Roof Repair in Manayunk and Roxborough, Philadelphia

Why do stepped rowhouses leak where one roof meets the next?

On a stepped row, the higher roof has a wall that rises above the lower one, and the flashing where that wall meets the roof is the place to check first. Water that runs down the slope gathers against that wall and finds the seam.

The drain and the parapet on the lower roof still have to be checked, since the water from the upper roof reaches them. A technician follows the water from the high roof to the low one and checks each joint on the way down.

How does a steep street change the job?

A steep street limits where a dumpster can sit and how a crew can get materials to the roof. Some jobs need equipment that can be carried up a stair or a narrow alley, and the plan has to allow for that before the first sheet of membrane is ordered.

Tell the roofer about the street when you call. A plan that fits the hill is quoted with the staging in it, so there are no surprises on the first morning.

What does the Wissahickon edge mean for a Roxborough roof?

Roxborough's wooded edge means leaves, needles and branches reach the roof and clog the gutters and valleys more quickly than they would in a flat, open part of the city. The clearing is part of the repair, not an extra.

After a windy night, check the gutters for debris and the roof for branches. Photograph any damage before the cleanup, and keep the photos for your insurer.

How do stepped roofs in Manayunk and Roxborough shed their water?

On a stepped row, each roof drains toward its own outlet, and water from a higher roof runs over the wall onto the lower one. The lower roof therefore carries water it did not catch itself, which is one reason the drains on the lower levels fill faster than they would on a single flat roof.

A roofer walks the stepped roofs from the top down. The high roof's outlet is cleared first, then the flow path to the wall is checked, then the lower roof's drain and parapet. Working in that order follows the water and shows which joint is actually taking the load.

Hillside streets also bring water downhill along the building line. A splash block, a gutter discharge or a low spot at the foundation can send water toward the cellar, so the ground at the back of the stepped rows is checked on the same visit.