How To Know When Your Vancouver Roof Needs To Be Replaced

shingles are listed as types of roofing tiles

Although a homeowner may have the highest quality roofs installed on their building, there will soon come a time that it will need to be replaced. Below are four signs shared by Cooper Roofing that homeowners should look out for as they warrant the need for the system to be replaced.


  1. Curling and buckling shingles

The shingles buckle and curl when they lose their protective granules. This often happens when they are past the end of their lifespan.

  1. Missing shingles

For few shingles that are not in place, they can quickly be repaired or replaced by a company that deals with the shingles. However, if the damage is widespread, it is better to replace the whole roof rather than repair in patches over time which tends to cost more. Also, the exposed spots make the roof vulnerable to being damaged by water.

  1. Ruined Flashings

Flashings protect the roof from water penetrating inside it.  The flashings are made up of metal and tar and are in the form of thin strips which are used along the valleys and chimney area where the roof is weakest. If the flashings are damaged in any way, the roof is at risk of damage as water can easily penetrate it.

  1. Daylight entering the attic

The worst sign of a damaged roof which should result in hiring contractors to repair it is when the attic has light peering through the roof. In such cases, water has already penetrated through the roof, making it feel spongy or have a trampoline bounce when someone walks on it.

For such cases, replacement should be done by expert qualified roofers immediately as the current roofing structure has lost its structural integrity.  To make sure your roof is in its best possible shape, contact the roofing experts at



Roof Repairs Vancouver BC

Cooper Roofing Vancouver
1285 W Broadway #600,
Vancouver, BC V6H 3X8
(778) 773-3124


The Primary Factors Influencing The Cost of Roof Repair in Vancouver


When it comes time to repair or replace your roof, you are not only facing a time-consuming process but if care is not taken, it can also be more expensive than necessary. The money needed will depend on the amount of restoration required. Be sure that a roofing contractor does not give a quote until he has inspected the roof from inside and outside the home. Once this is done, there are a few things you need to consider when it comes to the regular price of roof installation and repairs.

Type of Roof

The type of roof you have has a significant impact on the level and cost of repairs that will be needed. Houses can have sloped or flat roofs, high or low pitch and metal or shingle. The materials required for specific roof types vary and therefore so will your overall cost. More expensive materials and more labor-intensive work will cost you a lot more. Asphalt shingles are the least expensive to repair and install charging about $120 per 100 square feet, and slate shingles will cost you $800 to $1000 per 100 square feet. If you have a metal roof, you should expect to pay the most (close to $1500 per 100 square feet).

Repair Permits

Roofing repairs can be impacted by the town or city you live in because the roofer may need to pull permits to get the job done. Permit pricing can be a flat rate or might vary depending on the size and value of your home. Some coastal areas are known to have separate permits for hurricane and tropical storm protection. Additional materials such as hurricane bracing are required and can add several hundred dollars to your total cost.

The scope of the Repairs

The overall price of the job is mostly impacted by the extent of the required repairs. Most roof repair contractors will determine the rate based on square footage of the roof. Their pricing is based per square, which equals a 10-foot square area. Shingles, for example, are sold by the square, so you will be charged for the whole square even if the repairs area is less than 10 feet. Contractors will usually leave you with the scraps in the event your roof needs repair again in the future.

Water Damage

Water is the most destructive element to a house’s structure. Often, water damage can be hidden and may not be noticed until the roofer removes the shingles. If the decking underneath is determined to have water damage, be prepared for additional expenses. As costly as it may be, this is not something you want to overlook. Untreated water damage can destroy the entire roof, requiring total roof replacement. That is much more expensive than the repairs you avoided.

Additional Structures

Skylights and chimneys are common on roofs, along with other unique items. As attractive as they may be, they do raise the price of any roofing jobs. Depending on the damage, these structures may also need replacing. Ideally, you want to coordinate the repair jobs, so they do not interfere with each other. Your roofer can initially be the one to check for leaks and damage to these structures if you ask. Even if they are intact, roofers still need to work around them, which make labor more tedious, and therefore, expensive.

Before you start repairs, be sure to get estimates from at least three different roofing contractors. They can vary significantly across companies, but the one thing you should always look out for is exceptionally low quotes. This could be a sign that the roofer is not certified or perhaps does not perform the most quality work.

Vancouver Roofing Company

Cooper Roofing Vancouver
1285 W Broadway #600, Vancouver, BC V6H 3X8
(778) 773-3124

Storm Damage and Your Roof: Affects, Costs, & Solutions | Cooper Roofing Vancouver

Many radars can tell you that a storm is coming, but it cannot show you the damage that the wind will do to your roof. There is not too much you can do to protect a roof from a storm, but there are some things to keep in mind if damage does occur.

It is not easy to assess the damage to the roof after a storm. Small repairs may be needed, or the entire roof may have to be replaced. It is best to have a professional roofing contractor come in and assess the damage inflicted to the roof.

Storm Damage and Your Roof

Wind, hail, falling trees, and rain can cause damage to your roof. These are the most common elements that damage roofs. Wind can blow the shingles off of the roof, leaving it open to water damage. Water can get into the underlayment and leak into the home. Even a small number of missing shingles can allow water into the house. Nailing a shingle back in place does not always solve the problem. The individual shingles may need to be replaced, or the roof may need to be replaced depending on the number of missing shingles.

If the shingles have blown off during the storm, the underlayment must be checked. If not corrected, there may be additional problems in the future. The number of shingles that have blown off will determine if a repair or replacement is needed. Water damage and the age of the roof will also assist in resolving this.

