Springfield, MA · 01103 · 01104 · 01105 · 01107 …

Roofing in Springfield, MA: ice dams, historic slate and storm repair

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Repairs and full replacements
Ice dams, snow load and storm damage
Slate, asphalt and low-slope work

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Springfield, MA

Local service in Springfield

roofing in Springfield

Springfield Roofing takes roofing calls for Springfield, MA around the clock, and each request goes to a technician. A same-day visit is possible only when a technician is free, so a call that describes the roof, the leak or the storm damage, and the street it sits on, is the quickest way to start.

Springfield is the Hampden County shire town and the city at the heart of the Pioneer Valley, the stretch of the Connecticut River valley that runs through western Massachusetts. It was settled in 1636 and has 17 neighborhoods, from the dense, pre-1940 South End, Six Corners, Old Hill and Memorial Square out to Sixteen Acres, the city's largest and most recently built. A call here might come from a multi-family building on a narrow side street or from a suburban house with a long pitched roof, and the questions a technician asks differ between the two.

Phones are answered 24/7. A technician is sent when one is free, and a same-day visit happens only then. No arrival time is promised on this page or on the call. If a ceiling is stained or dripping, move what you can and keep clear of the area below it. If a storm has damaged the roof, stay off it and off ladders, and describe what you can see from the ground.

City: Springfield, MA
County: Hampden County
ZIP codes: 01103, 01104, 01105, 01107, 01108, 01109, 01118, 01119, 01128, 01129
Hours: Call to reach a local roofer

Popular here

Most requested services in Springfield

Multi-Family and Three-Decker Roofing in Springfield

A little under half of Springfield housing is owner-occupied, so many roofs here sit on rental and multi-family buildings where access and tenant timing come up early.

Historic District Roof Work in Springfield

Exterior work on McKnight and Ridgewood streets needs Historical Commission approval before it starts, so the paperwork comes before the ladder.

Slate Roof Repair and Replacement in Springfield

Slate on the 1870 to 1900 houses in McKnight is usually worth repairing, and the nails often decide how long the repair lasts.

Ice Dam Prevention and Repair in Springfield

The cold eaves of older Springfield houses are where the state ice barrier rule and attic heat loss meet.

Roof Snow Load and Snow Removal in Springfield

Heavy wet snow on flat and low-pitched roofs in the valley calls for shaving to 2 or 3 inches, not scraping down to the shingles.

Storm Damage Roof Repair in Springfield

The 1 June 2011 tornado crossed the river near Memorial Avenue, so storm damage in the south side and downtown has a local benchmark.

Today in Springfield

Local weather drives activity here: heat, humidity and rain change what shows up week to week.

Call (833) 751-2102

Why do Springfield roofs ice up at the eaves?

Ice dams start inside the house. Heat leaking through gaps in the ceiling and attic floor warms the underside of the roof, snow melts, and the meltwater runs down to the cold eave and refreezes. The ice builds into a dam that holds water back under the shingles. The Massachusetts state handout names four causes: too little insulation, air leakage, heat sources in the attic such as ductwork, and uneven snow depth. Its advice is to seal air leaks before adding insulation, which means an energy assessment first, then attic air sealing and attic-floor insulation. The ice dam causes and cures guide goes into the detail.

Where the state building code applies, the eave needs an ice barrier. The rule is triggered where the average daily January temperature is 25°F or less, or where ice can form along the eaves and back up water. The barrier is either two layers of underlayment cemented together or a self-adhering polymer-modified bitumen sheet, run from the eave edge to not less than 24 inches inside the exterior wall line, over solid sheathing. The building inspector confirms how far it must go on a given address. Flat and low-pitched roofs carry the most snow risk. The state's guidance is to shave snow to 2 or 3 inches rather than scrape to bare shingles, use a plastic shovel, avoid ladders on icy ground, and never stand on a roof to clear it. Ice dam removal and prevention covers the repair side.

Which permits and credentials apply in Springfield?

Massachusetts has no roofing license. Two separate credentials can apply, and neither replaces the other. Home Improvement Contractor registration covers contractors working on existing, owner-occupied homes of one to four units, and the contractor who signs the contract with the homeowner must hold it. The roof-covering specialty of the Construction Supervisor License is an examined license covering roof installation, repair and removal on smaller buildings, but it stops short of structural roof work. For new or replacement roofing, the state's work table generally lists the specialty license, HIC registration and a building permit. The two credentials need not sit with the same person, so the person on the roof and the person who signs the contract may hold different ones. Ask for both and check what each covers. The Massachusetts license guide sets out the difference.

