Exterior
Roofing in Anchorage
Tear-offs, re-roofs, and repairs built for Anchorage snow load, with the ventilation detail that keeps ice dams from forming.
A roof in Anchorage carries snow for six months, sheds meltwater in April, and takes wind off the Inlet the rest of the year. Roofs here rarely fail because the shingles wore out. They fail at the edges, at the penetrations, and because the attic underneath was not vented well enough to stay cold.
We do full tear-offs, re-roofs, and repairs, and we look at the attic before we quote a roof. If the ventilation is wrong, a new roof buys you a few years and the ice dams come right back.
Architectural asphalt is the practical default for most of the bowl. Standing seam metal is worth the money on steep pitches and in the wind-exposed areas of the Hillside and Eagle River.
Scope
What the Job Covers
Full tear-off
Down to the deck so we can see what we are covering. Soft or delaminated sheathing gets replaced, and we tell you before we do it.
Underlayment and ice barrier
Self-adhering ice and water membrane at the eaves, valleys, and penetrations, run far enough up the slope to matter in an Anchorage winter.
Shingles or metal
Architectural asphalt or standing seam, installed to the manufacturer's fastening pattern so the warranty is real.
Flashing and penetrations
Step flashing at walls, proper boots on plumbing stacks, and chimney and skylight flashing done as flashing rather than as caulk.
Ventilation
Intake at the soffit and exhaust at the ridge, balanced. This is the part that decides whether you get ice dams.
Repairs and leak diagnosis
Finding the actual entry point, which is usually uphill of where the stain is on your ceiling.
Alaska specific
Ice Dams Are a Ventilation Problem, Not a Roofing Problem
An ice dam forms when the middle of your roof is warm enough to melt snow and the eave is cold enough to refreeze it. The water backs up under the shingles and comes through the ceiling. Heat cable on the eave manages the symptom.
The fix is keeping the roof deck cold: air sealing the ceiling plane, adequate insulation depth, and balanced intake and exhaust ventilation. On most Anchorage homes that means clearing blocked soffit vents that insulation was blown over years ago, and adding ridge venting.
We check all of that before quoting a re-roof, because putting new shingles over the same conditions gets you the same leak in a different year.
How it runs
From Estimate to Punch List
- 01
Roof and attic inspection
We get on the roof and into the attic. Ventilation, insulation depth, and existing damage all change the scope.
- 02
Written scope
What is being torn off, what deck repair is included per sheet, what flashing is being replaced, and what the ventilation plan is.
- 03
Tear-off and dry-in
We tear off only what we can dry in the same day. Anchorage weather does not reward optimism.
- 04
Finish and cleanup
Shingles, ridge, flashing, then a magnet sweep of the whole yard and driveway for nails.
Questions
Roofing FAQs
How long does a roof last in Anchorage?
+
Architectural asphalt typically runs twenty to thirty years here. Standing seam metal goes well past forty. Both numbers assume the attic is vented properly, because a warm deck ages a roof from underneath.
Can you roof in the winter?
+
Repairs, yes. Full tear-offs, only in a dry cold stretch, and asphalt shingles need to be warm enough to seal or they will not bond until spring. We would rather schedule a re-roof between May and September.
How do I know if I need a new roof or a repair?
+
If the failure is at a penetration, a valley, or a flashing detail and the field of the roof is still sound, it is a repair. If the granules are gone across whole slopes or the deck is soft, it is a re-roof. We will tell you which one you have, including when the answer is the cheaper one.
Will you find rotten sheathing?
+
Sometimes, especially along the eaves on homes that have had ice dams. We include an allowance for a number of sheets in the estimate and show you anything beyond that before we replace it.
We handle roofing throughout Anchorage, Eagle River, Chugiak, Girdwood, Palmer, Wasilla.
Related
Often Done Together
Gutters & Skylights
Gutter installation, downspout routing that actually moves water away from the foundation, and skylight installation and reflashing.
Learn more
Siding
New siding and siding repair with house wrap, flashing, and trim detailing that keeps wind-driven rain out of the wall.
Learn more
Framing & Carpentry
Structural framing, wall removal with proper headers, stairs, and finish carpentry, engineered for Anchorage snow and seismic load.
Learn more
Windows & Doors
Replacement windows and exterior doors installed and flashed properly, sized for an Alaska heating season.
Learn moreReady to Talk About roofing?
Free estimates throughout Anchorage, Eagle River, and the Mat-Su.