Frequently Asked Questions

Age matters, but the deck tells the real story. We walk the rooftop and check the asphalt shingles for granule loss, curled edges, and missing tabs, then probe the roof deck for soft spots.

If the plywood or OSB sheathing has begun to rot, mending a few field courses only buys one season. When damage sits in a valley or around a chimney, a targeted repair usually holds.

We tear off the old layers down to the decking instead of laying an overlay or recover on top, because trapped moisture rots the substrate from underneath. Most single-family homes take one to two days.

The crew strips shingles with a roofing shovel and pry bar, replaces rotten decking, then rolls synthetic underlayment across the roof deck. On older roofs we still find felt or tar paper underneath, plus a tar-and-bitumen layer that leaves with the tear-off.

Next comes self-adhered ice-and-water shield at the eaves and in valleys, a starter course along the drip edge, staggered field courses fastened with ring-shank nails, ridge cap, and a ridge vent. Fasteners are driven with a nail gun and checked for overdriven heads.

Cold snaps and ice dams do most of the damage here. Snow sits, meltwater refreezes at the eave, and water wicks under the shingles instead of draining into the gutter.

From there it seeps into the attic, stains ceilings, and peels paint. We check attic insulation and ventilation first, because a blocked soffit vent or attic fan keeps the roof deck cold and makes ice dams worse.

A vapor barrier, a proper drip edge at the rake and eave, and snow guards above doorways all help. So does clearing debris out of the downspouts before the first freeze.

Often yes, but the paperwork decides it. Call us before you call the insurer if you can. We photograph bruised shingles, dented gutters, and hail-battered vents, then write a line-item estimate.

That estimate matches the insurance scope the adjuster inspection produces. If the first offer comes in low, we file a supplemental claim with the proof of loss form before the claim deadline. There is no charge for that help.

It depends on pitch, structure, and budget. Here is how we sort it out with homeowners.

• Asphalt shingle — architectural shingle and three-tab shingle cover most homes around Chambersburg and the West Ward, and architectural shingles resist wind uplift better.
• Metal panel — standing-seam panel sits on purlins over battens and counterbatten, and a screw-down corrugated panel is simple to service later.
• Tile — clay tile, concrete tile, and slate look right on older homes, but we check rafter and truss capacity first because they add real weight.
• Wood shake — cedar shake suits gambrel and mansard rooflines, though it asks for more maintenance than asphalt.
• Flat systems — TPO, EPDM, PVC membrane, modified bitumen, and built-up roof cover porches, additions, low-slope sections, and commercial roofing.
• Coatings — a silicone roof coating can restore a drying membrane when the substrate is clean and dry.

Square count is only the start. Pitch, height, and how much of the old roof has to come off move the number more than anything else.

• Layers — a second or third layer means a full tear-off, a bigger dumpster, and more debris handling.
• Access — narrow rows in Chambersburg and the tight lots of Cadwalader Heights slow a crew, so scaffold and ladder time climb.
• Detail work — rebuilding chimney flashing and counter-flashing, or resealing a boot flashing around a pipe boot, both eat hours.
• Weatherproofing — chimney flashing, step flashing, and counter-flashing get hand-sealed with roof cement and a bead of sealant, since those joints are where leaks begin.
• Extras — a skylight, dormer, parapet with coping, or a scupper on a flat section each adds a line.
• Gutters — gutter installation, downspout work, and fascia or soffit repair usually ride along with a replacement.

If framing has sagged, we price joist, rafter, or ridge beam repair separately. Everything we install meets the local building code for fastening and ventilation, and we hand you a written roof estimate line by line.