Roofers in Highland Park, Pittsburgh
Highland Park grew up as a streetcar suburb on 748 acres around the park that shares its name, with the Allegheny River along its north side. The houses are big and tall, set farther apart than city rowhouses, and on homes this size the top floor often sits right under the roof slope.
Ice dams over the top floor
When rooms sit right under the roof, warm air from them reaches the underside of the deck. Snow melts there, runs down to the cold eaves and freezes again, and the ridge of ice it builds holds back the next melt. That water backs up under the shingles or slate and turns up as a stain on a knee wall or a drip beside a dormer window.
Knocking the ice off treats the symptom. The lasting fixes are under the roof: sealing the gaps where warm air leaks into the roof space, adding insulation where it is thin, and giving outside air a clear path from the eaves to the ridge. When the roof covering is renewed, ice and water shield along the eaves and valleys adds a second line of defense. See ice dam removal and roof ventilation for how we handle each.
The whole neighborhood is the Highland Park Residential Historic District, listed on the National Register in 2007. New vents usually fit best on a rear slope or along the ridge. If a change would show from the street, ask the city whether any review applies before work starts.
Areas we cover in Highland Park
- Negley Avenue
- Highland Avenue up to the reservoir
- Stanton Avenue
- Bryant Street
- King Avenue and Cordova Street
What our roofers do in Highland Park
Here is everything our crew handles for homes and buildings in Highland Park.
- repairs from our Pittsburgh roofers
- new roofs from our roofers
- help with roof leaks
- emergency roofers
- slate roofers in Pittsburgh
- rowhouse rubber roofs
- metal roofing in Pittsburgh
- small commercial roofs
- seamless gutters in Pittsburgh
- soffit and fascia work
- roof inspection in Pittsburgh
- ice dam removal
- roof ventilation
Planning a roof job in Highland Park
Houses here stand a little apart, which usually leaves room for ladders at the sides, but a tall front gable may need staging. Tell us about park-side trees near the roof, since limbs should be cut back before the crew arrives. Inside the City of Pittsburgh, permit questions go to the Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections. We check what your job needs before we start.
For budgets and decisions, see our roof insurance guide.
Questions for roofers in Highland Park
Why do ice dams form over the top floor of a Highland Park house?
Warm air from the rooms under the roof melts the snow from below. The water refreezes at the cold eaves, and that ice holds back the next melt. Sealing air leaks and venting the roof space are the lasting fixes.
Can roofers add vents to a house in the Highland Park historic district?
Usually, yes. Ridge vents and vents on a rear slope are hard to see from the street. If a change would show from the front, ask the city whether any review applies first.
Do ice dams go away on their own?
They melt when the weather warms, but they come back with the next snow if the attic stays warm. Water can get in while the ice sits there, so fix the cause, not just the ice.
Do gutters cause ice dams?
Not on their own. Ice builds in gutters because the roof above is melting snow from underneath. Gutters packed with leaves make it worse, so clear them before winter.