Roof Leak Repair in Berkshire County
Find where the water gets in. Then fix that spot for good.
Leaks at chimneys, vents, valleys, skylights and walls traced to the real entry point and repaired on homes around Pittsfield, Lee and the rest of Berkshire County.
The stain is rarely under the leak
Roof leak repair starts with finding where the water actually gets in. Water that slips past a flashing or a cracked pipe boot can run along the underlayment or a rafter for several feet before it drips onto the ceiling, so the stain inside is often nowhere near the problem on the roof.
That is why caulking the spot above the stain so often fails. We look at the roof above and around the stain, and in the attic when we can get in, and follow the water back to where it starts.
Most leaks we find come from the same handful of places: chimney and wall flashing, pipe and vent boots, valleys, skylight edges, and nails that have backed out. In a Berkshire winter, ice building up along the eaves can also push water back under the shingles.
What fixing a leak usually involves
Flashing. Step flashing along a chimney or sidewall, and the counterflashing over it, wear out or were never installed right. We replace them so each piece laps over the one below and sheds water down the roof.
Pipe boots and vents. The rubber collar on a plumbing vent cracks in the sun after some years. A new boot, worked in under the shingles above it, stops that leak.
Valleys and shingles. Worn or damaged shingles in a valley or around a leak are replaced and lapped back into the shingles around them so the repair sheds water like the rest of the roof.
Rotted deck. If water has been getting in for a while, the plywood or boards underneath can be soft. We cut out the rotted wood and replace it before the new shingles go back on.
What a leak repair costs depends on what failed and how long water has been getting in. A new pipe boot is a small job. Rebuilding chimney flashing takes more time and material, and any rotted deck under the leak adds to it. The written estimate spells out each part.
From a drip to a dry ceiling
What happens after you call about a leak.
Tell us what you see
Where the stain or drip is, when it shows up (heavy rain, wind, snow melt), and how long it has been going on.
Trace the leak
We look at the roof above the stain and the attic below, and follow the water back to where it gets in.
Price the fix in writing
You get a written estimate for the repair, and a straight answer if the roof is worn out and a repair would only buy a little time.
Repair and check
We replace what failed, check the surrounding area, clean up and show you what was done.
Got a stain on the ceiling or a drip in the attic?
Get a roof leak estimateWhen a leak means it is time for a new roof
A single leak on a roof in good shape is a repair. A leak on a roof that is near the end of its life is often the first of several.
If shingles are curling, cracking or losing their granules across the roof, if there are leaks in more than one place, or if the deck is soft in several spots, patching one leak at a time costs more over the next few years than a new roof.
We will tell you which one you are looking at. If a replacement makes more sense, we can price that for you too.
Roof leak questions
What homeowners ask when the ceiling starts to stain.
Why does my roof only leak in heavy rain or wind?
A leaking roof that only shows up in storms usually means wind-driven rain is being pushed sideways and uphill, under flashing and shingle edges that shed normal rain fine. That points to flashing at a chimney, wall or skylight, or lifted shingles.
Why does it leak in winter when it is not raining?
Usually ice. Snow melts on the warm part of the roof and refreezes at the cold eaves, and the water backs up behind that ice and under the shingles. Attic heat loss and ventilation play a part, and we look at both.
Is the leak right above the stain?
Often not. Water can run along the underlayment or a rafter before it drips, so the entry point can be several feet uphill from the stain.
What should I do until the leak is fixed?
Move what you can out of the way, catch the drip in a bucket, and keep water away from light fixtures and outlets. Then call us with where and when you see it.
Can you just seal it with roofing cement?
Cement over a failed flashing or a cracked boot might stop a drip for a season, but it does not fix why water is getting in. We replace the part that failed.
Do you fix leaks on flat roofs and slate roofs too?
Yes. Flat and low-slope roofs are covered on our flat roofing page, and slate roofs on our slate roof repair page.
Who does the repair?
CBR's own crews, with Chris on site for every project. We are licensed in Massachusetts (LIC #101201, HIC #160959) and insured.
Get a free estimate for roof leak repair
Tell us where you are seeing water and when it shows up. We'll trace the leak and price the repair in writing.