Thinking about a new roof for your Milton home? Martin Exteriors Roofing & Siding is a GAF Master Elite contractor, a status held by fewer than 2% of roofers. Most roofs are done in a day, we install year round, and every job starts with a free inspection. Call (815) 624-6278 to set one up.
From Historic Downtown Homes to Newer Subdivisions
Milton has deep roots. Joseph Goodrich settled here in 1839, and the Milton House he built in 1844 still stands at the corner downtown. The streets around it hold frame houses with steep gables, porches, dormers and brick chimneys, and a lot of them have been reroofed more than once.
Census estimates put about a quarter of Milton’s homes before 1940. Many of them sit in the older blocks around the Milton House and the historic Milton College campus. Those roofs tend to be steep and cut up, with dormers and porches.
Head out toward the edges of the city along WIS 26 and WIS 59 and you find newer subdivisions with simpler roofs and wider slopes. Those homes are often still on their first set of shingles. A roof replacement looks different on each, so we plan the job around the house you actually have.
What Goes Into a Martin Roof
- Tear off. All old layers come off down to the deck.
- Deck check. We walk the bare deck and replace soft or broken boards.
- Ice and water shield on every eave. Also in valleys and around chimneys and walls.
- A full GAF system. Underlayment, starter, shingles and ridge caps from one maker, built to work together.
- Ventilation. We balance intake at the soffits with exhaust at the ridge. See attic ventilation.
- New flashing. Chimney, wall and vent flashing is replaced, not reused.
Older Milton Homes: What We Look For
On the older houses near downtown, the roof often tells a long story. Here is what we check for before we quote:
- More than one layer. A second layer of shingles adds weight and hides what is going on underneath. Both come off.
- Plank decking. Many older roofs sit on boards with gaps between them instead of plywood. We tell you up front if new sheathing is needed so a new roof has a solid base.
- Chimneys. Old brick chimneys need new flashing and sometimes a cricket behind them so water does not pool.
- Attic airflow. Many older attics were never vented well, which bakes shingles in summer and builds ice at the eaves in winter.
Replacement Day and Winter Installs
Most Milton roofs are done in a day. We protect the yard, driveway and landscaping with tarps before the tear off, run magnets for nails when we finish, and haul everything away. A steep, cut up roof on an older house can need longer, and weather can move the start. We do year round installs, so a roof that is failing in December does not have to wait until spring.
Warranty and Financing
Every Martin roof can carry a 50-year GAF warranty with up to 30 years on workmanship (GAF eligibility rules apply). See our GAF warranty page for details. Financing runs as low as $149/month for qualified buyers; see financing options.
Why Milton Homeowners Hire Martin
- Since 2006, we have helped thousands of homeowners.
- GAF Master Elite and recognized by GAF with 2-Star President’s Club.
- CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster.
- Best Roofer 6 Years Running.
- Open 24/7, and inspections are free for everyone.
More for Milton
See our Milton roofing page, Milton roof repair and Milton siding. Just south, read about roof replacement in Janesville, look at a roof and siding example from Janesville, or see our main roof replacement page. Milton is about 45 minutes from our Roscoe office, and we schedule Milton jobs so the whole tear off and install happens in one visit for most roofs. Book a free inspection or call (815) 624-6278.
Milton Roof Replacement FAQ
What do you find under the shingles on older Milton homes?
On the older houses near the Milton House and the old college campus, we often find board decking instead of plywood, flashing that has been reused through more than one reroof, and chimneys with no cricket behind them. We photograph what we find and fix it before the new roof goes on.
Can you replace a roof that has two layers of shingles on it?
Yes. We tear off both layers down to the deck, check the wood, and then install the new roof. Leaving an old layer under a new one hides problems and shortens the life of the new shingles.
How do you protect the yard and driveway during a tear off?
We lay tarps over landscaping and the driveway, keep debris going into the dumpster, and run magnets over the yard for nails when the job is done.
Which GAF shingle fits a Milton home best?
Most homes do well with the GAF Timberline line, and Class 4 impact resistant shingles are an option if hail is a worry. We bring samples to the free inspection so you can see the colors against your house.
Can a new roof help with ice along the eaves?
Yes. Many older Milton attics were never vented well, and that trapped warmth is what melts snow and feeds ice at the edge. A new Martin roof gets balanced intake and exhaust plus ice and water shield on every eave, so ice is less likely to form and water behind it cannot reach the deck.
