The Energy Efficient Roofer

11/03/2026

My install team from Smart Roofs is getting this house ready for solar.

10/29/2026

The leak most homeowners never look at: the flashing around the chimney.

Flashing is the metal seal where the chimney meets the roof. When it lifts or pulls away, water has a straight path in, and the inside stain can show up long after.

Three recent inspections, same pattern at three stages. In Bethel, one chimney's flashing was discolored, dark patch at the base — an early sign worth watching. On another Bethel roof, shingles lifted on both sides of the chimney, flashing bent away. The photo's own note says it plainly: "Flashing failed. Will allow water intrusion."

Same story at a pipe flashing on that roof — dark, uneven shingles at the base, noted in the photo: "Previously leaking pipe flashing."

Check yours from the ground: look for metal at the chimney base that's lifted, bent, or out of place, and staining below it. See that, get it looked at before the next heavy rain — a small detail, a big leak.

If your roof is leaking near a chimney, start there. Don't just patch the ceiling stain inside.

10/24/2026

Trunk or treat season has arrived!

10/23/2026

10/23/2026

Such a beautiful way to start the day. Absolutely blessed.

10/21/2026

On site in Monroe this morning, at a 26-unit condo complex that got hit hard by ice dams last January and February.

The complex is working with a public adjuster I introduced them to, and the two of us met the insurance company's adjuster out here today — six months after the damage. The roofs couldn't be fixed in the meantime. The insurer has to see the damage before they'll pay to repair it, and they hadn't come out until now.

That's the part that surprises people. Even with a clear event and real damage, you still have to prove the loss. And it's why I'd be careful with anyone promising a free roof off a marginal storm. File a claim that doesn't hold up and you can walk away with a denial and higher premiums. Free isn't always free.

This damage was real, and it was documented from the start. That's what makes the difference.

10/20/2026

Finished this one in Redding a few weeks ago.

Two layers came off. Under them, the vaulted ceiling had foam board insulation and no plywood — nothing solid for nails to bite into. That's how a lot of these vaulted ceilings were built, and just shingling over it leaves you with a roof that isn't really attached to anything.

We added proper plywood per code, and it took 6-inch screws to reach the framing through the foam board. Skylights got special-ordered copper flashing. The house only had gable vents, so we upgraded to ventilated soffit to vent the roof properly — that's what prevents the ice dams he was experiencing. New fascia too. The siding has insulation built in too. Gutters matched to the black roof, leaders white to blend with the board and batten. All new flashing everywhere else, as always.

If your house has a vaulted ceiling, ask what's under your shingles before the next roof goes on. The answer matters more than the shingle you pick.

10/19/2026

Three homes this morning driving through Newtown.

Zoom in on the roofs and you can see it — the frost isn't even. Bare patches where it already melted, frost still sitting everywhere else. That's insulation issues. Heat escaping from inside, melting the frost from underneath.

If the house was very well ventilated it would be harder to see. Good ventilation keeps the roof deck cold and the frost even. When you can read the bare spots like this, the attic isn't doing its job.

The third house is the best-insulated of the three — newer construction. But look close and you can still see heat transfer through the framing, the lines where the studs carry heat to the roof deck.

This happens in your walls too. That's why insulated siding can save so much money while also making the home look great.

Same test as Saturday: look at your roof before the sun hits it. Patchy frost is your roadmap.

07/15/2026

More photos from my build post today. Details matter. This one came out beautifully