Caledonia is a small Boone County village surrounded by farmland, and Martin Exteriors Roofing & Siding repairs roofs here from our Roscoe office at 11704 Main St. We’ve served northern Illinois since 2006. Call (815) 624-6278 about a leak or storm damage. The line is answered 24/7.
A Village of Older Houses
Caledonia has only about 120 homes, so Census figures for it come with a wide margin. Even so, the estimate stands out: most homes in the village predate 1940, and the median home dates to the late 1930s. A smaller group has gone up since 2010.
Houses that old have usually been reroofed many times, and every round leaves something behind for the next repair to deal with.
What Turns Up on Caledonia’s Older Roofs
- Several generations of shingles. Two or even three layers make a clean repair hard, because nails have to reach solid wood and the added weight rests on old framing.
- Plank decking. Older roofs often sit on boards rather than plywood. Where a board has split or gone soft, we swap it out before new shingles go on.
- Attics that were never vented. Many older attics have no intake or exhaust vents at all, which shortens shingle life and can drip like a leak in winter. See attic ventilation.
- Flashing older than the shingles. Old metal or tar at chimneys and walls is often reused during a reroof, and it tends to fail first.
Tornado and Wind Records Near Caledonia
NOAA’s Storm Events Database lists several tornadoes in and near Caledonia since 2010. One did significant damage to a number of buildings in the village itself, and later ones crossed nearby farmland, wrecking outbuildings and bringing down limbs in town. NOAA also notes shingles ripped off roofs near Route 173 and Caledonia Road during a thunderstorm, and hail an inch across a couple of times.
After severe weather, the damage on a rural property isn’t always on the house. Check the garage roof too, and call for a free inspection before small openings turn into leaks. See storm damage repair and wind damage repair.
Repair Now, Plan the Replacement
On a very old roof, a repair is often the right first step: it stops the leak and buys time to plan. We’ll be honest about how much life the rest of the roof has. If the shingles are failing everywhere, there are already multiple layers, or the deck is soft in several places, we’ll show you photos and explain roof replacement, including metal roofing if you’d like a roof built for the long haul. Every new roof comes with our workmanship warranty plus the GAF warranty you choose.
How a Caledonia Repair Visit Works
- Call and describe it. Where the water shows up and what the weather was doing.
- We inspect. Shingles, flashing and vents up top, then the attic and the underside of the deck.
- You see it. Photos and a written price, before anything is touched.
- We repair. Shingles matched as closely as we can, new metal flashing, and replacement boards where needed.
Roof Open After a Storm?
Call (815) 624-6278. Someone answers 24/7, and emergency tarping can be done within 24 hours. See emergency roof repair.
More for Caledonia
Our Caledonia roofing page covers everything else we do in and around the village, and Caledonia siding covers siding. We’re licensed in Illinois (104.017824), a GAF Master Elite contractor (fewer than 2% of roofers) and a certified James Hardie installer. Financing is available with payments as low as $149/month for qualified buyers. Nearby, we also repair roofs in Poplar Grove, Capron and Belvidere.
Request a free inspection or call (815) 624-6278.
Caledonia Roof Repair FAQ
My Caledonia house has three layers of shingles. Can it be repaired?
Sometimes, for a small area, but three layers make repairs harder and less reliable. We’ll show you photos and tell you honestly whether a repair will hold or whether it’s time to strip the roof and start over.
Why does my old house drip in winter when the roof isn’t damaged?
Often it’s an attic with little or no venting. Warm, moist air condenses on the cold deck and drips, or snow melts and refreezes at the eaves. We check the attic on every visit.
Can you repair the roof on my detached garage?
Yes. We repair garage roofs as well as the house, and we can look at both on the same visit.
How do I check my roof after a tornado or a bad windstorm?
From the ground, look for missing or folded shingles, debris on the roof, and loose fascia or trim. Don’t climb up. Call (815) 624-6278 for a free inspection. If the roof is open, emergency tarping can be done within 24 hours.
Is a repair worth it on a very old roof?
Often, yes, as a first step. A repair stops the leak and gives you time to plan. We’ll tell you how much life the rest of the roof has so you can decide.