Hail that hits the home can remove the granules from the shingles. The granules protect the home from UV rays. If shingles are prematurely damaged, they may crack and may blow off the roof.

The fewer the granules on the shingles, the lower level of protection from UV rays the roof is receiving. The roof will also age quicker and will need to be replaced sooner. Insurance adjusters can look at the roof, and there is a formula to determine if hail has caused enough damage where the roof will need to be replaced.

Insurance companies also vary when it comes to covering the cost of repairs, or deciding if the entire roof needs to be replaced. There is a unique formula that they use that can determine the rate at which the hail was hitting the roof and the amount of damage that it caused.

Falling trees can damage the roof. The tree can make a hole in the roof, allowing water and wind to get inside of the home. If the damage is only partial, the areas affected can be rebuilt. If the impact from the tree goes beyond visible damage, water may have gotten into the home, causing a more significant issue.

Pieces of the tree can continue to fall onto the roof even after the initial impact. The entire tree may land on the roof, so it is better to be safe and leave home until everything is settled.

Rain alone will not cause a significant amount of damage to the roof unless there is also a problem in the structure of the roof. There are some things to be aware of to detect interior water damage after a storm. You may not notice right away that shingles are missing, and that water is slowly making its way into the home.

By the time you notice the water damage, there may be additional issues. If the roof has a history of water damage issues due to poor quality installation, then replacement or repairs may not be covered.

Assessing the Damage

The most common type of damage from a storm is leaking water. Go to the attic and check this out. Look for damp spots on the ceiling and check the insulation to see if it is moist. Many leaks are not broad enough to notice.

A trip to the attic can help the homeowner find other issues as well. Be sure to contact a roofing contractor is anything looks out of place.

Tarping the Roof

If a storm is expected, the most important thing that a homeowner can do is to put a tarp on the roof. Many home supply stores have roofing tarps. If the tarp is not big enough for the entire roof, place it over the spots that are damaged. This will help prevent the amount of damage done to the roof.

You will need to make sure the tarp is secure. Edge the entire perimeter of the tarp with two by four boards and nail them onto the roof. Since the damage areas will need to be repaired anyways, the nails will not hurt it.

It is recommended to nail the boards down and not just the tarp. This will provide additional protection to the roof.

Working with a Roofing Contractor

After a storm, calling a roofing storm damage restoration company can be frustrating. They are often busy, and it may take several weeks to get an appointment. Storm damage keeps contractors very busy. If the roof is damaged, you need to tarpit to prevent further damage to the home until a contractor can come out and fix it.

At this time you also need to contact your insurance company adjuster and take pictures of the damage and the damage it is causing to the rest of your home. Do not answer to any random person that comes to your door and offers to fix your roof right away. There is a chance they can be skilled, but more than likely they are shabby contractors that will leave your roof in worse shape than when you started.

These fly by night contractors often don’t take responsibility for the work they do and leave town as soon as the project is over. They are less likely to provide quality work, and you may not even be able to contact them down the road if there is a problem.

Roofing Company Vancouver

Cooper Roofing Vancouver
1285 W Broadway #600, Vancouver, BC V6H 3X8
(778) 773-3124

How To Temporarily Repair A Leaking Roof | Cooper Roofing Vancouver

Repairing a roof under these circumstances can be difficult and dangerous if the roof is leaking currently or there is an approaching storm. Saving this problem for later can be done right now if one stops the water flow.

Caution; before starting any repairs or maintenance, you should read safety information. Especially when it is wet, it is dangerous to be working on a rooftop.Without proper safety measures, you should avoid climbing on the roof. During an electric storm do not work on the roof or do anything wrong.

Stopping a leak would not be done just by placing something over the spot where the hole is. One aims at a point upslope, away from the leak where stormwater is not able to reach the barrier.It will be satisfactory placing a barrier over the surface if upslope is a peak. In order not to blow away, the trick will be secure.

Temporary Roof Coverings

Covering the roof works in the short term. There are different types of materials on can use. For brief coverage, the trick is securing the material in place. Readily available in the blue tarp is the article favored when temporarily covering a roof. To ensure the tarps in place, grommet holes across the edge allows for tie-downs through the tarps are tough.

Holding in place is the problem, but most people have successfully used the thin plastic films.
Using something not easily movable for example, heavy trash cans, or a tree and anything else solid and heavy keeps them in place you may fasten reading rope through the grommets on a tarp. Heavy wind can lift the tarp like the sail. A 20-pound weight seems heavy enough to hold down a tarp. However, that pressure can be turned into a deadly club by a gust of wind.

Getting the tarp on the roof without climbing the roof can be done in some ways. Tying a light string onto a tennis ball and throwing the ball on the roof is one way. On the tarp, tie the string to the lash ropes and pull the ropes to the house. Once in the desired position the lines and the tarp can be drawn into place. There is a risk causing damage, for example, injuring a person or pet, or breaking a window anytime you throw something over the house. To avoid creating an accident, you should take necessary safety steps when repairing your roof in Metro Van.

Wet Patch material for fixing a leak

Damp patching material can be used on a damp surface, and it seals immediately. Wet patch material is used to seal around roof vents, skylights, chimneys, and to secure loosened asphalt shingles. You can repair safely if you know where the water is leaking.

For best results, the wet patch is used together with reinforced glass. For scooping and spreading the material a disposable putty knife and disposable rubber gloves can be used because of the mess. Working on a wet roof is highly hazardous and is not recommendable.

Roofing Companies Vancouver

Cooper Roofing Vancouver
1285 W Broadway #600, Vancouver, BC V6H 3X8
(778) 773-3124