Roof Leak Repair in North Dallas: find where the water gets in, then fix it

Where roof leaks usually start

On DFW homes, almost every leak we trace comes back to one of these spots:

• Pipe boots. The rubber collar around a plumbing vent dries out and cracks in the Texas sun, often years before the shingles wear out.
• Flashing at walls, chimneys, and skylights. The metal and sealant at these joints give out before the shingles do. See chimney flashing repair and skylight repair.
• Valleys, where two roof slopes meet and carry the most water.
• Missing, cracked, or lifted shingles, usually after a windstorm.
• Roof vents and exhaust stacks, where the seal around the base breaks down.
• Hail damage that cracked or bruised shingles and exposed the mat underneath. Here's what hail damage looks like.

Why the stain is rarely under the leak

Water gets in at one spot and then travels. It runs along the underside of the decking or down a rafter and drips wherever it finds a low point, so a leak at a pipe boot can show up as a stain several feet away, sometimes in a different room. That's why we look at the attic as well as the roof. The wood under a leak is usually darker or stained along the path the water took, and we follow it uphill to where it starts. A patch over the stain does nothing. Fixing the entry point does.

If water is coming in right now

Put a bucket under the drip and move anything you care about out of the way. If the ceiling is bulging with water, a small hole at the lowest point lets it drain into the bucket instead of bringing the drywall down. Stay off the roof, especially while it's wet. Then call (972) 231-0794. If a storm opened up the roof, we can tarp it to keep water out until the permanent repair is done. Our article on what to do if your roof is leaking covers the first hour in more detail.

Is it a repair or a new roof?

One leak on a roof with years left in it is a repair. Several leaks at once, shingles worn thin across the whole roof, or a roof past 20 years old usually means patching will keep costing you money. We'll show you the photos and tell you which one you're looking at. If it's a replacement, start with our roof replacement page.

What roof leak repair costs

A small leak repair, like a new pipe boot or resealing a run of flashing, costs a small fraction of a new roof. The price goes up with how hard the spot is to reach, how much flashing has to come off, and whether water has already rotted the decking underneath. You get a firm written quote after the free inspection, before any work starts. If hail or wind caused the leak, insurance may cover it, and our storm damage team can help you decide whether a claim makes sense. For everything else we fix on a roof, see roof repair.