Roofing Contractor in East Ridge, TN
Tear-Offs and Repairs for East Ridge's Mid-Century Homes
- Licensed & Insured
- Free Roof Inspections
- 10-Year Workmanship Warranty
Mon–Fri 7:00 AM–6:00 PM · Sat 8:00 AM–2:00 PM
East Ridge Roofing
Built Before 1970, and on Its Third or Fourth Roof
Most houses in East Ridge were here long before the interstate. About 6 in 10 were built before 1970, and the 1950s alone account for nearly a third of the city’s homes. Brick ranches, Cape Cods, and small bungalows on tight lots between Missionary Ridge and the Georgia line make up much of the town.
A house that old has outlived several roofs. By now the shingles you can see may be the third or fourth set, and what matters most is what sits beneath them: the decking, the flashing against the walls and chimney, and the way the attic breathes. Those parts were built for the roofing materials of 1955, not for the shingles going on today.
So the right answer on an older East Ridge home is usually a full roof replacement down to the wood, not another layer laid on top. Stripping every old layer is the only way to see rot around the chimney, sagging between rafters, and the nail holes left by decades of patches. It costs more up front than an overlay, and it is the reason the new roof lasts.
Under the Shingles
What We Find When an East Ridge Roof Comes Off
Pull the shingles off a mid-century house and the same problems show up again and again:
- Plank decking with gaps: many homes from this era were sheathed with 1×6 boards instead of plywood. Modern shingles need a solid surface, so gapped or split boards get covered with new 7/16-inch OSB sheathing before anything else goes down.
- Two layers already in place: the International Residential Code does not allow a new roof over two existing layers, so both come off.
- Face-nailed or tarred flashing: old patches of roofing cement where the roof meets a brick wall, which crack and let water run behind the brick.
- Little or no attic ventilation: many of these attics were never vented for today’s shingles, which then bake from below.
A repair is still the right call on plenty of East Ridge roofs. A lifted ridge cap, a cracked pipe boot, or a few missing shingles after a storm can be fixed in an afternoon with a roof repair. What we will not do is patch a roof that has failing decking underneath, because the leak simply moves a few feet over and you pay twice.
Around East Ridge
East Ridge Streets and Neighborhoods We Work In
Our crews know the brick ranches along the Ringgold Road corridor, the homes climbing Mission Ridge, the townhomes in Belvoir Hills Estates, and the older streets off Greenslake Road. If you live near Camp Jordan Park, Pioneer Frontier Park, or Parkridge East Hospital, you are a short drive from where we are already working this week.
Every East Ridge address in ZIP code 37412 gets a free inspection and a written estimate, with no trip charge.
FAQ
East Ridge Roofing Questions
My house was built in the 1950s. Can you just put new shingles over the old ones?
Only if there is a single layer in good condition, and on most homes that age there is not. Two existing layers rule out an overlay under the building code, and an overlay hides the decking and flashing problems a 70-year-old roof usually has.
What is plank decking, and does mine need to be replaced?
Plank decking is the row of 1×6 boards many older homes used instead of plywood sheets. If the boards are solid, they can often be covered with new OSB sheathing rather than torn out. Rotted boards are cut out and replaced first.
Water stains appear on the brick inside my attic. Is that the roof?
Often it is the flashing where the roof meets a brick wall or chimney. Old tar patches crack with age and let water run down behind the brick. Replacing it with proper step and counter flashing usually solves it.
Can my small ranch roof be finished in one day?
Many single-story East Ridge ranches can be torn off and reroofed in a day. Extra decking work or a second layer to remove can add a day, and your estimate will tell you which to expect.
Do you work on homes up on Mission Ridge?
Yes. The steeper lots and roofs up the ridge take more setup and safety equipment, but the inspection and written estimate are still free.
Is a metal roof a good fit for an older East Ridge house?
It can be. A metal roof is light, sheds water quickly, and suits many mid-century ranches. It still needs a solid deck and good ventilation underneath, so the same inspection comes first.
Ready for a Roof You Don't Have to Worry About?
Call now or request your free estimate. Inspections are free, estimates are in writing, and there is never any pressure to sign.