Roof Repair in Mt. Lebanon, PA
Older Mt. Lebanon homes have complex rooflines that need careful attention. Cam and Drew Kinnee inspect free and repair correctly the first time. Call 412-844-5999.
Mt. Lebanon is one of the older established municipalities in the South Hills, and the housing stock reflects that. You have pre-war Tudors with slate or clay tile, 1950s brick Colonials with chimneys on every wall, 1960s and 1970s Capes and ranches with lower-pitch roofs that accumulate ice differently than the steep Tudors, and a layer of 1980s and 1990s additions that tied into original rooflines with varying levels of care. Every one of those transitions and additions is a potential failure point. Mt. Lebanon repair calls tend to be more technically demanding than newer construction, and that suits the way we work.
Chimneys, Dormers, and Flashing on Mt. Lebanon's Older Homes
Mt. Lebanon has a lot of brick. Multi-chimney Tudors, brick sidewalls, dormers that step out of steep gable faces. All of that brick eventually needs its mortar renewed, and all of the flashing that touches brick eventually needs to be reset. Counter flashing that was bedded into mortar in 1958 is coming out now, and the water that used to stay outside is finding its way into the framing.
Our chimney and flashing repairs in Mt. Lebanon follow the correct sequence every time. We grind out the failed joint, set new reglet, install new counter flashing over new step flashing, and seal with an elastomeric product rated for the Pittsburgh freeze-thaw cycle. No caulk-over-caulk, no rope-caulk substitute, no band-aids. If the chimney crown is cracked, we rebuild it. If the saddle behind a wide chimney is missing or flattened, we build a proper cricket.
Slate and Tile Repairs in Mt. Lebanon
Some of the oldest homes in Mt. Lebanon are still on original slate or clay tile. Slate roofs installed before 1950 are often still structurally sound, with individual slates cracked or slipped rather than the system failing. The right repair is to replace the damaged slates and re-secure any that have lost their hooks or nails, not to tear off a roof that has another twenty years in it.
We work carefully on historic rooflines to match existing material where possible. If the home has been reroofed with asphalt at some point and that is what we are repairing, we work to match the existing shingle color and pattern as closely as possible. On Mt. Lebanon Tudors where the visible roof is part of the home's curb appeal, the cosmetic match matters.
Dormer and Valley Repairs on Mt. Lebanon Capes and Colonials
Dormer cheeks and the valleys that run beside them are common failure points on Mt. Lebanon Capes. The valley metal oxidizes, the shingles on either side lose granules and curl at the edge, and water that should shed out the bottom of the valley starts working under the shingles instead. When we replace a valley in Mt. Lebanon, we remove the shingles on both sides, install new metal valley liner or closed-cut shingles depending on the detail, and reinstall the shingles properly.
Additions are another common source of calls. When a 1980s addition tied into a 1955 main house, somebody had to flash that transition, and whoever did it may or may not have known what they were doing. We find a lot of improper step flashing at addition sidewalls in Mt. Lebanon, and we fix it the same way we would on new construction: every course, individually flashed.
Emergency Repair in Mt. Lebanon
Active leaks in Mt. Lebanon get same-day or next-morning attention. Call 412-844-5999. The older the house, the faster a small leak can cause significant structural damage, because the framing lumber in a 1940 Mt. Lebanon Tudor is not pressure-treated and it absorbs moisture differently than modern framing. We treat active leaks in old houses with appropriate urgency.
When to Repair vs. Replace in Mt. Lebanon
On historic homes, we lean toward repair when the underlying structure is sound and the damage is localized. Tearing off a well-built 1940s roof and replacing it with a modern system is sometimes the right answer, but not always. We give you an honest evaluation of both paths with realistic cost estimates for each.
For a straightforward roof replacement quote on a Mt. Lebanon home, or if you want to talk through gutter work while we are there, see our gutters page. Full area information including local roofer reviews and what to expect on inspection day is on our Mt. Lebanon roofing page.
Roof Repair in Mt. Lebanon, PA FAQs
Do you work on slate roofs in Mt. Lebanon?
Yes. For a roof with isolated cracked or slipped slates on an otherwise sound system, we replace individual slates and re-secure any that have lost their fasteners. We do not recommend tearing off a sound slate roof to replace it with asphalt just because individual slates have failed.
My chimney is on a 1952 Tudor. What does reflashing typically cost?
Standard brick chimney reflashing in Mt. Lebanon runs $800 to $1,800 for a typical single-flue chimney. Larger or more complex chimneys, or those that need a cricket built behind them, run $1,500 to $2,500. We inspect and give you a written number before any work starts.
How do you match shingles on a Mt. Lebanon home that was reroofed in 2005?
Exactly is usually not possible after 20 years of weathering. We source the closest available match and, when the cosmetics matter, use the technique of pulling aged shingles from a non-visible slope and installing new shingles in that location instead.
My 1960s Cape has a leak coming from the dormer. How serious is that?
Dormer leaks in older homes need prompt attention because the framing at the dormer cheek is often not as rot-resistant as modern lumber. We inspect from the attic to see how long the leak has been running and whether there is any framing damage, then repair the flashing and any damaged wood we find.
Call 412-844-5999 for a free estimate.