Frequently Asked Roofing Questions

If your asphalt roof is less than 15 years old and experiencing a localized leak from a damaged pipe boot, skylight seal, or isolated wind gust, a repair is usually the best, most cost-effective path. However, if shingles are 20+ years old, brittle, curling, or shedding excessive granules across multiple slopes, repairs become short-lived band-aids. We provide an honest inspection and advise you transparently.

Yes. While we monitor weather forecasts closely and work in dedicated dry windows, we tear off roofs in manageable sections each day, immediately securing high-temp synthetic underlayment or ice & water shields before moving on. Emergency leak repairs are handled year-round.

SBS modified bitumen torch-on membranes are asphalt-based, whereas traditional tar & gravel roofs use coal tar pitch. Coal tar and asphalt bitumen are chemically incompatible; the oils in coal tar cause torch-on adhesives to break down, resulting in seam separation within months. Tar & gravel roofs must be patched using compatible hot asphalt methods.

Tarps are made of woven polyethylene fibers. While effective on steep pitches where water runs off quickly, even heavy-duty tarps cannot resist standing, pooling water on flat roofs. The hydraulic pressure of ponding water pushes straight through the microscopic weave, ruining the tarp and failing to stop the leak.

A chimney or exterior brick wall in the Victoria and Duncan area should be repointed every 20 to 25 years. Mortar slowly degrades under decades of moisture, allowing water to wick between bricks. Repointing with a high-grade Portland cement formula restores structural integrity and stops hidden chimney leaks.

Bricks expand and contract with summer sun and winter frost. Silicone and polyurethane caulking dry out, crack, and lose adhesion within 2 to 4 years. The correct, lasting method is to cut a reglet channel directly into the brick joint and embed the counter-flashing in fresh cement mortar.

Pressure washers blast away the ceramic granules embedded in the asphalt shingle. Without these granules, the underlying asphalt is exposed directly to UV sunlight and oxidizes rapidly, cutting years off the roof's lifespan and voiding product warranties. We use gentle, eco-friendly spray treatments that eliminate moss without removing granules.

Not in our climate. In coastal BC with heavy fall rain and fir needles, fine mesh guards frequently get overwhelmed or silted over. When water cannot enter the gutter quickly enough, it pools and wicks backward under the lower shingles, soaking the OSB roof sheeting and leading to rot. Gutter guards still require periodic cleaning.