Roof repair in Mascouche

The damage we see here is rarely dramatic: a few shingle tabs lifted on the most exposed slope, a vent a squirrel chewed through, tired flashing around an old chimney. Left alone, though, those small problems end up soaking the roof deck. Our visit separates what needs fixing now from what can wait, and we back it up with photos.

Mascouche-Heights: roofs that carry the marks of every re-roof

On the older streets of Mascouche-Heights, many roofs have been redone several times, by different crews using different methods. Each tear-off leaves its mark on the deck: rows of old nail holes, split boards, offcuts of plywood nailed in to close an old opening. Before we replace damaged shingles on a roof like that, we make sure the wood underneath still grips a nail properly.

We also look for what earlier installations left behind: a chimney taken down with its opening closed up in a hurry, an abandoned vent hidden under a single shingle, an addition tie-in nobody has touched since it was built. Those spots aren't always leaking yet, but they're the first to give, and fixing them now costs far less than redoing a ceiling.

Open lots: wind peels shingles back one course at a time

On big lots with no hedge or woods to break the gusts, wind works its way under the roof edges and eventually breaks the bond of the shingles' sealant strip. It starts quietly: one tab flapping, then another, then a whole course folding upward. As long as the shingle is still held by its nails, we can often reseal it or swap it individually without disturbing the rest of the slope.

When the damage spreads, we rebuild the affected area with the original overlap and add fastening along the starter course and the rakes, where the gusts hit first.

Detached garages, sheds and workshops nobody looks at

Mascouche's more rural properties often have one or two outbuildings under shingles. They're less ventilated than the house, sometimes built over thinner decking, and nobody ever climbs up there. Yet a garage that lets water in quickly ruins whatever is stored inside. When we come out for the house, we can look over those roofs on the same visit.

• Courses torn off on the side facing the fields
• Rotted roof edge where there's no gutter
• Decking sagging under built-up snow
• Vents chewed by squirrels or raccoons coming in from the woods