What r/Roofing keeps coming back to
Complaints raised here by more than one person. One-off posts are not included.
77 recurring problems · 400 threads read · read since September 2026 · Reddit
Raised more than once here
Most people first.
- 75How do I identify if these bugs are bed bugs?“My brother has a ranch in South America where the roof got infested with bats, mostly because he has tons of fruit trees too close to the property. They pooped so much that it rotted the wood and the ceiling caved in with like a thousand pounds of poop falling on my nephew's bed, he wasn't in the room but all his stuff got destroyed.”
- 55How to fix a leaking water pipe in a tight space“Super heavy rains this AM noticed a bead of water coming from this pipe which drains under my master bath.”
- 54How to handle a bad contractor who won't fix poor work“Since I'm starting to lose confidence in what was done...”
- 37How do I know if a contractor quote is fair?“Looking for input if this is a reasonable quote from a local roofing company.”
- 36Why are contractor and window replacement quotes so absurdly high?“Got 3 quotes for a full roof in San Francisco,first quote 42k, second quote 35k, and last quote $200k!!”
- 33How to find reliable contractors who actually show up“My fear is that the ridge vent or the patching will leak, and I will be SOL.”
- 27How do I know if I can DIY a repair or need a pro?“Is this as easy as slapping new ridge cap shingles and sealing it with roofing cement? Or do we call a roofer to fix?”
- 24How to tell if a damaged roof needs replacing before winter“Just moved to a new house and my inspector flagged the roof as in need of repair. We did call a few companies for advice and based on these images they recommend re-roofing to be safe for the winter. Now the problem is, that money is currently tight and we are looking to understand if this needs to be done before the winter, we do get a good amount of snow up here.”
- 23How to fix previous owner DIY nightmares“Having gone through one roof and walked on 100s each year, you know when you're in danger.”
- 22Water keeps getting in the house during heavy rain“I notice water travelling down to the basement along the chimney.”
- 20Sump pump dumping water back near the foundation“But at moment I am getting ponding at the eaves where the roof membrane is almost level with the height of the fascia.”
- 18How to get a contractor to fix damage they caused“So we are having an issue with the roofing company coming back out to adjust our gutters.”
- 18How to find hidden home defects after buying“I called a roofer (who was GREAT), and it was his opinion that NO shingles were ever laid in this spot. He cited, “no adhesive residue from ice and water shield, no staples from underlayment, no nail holes””
- 16How to handle a mechanic who messed up brake repairs“Our 1995 barn roof started leaking in 2021. Had two roofers for advice—both said the first step was to replace the screws. We went with a highly-rated local roofer and they replaced the screws in 10/2024 for $4K. Leaks persisted.”
- 15Water dripping from electrical switches behind walls“I have spent the last couple of weeks trying to track down a leak.”
- 14How to tell if roof flashing is installed wrong“Is this done correctly?”
- 13How to start a business with no industry experience“Now I am thinking how hard would it be to start my own company? I have my own LLC, ladder, couger paws. But up until getting the ACV check, I have no idea what to do. I do not know how to supplement, I don't quite understand how much subcontractors bring to the table, I don't know what I don't know.”
- 13How to tell if a new roof was installed correctly“I feel like moisture could easily get behind these and just create more rot in a different spot.”
- 12How to find where a roof leak is actually coming from“Help me figure out where this leak is coming in.”
- 10HVAC lineset leaking through the roof“Within the last year we've noticed a ceiling drip in a spot in the house below a roof location with HVAC lineset running through.”
What this forum worries about more than the rest
How much more often a topic shows up here than across every forum we read.
roof leak37.4×bad workmanship37.4×poor workmanship37.4×diy vs professional37.4×