When a storm drops a limb on your roof in Delavan, you need two things: the opening covered and the damage fixed right. Martin Exteriors Roofing & Siding handles both from our Roscoe office at 11704 Main St. Call (815) 624-6278. The phone is answered 24/7, and emergency tarping can be done within 24 hours.
Your First Call After a Storm
Here’s what happens when you call us with water coming in:
- We take down the details. Where the water is, what hit the roof, and whether anyone is at the house.
- We cover the damage. A tarp goes over the opening within 24 hours to keep the next rain out.
- We inspect and photograph. Once the weather settles, we go over the roof and the attic and document everything we find.
- You get a written price. Then the permanent repair goes on the schedule. If hail did the damage, see our page on hail damage roof repair in Delavan.
In the meantime, keep people out of any room with a sagging or dripping ceiling, set a bucket under the drip and stay off the roof. More on emergency roof repair.
Trees, Wind and Delavan Lake
Most Delavan entries in NOAA’s Storm Events Database are about wind, and most of those describe trees and limbs coming down in town and around the lake. NOAA has also logged several tornadoes near Delavan and Delavan Lake in recent years, some of which pulled roofing off homes and farm buildings. Hail turns up less often, though the database lists hail an inch or larger in Delavan more than once.
On the wooded lots around the lake, one falling limb can crack shingles, split decking and break a rafter. We check the framing from the attic as well as the surface, because a roof that looks patched from above can still be cracked underneath. See wind damage repair and hail damage repair.
Old Houses in Town Need a Careful Hand
Delavan’s homes skew old. Census estimates put the median home in the city at 1968, about 24% of homes were built before 1940, and about 41% before 1960. In the older neighborhoods near downtown, that means roofs that have been redone several times over a century.
- Layers hiding problems. A second layer of shingles can cover soft spots in the first, so the leak you see may sit over wood that has been wet for a while.
- Board decking. Older houses often have planks instead of plywood. We replace split or rotted boards in the repair area before new shingles go on.
- Chimneys and porch roofs. Brick chimneys and low porch roofs tied into a main roof are where old tar patches usually give out first.
A Lake Home Nobody Has Checked in a While
Lots of places around Delavan Lake sit empty for stretches of the year. A small leak can soak insulation and stain drywall for weeks before anyone walks in. If you’re not at the lake, tell us when you call. We’ll photograph the roof and the attic and send you what we found, with a written price, before any repair is made.
Condos, Townhomes and Business Buildings
Only about half of the homes in Delavan are detached houses. The rest are condos, townhomes and apartment buildings, and we repair those roofs as well, including buildings run by an association. The leak doesn’t always sit over the unit with the stain, so we trace it to the source and give the owners photos and a written price. For stores and other business buildings, see commercial roof repair.
Fix It or Replace It?
A limb strike or a blown-off section on an otherwise healthy roof is a repair. When the shingles are worn across the whole roof, there are already two layers, or the deck is soft in several places, a new roof is usually the better use of your money, and we’ll show you why with photos. See roof replacement. Every new roof comes with our workmanship warranty plus the GAF warranty you choose.
More for Delavan
Visit our Delavan roofing page for the rest of what we do here, or Delavan siding if the storm hit your walls too. Martin Exteriors has been in business since 2006, is a GAF Master Elite contractor (fewer than 2% of roofers qualify) and is licensed in Wisconsin (#1436189). Financing is available with payments as low as $149/month for qualified buyers. We also repair roofs in neighboring Elkhorn and Lake Geneva.
Book your free inspection or call (815) 624-6278.
Delavan Roof Repair FAQ
A tree limb went through my roof. What should I do first?
Get everyone out of the room under the damage, then call (815) 624-6278. Someone answers 24/7, and emergency tarping can be done within 24 hours. Don’t climb up or try to pull the limb off yourself.
Can you show me the damage if I live out of town?
Yes. We photograph the roof and the attic and send you the pictures with a written repair price, so you can decide without driving up.
My older Delavan house has two layers of shingles. Can you still patch it?
Usually, for a small area. Repairs through two layers take more care because the nails have to reach solid wood. If the second layer is worn out across the roof, replacement usually makes more sense.
Do you repair condo and townhome roofs in Delavan?
Yes, including association buildings. We find where the leak starts, which isn’t always over the unit with the stain, and give the owners photos and a written price.
Can a storm damage my roof even if nothing fell on it?
Yes. Strong wind can break the seal strips that hold shingles down, and they may not blow off until a later storm. Hail can bruise shingles without knocking them loose. A free inspection with photos shows what’s there.
