Moisture, moss and salt air on cedar
Cedar sheds water by drying out between rains, and Hampton Roads does not always let it. Humid summers, shaded north slopes and overhanging oaks keep shakes damp, and damp cedar grows moss, cups at the edges and starts to split along the grain. Moss on its own is not the problem. The wet mat it holds against the wood is.
Fasteners are the quiet failure. Near the water, salt air rusts through ordinary nails, and a shake that loses its nail slides or lifts in the next blow of wind, exposing the underlayment. On a dormered home like the one pictured, the valleys and dormer cheeks collect needles and leaves, which keep those spots wet longest.
Shake or shingle: choosing the look and the upkeep
Cedar Shake Roofing sits on the residential list at Roof Masters beside asphalt shingle, specialty shingles and metal. The first job at the estimate is an honest read of the existing roof, the pitch, the shade and the framing, because that decides whether shake is the right call or whether a shingle profile that borrows its look makes more sense.
A real shake roof has a rougher, hand-split texture and weathers to silver-grey. A laminated shingle gives a shadow line that reads similar from the street, with less to maintain. Neither is the wrong answer. If the home's character depends on cedar, say so at the estimate; if upkeep is the worry, ask to see the asphalt shingle options side by side.
Repairs on an older cedar roof follow the same logic. Swapping a few split shakes is a different job from replacing a failed slope, and the estimate will say which one the roof needs. Same-week estimates and a free consultation are standard, so you can compare the options before you decide anything.
Keeping cedar dry: upkeep, inspections and warranty
Cedar rewards upkeep. Keep branches trimmed back so sun reaches the slope, clear needles and leaves from valleys and gutters, and have the roof inspected once a year and again after a major storm. A lifted shake caught early is a small repair; one caught after a season of rain is often the start of a wet deck.
Warranty terms depend on the material chosen, so ask for the manufacturer and workmanship details in writing at the estimate. Financing is available through GreenSky, and the emergency line runs 24/7 for leaks and wind damage: call (757) 219-2106. The office is at 132 Production Dr in Yorktown, with Newport News, Hampton and Williamsburg all inside the service area.
