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Every roof problem starts somewhere
What damages Seattle roofs? Meet the Hazard Gang.
They don't storm your house. They work like a crew, one weathering day at a time. Spot the signs early, and our roofing nerds will stop the gang before they spread.
The Silent Invader
Hydro: leaks and water damage
“Oh my gosh, these are so clever!”
Judy T., Renton
Hydro is water getting into your roof, and he's the ringleader. He doesn't need a storm, just one weak spot: a cracked shingle, failed flashing or a clogged gutter. Once he's in, he soaks the attic, the insulation and the wood, and the rest of the gang follows him through the door.
Watch for:
- Water stains on a ceiling
- Damp or dark spots in the attic
- Missing or lifted shingles
Keep reading:
The Toxic Squatter
Spore: attic mold
Spore is mold growing in your attic, and he moves in after Hydro has soaked it. One leak can be enough to let him in. Once he settles, he spreads, and getting him out can mean pulling insulation, replacing some boards and treating the whole attic. Moss on the roof can be his cousin, and moss removal is paid maintenance.
Watch for:
- A musty smell when you open the attic hatch
- Dark spotting on the underside of the roof boards
- Damp insulation
Keep reading:
The Foundation Monster
Crackzilla: cracking foundations and chimneys
Crackzilla is cracking concrete and masonry, in your foundation or in your chimney. Water pools against it or soaks in, then freezes and thaws, and small cracks grow into serious ones. A lot of that water comes off the roof, from gutters that are plugged, overflowing or draining in the wrong place.
Watch for:
- Gutters spilling over the edge in a heavy rain
- Cracked or crumbling chimney mortar, or a gap where the chimney meets the roof
- Cracks that get bigger after winter
Keep reading:
The Bone Eater
Chomp: rot and pests
Chomp is termites and other wood-eating pests moving into wood that Hydro and Spore have already softened. He eats the bones of your house one board at a time and makes the decay go faster. Most people don't notice him until it's bad, sometimes not until a home inspector flags it during a sale.
Watch for:
- Droppings in the attic
- Mud tubes on wood
- A sagging ceiling
Keep reading:
The Roof Cooker
Sir Scorch: sun and UV wear
Sir Scorch is the sun and its heat wearing your shingles down, a little every day. Yes, even in cloudy Seattle. He leaches the asphalt that sheds water and makes cracks Hydro can get into, and he makes your upstairs hotter in summer. The shingle manufacturer's warranty treats this kind of weathering as normal wear, so it isn't covered, and that makes catching it early worth the trouble.
Watch for:
- Shingle granules piling up in gutters or at the bottom of a downspout
- Bald or cracked shingles
- An upstairs that runs hot in summer
Keep reading:
The Crowbar
Mr. Freeze: freeze-thaw and ice dams
Mr. Freeze is water freezing where it shouldn't. When water gets into a crack and freezes, it expands like a crowbar and pries the shingles up, which lets more of the gang in during winter. He also builds ice dams along the edge of your roof, which trap melting snow and push water under the shingles and into your attic and ceilings.
Watch for:
- Ice buildup and big icicles along the eaves
- Shingles that look lifted after a cold snap
- New water stains on a ceiling after a cold snap
Keep reading:
The DIY Disaster
Freddie Fracture: the DIY roof fix that goes wrong
Freddie Fracture is what happens when you climb up to fix a leak yourself. He saw Hydro's drip, grabbed a ladder and a tube of caulk, and figured he'd be done by lunch. The leak is still there. So is Freddie, now with a crutch.
Ladders and slick Seattle roofs don't mix. 63% of ladder-fall deaths were people 65 and older, usually at home. Source: an analysis of CDC WONDER (ICD-10 W11, 2018-2024). Don't climb. Let us go up. We'll find what's really causing the leak and tell you straight what it needs.
Watch for:
- A ladder leaning on your gutter
- A tube of caulk in your hand
- A plan to be done by lunch
Keep reading:
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Spotted one of the gang?
Is water coming in right now?
Your answer picks the door. Either way, you'll talk to a real person.
Not leaking, but something seems off
Start with a SmartMatch Needs Analysis. An estimator looks at your roof and, where it's safe, your attic, takes photos, and tells you in plain English whether it needs repair, replacement or just watching.
Yes, it's leaking now
Book a repair. $475, plus tax, sends a two-person crew and covers their first hour. After that it's $125 per worker per hour, plus materials.
Meet with a meticulous roofing nerd
Stop the gang before they spread
Catch them early and the fix stays small. Call (206) 487-4877, or get a ballpark on your own time.
- Hydro: Roof leak or condensation? How to tell the difference
- Spore: What to do about mold in your attic
- Crackzilla: Does downspout size matter on a Seattle home? Why is my chimney leaking during a Seattle winter?
- Chomp: How to tell if your roof has dry rot Can small roof gaps let pests in?
- Sir Scorch: Can excessive attic heat damage a Seattle roof?
- Mr. Freeze: How to protect your roof in a snowy climate
- Freddie Fracture: Roof leak repair: DIY vs. professional
Watch Hydro and Sir Scorch on our YouTube channel.
