Roofing Company Blog: Roofing for Reel

Tracking down hidden roof leaks on a Virginia Beach home often leads us to unexpected places. Brian Chalsma from The Roofing Company, Inc. team was inspecting a roof when he discovered a serious issue up top.

Tracking down hidden flashing failures behind a wide masonry chimney was the focus of our team on a home in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Tracking down hidden flashing failures across a roof-to-wall junction in Virginia Beach showed us just how far water can travel before it ever reveals itself inside a house.

In this highlight from our Roofing for Reel series, we headed out to perform routine maintenance on a commercial flat roof in Newport News, expecting the usual clear-out of stray leaves or coastal pine needles.

The Problem Brian visited a commercial property in Chesapeake, Virginia, to investigate persistent leaks on a flat roof. Upon inspection, he found exactly what we call "roofing in a bucket"—layers of thick, mismatched sealant applied haphazardly over various sections.

During a walk-through, Brian Chalsma spotted a situation that makes any experienced roofer cringe. A low-slope (or "flat") roof was tied directly into a shingle ridge vent. While a ridge vent is a fantastic tool for keeping your attic cool, it was never designed to live at the bottom of a slide.

The Problem When Brian walked up to this roof in our corner of Virginia, he noticed something that looked like a simple spot of wear on the shingles. As he got closer, it was clear that critters had chewed right through the material, creating a hidden doorway into the attic.

It is a common sight across Yorktown: a roof that looks perfectly fine from the driveway but tells a completely different story once you’re standing on it. When we looked at a local condominium complex recently, we saw exactly how deceptive a 20-year-old roof can be.

Here at the base of the historic Star of the Sea Church at Fort Monroe, we were looking at a piece of Tidewater history that has survived since the 1800s. But once we looked past the majestic view, we saw a roof that was literally bending under the weight of time.

When Brian stepped onto this roof in Newport News, he wasn't just looking at a repair; he was looking at a piece of Virginia history. This Vermont slate has been protecting this home for 104 years.