proximity to our office in Hopkins. This covers our travel time and the resources we dedicate towards determining what your roofing issue may be. In many circumstances, our technician is able to quickly determine what the problem is and get to work right away. The Job Minimum applies to his first hour on site, after which we bill at $85/hour per man. We bill for materials above and beyond our labor charges. If all of this sounds scary, it shouldn’t. We believe in being very upfront about what we charge. Of the hundreds of small roof leaks we fix each year here in the Twin Cities, 90% of those projects end up in the $275-$400 range. Not bad considering that you are buying a roof repair that includes the integrity of KUHL, a company with a quarter century of happy clients in its’ wake.
Some of the most common roof leak repairs that we make include:
- Roof to sidewall flashings (bad step flashings, dormer flashings and counter flashings)
- Boot flashings (cracked rubber seals)
- Vents (cracked or crushed)
- Skylights repairs or replacements (bad seals, flashings, etc)
- Old roof replacement
- Gutter replacement
- Small roof repairs (slate roof repairs, asphalt roof repairs, cedar roof repairs, etc)
- Flat roof repairs (EPDM roof, TPO roof, Copper standing seam roof, Galvanized Steel roof, etc.)
- Chimney flashing repairs, tucking pointing, concrete wash cap repairs
Check out a couple of our Kuhl Case Studies to learn about roof leaks in Minneapolis and surrounding communities:
- 18 Most Common Roof Leaks in Minneapolis – Kuhl Case Study #14
- Squirrel Damage Solution – Kuhl Case Study #10
- Kickout Flashing Contractor Advice on Right vs. Wrong – Kuhl Case Study #15
- What is a Kickout Flashing and Why Do I Need One? – Kuhl Case Study #16
- Faulty Flashing Above Lake Harriet Bay Window – Kuhl Case Study #17
- Should You Replace or Repair Your Roof – Kuhl Case Study #24
- Minneapolis Roof Flashing Experts to the Rescue – Kuhl Case Study #25
- How to Fix a Leaking Stone Chimney – Kuhl Case Study #27
- Minneapolis Hail Storm Brings Out the Losers – Kuhl Case Study #29