The Springfield Building Division sits within Code Enforcement at 70 Tapley Street and issues the building permits. Permits must be in hand before construction starts, and once a complete application and plans are submitted, review should not take longer than 30 days. The city's own one- and two-family application warns that an owner who pulls a permit for their own work, or who hires a contractor not registered in the HIC program, has no access to the state arbitration program or the guaranty fund. The permit fee is set by the city's current schedule, so ask the Building Division for the figure. The permit guide walks through the paperwork.

What changes on a historic street?

Springfield has several local historic districts. McKnight is a Victorian district of houses built from 1870 to 1900 and was listed on the National Register in 1976. Forest Park Heights, created in 1975, has turn-of-the-century housing around Olmsted's park. Ridgewood, declared in 1977, is largely 1890 to 1910, and was built chiefly by the developer William McKnight. In these districts the Springfield Historical Commission must approve exterior work before it begins. Ordinary maintenance, and work not visible from a public street or park, can go through a certificate of non-applicability with no public hearing. Other exterior changes need a Certificate of Appropriateness, and a Certificate of Hardship is a separate route that requires supporting material. The Commission has seven mayor-appointed members and meets on the first and third Thursdays.

Older roofs on these streets are often slate. The National Park Service advises repairing slate rather than replacing it wherever possible. Slates most commonly used in the late 1800s and early 1900s last 60 to 125 years, and NPS Interpretive Technical Series No. 32 says some last as long as 150. Fasteners should be solid copper or stainless steel, because plain steel and galvanized nails usually rust out first, and rusting cut nails from the 19th century are a common cause of slate loss. Roofing mastic is not a repair, since it hardens, cracks and lets water in. When 20 percent or more of the slates on a slope are broken, cracked, missing or sliding out of position, replacing the slope is usually less costly than individual repairs. Historic district roofing covers work on these streets.

What did the 2011 tornado and the 1936 flood leave behind?

On 1 June 2011 an EF3 tornado crossed the Connecticut River near the Memorial Avenue bridge and wrecked the south side of downtown. NOAA's storm events record gives a path of about 38 miles, touching down in Westfield and passing through West Springfield and Springfield before moving east, with an estimated 70 minutes on the ground. NOAA attributes three direct deaths to the storm and reports about 1,400 houses damaged or destroyed, roughly 300 of them destroyed. The South End was badly damaged, and roof work on the city's older streets still reflects that summer.

The 1936 flood put five square miles of the city under water and left 20,000 people homeless, which is why the low-lying blocks along the river carry that history. After a storm, what an insurance policy pays depends on the policy wording and the cause of the damage. Ask the insurer before work starts, and keep photographs of the roof and the damage. A technician can then explain what the roof needs and what it may not.

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Coverage

Where we work in Springfield

Neighborhoods we cover

Dense pre-1940 south-side housing
Victorian houses in the McKnight district
Turn-of-the-century streets around Forest Park
Suburban-style housing in Sixteen Acres
Former mill-town houses in Indian Orchard
Low-lying blocks near the Connecticut River

Landmarks and main roads

Forest Park and Frederick Law Olmsted's 735-acre park
The McKnight district
The Memorial Avenue bridge over the Connecticut River
The Connecticut River floodplain

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Confirm coverage for your Springfield address

Springfield ZIP codes we cover: 01103, 01104, 01105, 01107, 01108, 01109, 01118, 01119, 01128, 01129. Type yours to confirm, or just call.

Nearby

Also serving areas near Springfield

East Longmeadow

ZIP 01028

Indian Orchard

ZIP 01151

Longmeadow

ZIP 01106

Agawam

ZIP 01001

FAQ

Springfield FAQs

Does Springfield, MA require a roofing license?

Massachusetts does not issue a roofing license. Two separate credentials can apply: HIC registration for contractors working on existing owner-occupied homes of one to four units, and the roof-covering specialty of the Construction Supervisor License for examined roof work. Ask who will be on the roof and who will sign the contract, and ask to see the documents that cover the job.

How quickly will someone come out?

Phones are answered 24/7. A technician is sent when one is free, and a same-day visit is possible only when a technician is free. No arrival time is promised on this page or on the call.

Do I need a building permit to replace a roof in Springfield?

For new or replacement roofing, the state's work table generally lists a building permit alongside the specialty license and HIC registration. In Springfield, permits come from the Building Division at 70 Tapley Street and must be obtained before construction begins. The fee is set by the city's current schedule.

Is my house in a local historic district?

Only the Springfield Historical Commission can say that for a specific property, and this site will not guess. Exterior work in a district needs Commission approval before it starts. Ordinary maintenance that is not visible from a public street or park can go through a certificate of non-applicability.

What should a written roofing contract include in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts requires a written contract for residential contracting work over $1,000 under M.G.L. c. 142A, section 2. It must describe the work and materials, state the total price and set out a payment schedule. A deposit taken before work starts may not exceed the greater of one third of the total contract price or the actual cost of special-order materials ordered in advance.