Beloit has some of the oldest houses in the Stateline, and roof repair here usually means working with whatever decades of re-roofing left behind. Martin Exteriors Roofing & Siding serves Beloit from our office at 11704 Main St in Roscoe, just over the state line, and we’re a licensed Wisconsin dwelling contractor (#1436189). Call (815) 624-6278. Someone answers 24/7.
Old Houses, Layered Roofs
Census estimates put the median Beloit home at 1957. About 27% were built before 1940 and about 55% before 1960. Only around 1 in 9 went up after 2000. On houses that age, the shingles you see are rarely the whole story:
- Plank decking. Older Beloit houses usually have boards under the shingles instead of plywood. Gaps between boards and old nail holes can make a repair fail if nobody checks the wood.
- More than one layer. A second layer of shingles hides what’s under it and makes a clean repair harder.
- Brick chimneys. Mortar joints, the concrete crown and the flashing all wear, and chimney water often shows up on a wall or ceiling some distance from the chimney.
- Steep gables and dormers. More roof planes mean more valleys and more flashing, and each one is a place water can get in.
- Tired vents. Box vents and pipe flashing from an earlier re-roof are often at the end of their life even when the shingles aren’t.
Beloit’s Storm Record
NOAA’s Storm Events Database has a long list of Beloit entries. Hail up to 2 inches fell just east of Beloit on April 17, 2026. On April 5, 2023, an NWS survey found straight-line winds up to 80 mph from the west side of the city through the east side, uprooting large trees in a starburst pattern. On April 19, 2011, a gust estimated at 75 mph collapsed the roof of a day care center in the city.
Trees are a big part of the Beloit picture. On July 24, 2012, storm winds brought down trees that blocked streets in residential neighborhoods on the west side, and on June 13, 2024, branches fell onto a home on Maxworthy Road. Older neighborhoods have big, mature trees close to the house, and a falling limb can split old boards under shingles that look fine. See wind damage repair and hail damage repair. For Beloit-specific storm help, see hail damage roof repair in Beloit.
Ice Dams on Older Beloit Houses
Many older houses have little insulation between the top floor and the attic. Heat escapes upward, melts the snow on the roof, and the water refreezes at the cold eaves, where it backs up under the shingles. On those houses we look for stains along the tops of outside walls and check whether ice and water barrier went in at the eaves during the last re-roof. A repair fixes the damaged spot. The lasting fix is usually better attic ventilation and sealing the gaps where warm air gets into the attic.
Repair or Replace on an Older Beloit Roof
Older houses can often be repaired more than people expect, as long as the decking is sound. We lean toward a repair when the problem sits around a chimney, a valley, a vent or a small area of storm damage. We lean toward replacement when there are already two layers, the boards are soft in several places, or the shingles are worn across the whole roof.
If replacement is the answer, see roof replacement. A new roof comes with our workmanship warranty and the GAF warranty you choose, and our GAF Master Elite status, held by fewer than 2% of roofers, lets us offer up to a 50-year GAF warranty with up to 30 years on workmanship (GAF eligibility rules apply). For Beloit homes, see our page on roof replacement in Beloit.
What a Beloit Repair Visit Looks Like
Roof, chimney and attic. We check all three. On older Beloit houses the attic tells us a lot: water stains on the boards, daylight through gaps, and how the space is vented. See attic ventilation.
Tracing the water. Water can run along a rafter or a board before it drips, so we follow it back to where it starts rather than patching above the stain.
Photos and a written price. You see everything we found before any work is scheduled.
The repair. We replace soft or split boards in the repair area before new shingles go down, rebuild flashing with new metal, and show you the finished work.
Water Coming In Now
Call (815) 624-6278. We answer 24/7. Emergency tarping can be done within 24 hours. Keep people out of any room where the ceiling is sagging. See emergency roof repair.
More for Beloit
See our Beloit roofing page for everything else we do in the city, and Beloit siding if storm damage reached the walls. We’re a certified James Hardie installer and were voted Rockford’s best siding contractor five years running. Financing is available, with payments as low as $149/month for qualified buyers. Our storm damage repair page explains what to do after hail or high winds. Nearby, we repair roofs across the line in South Beloit and up I-39/90 in Janesville.
Book a free inspection or call (815) 624-6278.
Beloit Roof Repair FAQ
My Beloit house has board decking. Can you still repair the roof?
Yes. We check the boards around the leak and replace any that are soft or split before new shingles go on.
Are you licensed to repair roofs in Wisconsin?
Yes. Martin Exteriors is a licensed Wisconsin dwelling contractor, license #1436189.
Why is my ceiling stained far from the chimney?
Water from a chimney leak can run along rafters or boards before it drips. We trace leaks from the attic so the repair goes where the water actually gets in.
Can 2-inch hail damage a roof?
Yes. NOAA’s Storm Events Database lists hail up to 2 inches just east of Beloit on April 17, 2026. Hail that size can crack shingles and dent vents. A free inspection with photos shows what’s there.
Can you tarp my roof after a storm?
Yes. Emergency tarping can be done within 24 hours, and someone answers (815) 624-6278 24/7.
