Northeast Philadelphia flat roofs
Flat roof repair in Northeast Philly
Northeast Philly is mostly brick rowhomes and twins, with porch fronts, rear driveways and decades on the roof. Many are due for their first or second full replacement. Call to talk to a local roofer about yours.
The houses
Lower Northeast vs. Far Northeast
In the Lower Northeast (Frankford, Oxford Circle, Mayfair, Tacony and Holmesburg), most homes are two-story brick rowhomes built in the first half of the 20th century. Many have a front porch, a flat main roof, and a garage or parking pad off a shared rear driveway. Frankford and Tacony also have older rowhomes and twins dating from their days as mill and factory neighborhoods.
Further out, in Rhawnhurst, Fox Chase, Bustleton and Somerton, there are more twins and single homes, often mixing a pitched shingle roof with flat sections over additions, garages and rear rooms. Many blocks near Pennypack Park are heavily tree-lined, which matters for gutters and drains.
Because so much of the Northeast was built in the same era, whole blocks of roofs are reaching the end of their life around the same time. Many are on their second or third layer, and patching is getting less reliable.
Where Northeast roofs usually leak
- Front porch ceiling stains
- Front bedroom wall damp just below the ceiling
- Rear wall stains under an overflowing gutter
- Water around the stairwell skylight or roof hatch
- Granules or shingle pieces in the front gutter
Front to back
A walk across a typical Northeast rowhome roof
These houses have several separate roof areas. Each one fails in its own way.
The porch roof
A small, low-slope roof over an open or enclosed front porch. It's easy to forget about until the porch ceiling stains. The flashing where it meets the front wall of the house and the edges where water runs off are the usual trouble spots.
The shingled front
Many rowhomes have a short, shingled mansard across the front with the flat roof behind it. Wind lifts and cracks older shingles, but the most common leak is at the back of the mansard, where it meets the flat roof and water can collect along the joint.
The main flat roof
Typically drains toward the back. Older roofs here are often built-up or rolled roofing with silver coating, and with several layers stacked up, sagging spots start to hold water. This is the part that decides whether a repair or a full replacement makes sense.
Gutters & downspouts at the back
Water from the whole roof ends up in the rear gutter. When it clogs with leaves, especially on tree-lined blocks, water spills down the back wall and into the house, which can look like a roof leak from inside.
Openings in the roof
Roof hatches, stairwell skylights, vent pipes and rooftop condensers added for central air all need their own seals, and these are frequent sources of drips into the second-floor hallway.
Pricing
What affects the cost of a Northeast roof job
Pricing varies by project and is quoted on-site. These factors make the biggest difference on Northeast homes:
- Rear access. A shared rear driveway can make it easier to stage a dumpster and move materials than on blocks with no alley.
- How many roof areas. Main roof, porch roof, mansard front and garage roof can be quoted together or separately. Doing them in one visit is usually more efficient.
- Mixed roof types. Twins and singles with shingle and flat sections need both kinds of work, plus a careful joint between them.
- Layers. Each old layer that has to come off adds tear-off and disposal.
- Gutters. Replacing worn rear gutters and downspouts at the same time as the roof avoids a second visit.
Want to see what your job will involve first? Try the cost estimator.
Northeast neighborhoods covered
- Mayfair
- Oxford Circle
- Frankford
- Tacony
- Holmesburg
- Rhawnhurst
- Fox Chase
- Bustleton
- Somerton
ZIPs: 19111, 19114, 19115, 19116, 19124, 19135, 19136, 19149, 19152, 19154
Not sure if your block is covered? Call (215) 555-0142 and ask.
Shared-driveway tip: let your neighbors know before roof work starts so the driveway is clear, and ask the roofer how long the dumpster will be there.
Northeast Philly roof questions
My rowhome has a shingled front and a flat roof behind it. Which one is leaking?
Often neither on its own: the most common leak point is the joint where the back of the shingled front meets the flat roof. Water that collects there can run into the front bedroom wall or ceiling. A roofer will check the joint, the shingles and the flat roof together.
The ceiling of my front porch is stained. Is that the main roof?
Usually it's the porch roof itself or the flashing where the porch roof meets the front wall of the house. Porch roofs are small, low-slope roofs that get overlooked, so they often fail before the main roof does.
My twin has a shingle roof in front and a flat roof in back. Can one roofer handle both?
Many local roofers work on both shingle and flat roofs. Mention both when you call so the right roofer looks at the whole house, especially the joint where the two roof types meet.
Can the roofer use the shared driveway behind my house?
Rear driveways often make roof work easier, but they're shared. Give your neighbors notice so the driveway is clear, and ask the roofer where they plan to put the dumpster or trailer and for how long.
Have a different question about a Northeast Philly roof? Ask a local roofer.
(215) 555-0142