Farmington HillsRoofing Contractor
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Roof Waterproofing in Farmington Hills, MI before it leaks
Icicles along the gutters and stains near the outside walls every February are signs of ice dams. We find out why they form on your Farmington Hills home and fix the cause with ice and water shield, flashing and ventilation.
- Ice and water shield
- Flashing done right
- Balanced attic ventilation
- Free roof inspection
Free roof inspection & estimate
Farmington Hills homeowners. A roofer, not a call center, gets back to you.
Why older homes here get ice dams
Ice dams start inside the house. Heat leaks into the attic, warms the roof deck and melts the snow above it. The water runs down to the cold eaves, freezes again and builds a ridge of ice that the next melt can’t get past, so it backs up under the shingles.
Many Farmington Hills homes built in the 1950s through the 1980s are set up for exactly that. Attics often have thin or uneven insulation, few soffit vents, and bath fans or can lights that leak warm air. Ranches and tri-levels have long, low eaves, and many older roofs were installed before ice and water shield was common at the edges.
We look at the whole picture: the roof edge, the attic, the insulation and the airflow. On a replacement we install ice and water shield on the decking at the eaves and in the valleys, set new drip edge and flashing, and balance intake and exhaust ventilation. On an existing roof we can often improve ventilation and flashing without starting over. Either way, you get photos of what we found and what we changed.
The details that keep water out
Leak prevention is not one product. It is a handful of details done right.
Ice and water shield
Self-sealing membrane at the eaves, valleys and around penetrations, where water backs up.
Step & counter flashing
Metal flashing where the roof meets walls and chimneys, layered so water runs out, not in.
Attic ventilation
Soffit intake and ridge exhaust balanced so the roof deck stays cold in winter.
Drip edge
Metal edging at the eaves and rakes that carries water into the gutter and off the fascia.
Pipe boots & vents
Cracked rubber boots and loose vent flashing replaced before they let water down the pipe.
Gutters & downspouts
Clear, properly pitched gutters move meltwater away instead of letting it freeze at the edge.
Where the fix belongs
Heat cables and roof rakes deal with ice after it forms. They can help in a pinch, but they do not fix why the ice is there. The lasting fix is stopping the heat that melts the snow and protecting the roof edge where water collects.
On an existing roof, we can often improve ventilation, replace failed flashing and boots, and repair the eaves without replacing the whole roof. Ice and water shield goes on the decking under the shingles, so adding it means removing the shingles in that area. On a roof near the end of its life, it goes in as part of a full replacement.
We inspect the roof and attic, photograph what we find and explain which fixes fit your roof.
| Fix | Existing roof | With a new roof |
|---|---|---|
| Ice and water shield | At repaired areas | Eaves and valleys |
| Flashing | Replace failed sections | All new |
| Ventilation | Add or balance vents | Designed in |
| Pipe boots | Replace cracked ones | All new |
| Drip edge | Where it’s missing | Full perimeter |
Find it, explain it, fix it
You see what we see before you decide anything.
Roof & attic inspection
We check the eaves, valleys, flashing and vents, and look in the attic for heat loss and moisture.
- Photos of problem areas
- Ventilation checked
- Signs of past ice dams
Written options
You get the photos and a written estimate for the fixes that address the cause.
- Cause explained plainly
- Repair vs. replace honesty
- Free written estimate
Careful install
We do the work with the house protected, clean up daily and show you photos of the finished details.
- Photos of the work
- Daily cleanup
- End-of-day briefing
More ways to keep water out
From one leak to a complete new roof system.
Roof Repair
Leaks, missing shingles, flashing and storm damage found and fixed, with photos of every repair.
Learn more
Roof Replacement
Full tear-off and a new Owens Corning shingle system, with the yard protected and cleaned up every day.
Learn more
Gutters
Seamless gutters and downspouts sized for the roof, with guards that cut down on clogs.
Learn moreWhat our customers say
Real reviews from homeowners across Metro Detroit.
“Very awesome, professional experience with Kincaide!!! Scott and his crew is wonderful. They do good work, really put things in terms so that people can understand things better. We will definitely be sticking with KINCAIDE!!!”
“I can’t say enough good things about this company. Scott the owner walked me through the whole process from start to finish. They protected my house with boards during the job and did a fantastic job on clean up! All this and a fair price!”
“Kincaide roofing went above and beyond our expectations. Scott (the owner) took pictures of every step and fix he made. They were punctual, thorough and very professional. No B.S. with Scott, the communication was straight forward and gave us briefings every night before they left.”
Snow, ice and the long Michigan thaw
It isn’t one storm that causes leaks here. It’s weeks of freezing and thawing.
A typical Farmington Hills winter brings repeated snowfalls, cold nights and sunny afternoons that start the melt. Each cycle adds to the ice at the eaves. Shaded roofs under big trees can hold snow for a long time, and leaves left in the gutters from fall freeze into the ice and make the dam worse.
The leaks that follow often show up in the worst places: along exterior walls, around windows below the eaves and in the corners of second-floor rooms. Catching the cause before winter is far easier than drying out a wall in March.
Eave leaks
Water backing up behind ice and running into exterior walls and window heads.
Warm attics
Heat escaping from living space that melts snow on the upper roof.
Missing membrane
Older roofs without ice and water shield at the eaves and in the valleys.
- Farmington Hills
- Farmington
- Novi
- Livonia
- West Bloomfield
- Southfield
- Northville
- Redford
- Bloomfield Township
Ice dam questions from Farmington Hills homeowners
How ice dams form, and how to stop them.
Why does my Farmington Hills ranch get ice dams every winter?
Do I need a permit for ventilation or flashing work in Farmington Hills?
Should I chip ice off my roof?
Will heat cables stop ice dams?
What is ice and water shield?
Can you tell where an ice dam leak came from after the ice melts?
Stop the ice dams before next winter
Book a free inspection in Farmington Hills. We’ll check the roof edge and the attic and show you what’s causing the problem.