Meet the Expert: Mike Munoz of Fox Valley Roofing & Restoration

Protecting homes for Over 25 Years

Your roof is one of those parts of your home that's easy to forget about—until something goes wrong.

Illinois roofs endure summer heat, thunderstorms, hail, high winds, heavy rain, snow, ice, and repeated freeze-thaw cycles. A small roofing problem that goes unnoticed can eventually become damaged insulation, rotten decking, stained ceilings, or an expensive interior repair.

This month, The Shiny Bubble sat down with Mike Munoz of Fox Valley Roofing & Restoration, with more than 25 years of experience in roof inspections, repairs, storm damage, and complete roof replacement, to learn what homeowners should be watching for—and when a roof actually needs to be replaced.

Mike: Waiting for a leak.

People assume that if there's no water dripping from the ceiling, the roof must be fine. Unfortunately, that's not always true.

Water can get underneath shingles, around flashing, or through a small penetration and travel along the roof decking or framing before you ever see a stain inside the house.

By the time you see water on your ceiling, the problem may have existed for months.

A roof should be inspected periodically, particularly after a major storm. Finding a small problem early can mean the difference between a straightforward repair and replacing decking, insulation, drywall, and possibly much more.

Mike: A completely new roof every time there's a problem.

We're a roofing company—we install roofs—but that doesn't mean replacement should automatically be the first recommendation.

A few damaged shingles, a flashing problem, a leaking pipe boot, or another localized issue may be repairable if the rest of the roof is still in good condition.

That's why a proper inspection matters.

A good roofer should be able to tell you: Can we repair it? How much useful life is realistically left? And at what point does replacement make more financial sense?

Mike: Flashing.

Anywhere the roof changes direction or meets something else—chimneys, walls, skylights, vents—you have areas that need to be properly flashed and sealed.

A small flashing failure may let only a little water through during certain storms, so homeowners sometimes ignore the occasional stain.

That's a mistake.

Water intrusion doesn't fix itself. If moisture keeps getting into the roof system, eventually you're dealing with rotten wood and interior damage instead of a roofing repair.

Mike: I'd recommend homeowners visually inspect their roof and drainage system at least twice a year—spring and fall—and after significant hail or wind events.

That doesn't mean climbing onto the roof yourself.

Walk around the property. Look for missing or damaged shingles. Check whether gutters are pulling away. Look for excessive granules coming through the downspouts. Look at flashing and roof penetrations from the ground where possible.

Inside, check the attic periodically for moisture, staining, or signs that water has been entering.

If something doesn't look right, have a professional inspect it.

Mike: Keep the roof and gutters clean.

Leaves, sticks, pine needles, and other debris trap moisture. Clogged gutters can also cause water to back up instead of moving away from the roof and foundation.

And don't forget the downspouts. Cleaning the gutter doesn't accomplish much if the downspout is plugged.

Water should have a clear path from the roof, into the gutter, through the downspout, and away from the house.

Mike: There are quite a few.

Look for missing, lifted, cracked, or curling shingles. Watch for excessive shingle granules collecting in gutters or around downspout discharge areas.

Inside the home, look for ceiling stains, peeling paint, musty odors, or discoloration in the attic.

Also pay attention to gutters and fascia. If a gutter suddenly begins sagging or an area of fascia looks deteriorated, there's usually a reason.

The important thing is noticing changes. Your home will often give you clues before a major failure occurs.

Mike: Homes with complicated rooflines.

Dormers, valleys, skylights, chimneys, multiple additions, and areas where one roof intersects another create additional opportunities for water intrusion.

Mature trees are another consideration. They're beautiful, but branches rubbing against shingles and leaves collecting on the roof can cause problems.

And older homes sometimes have several generations of repairs performed by different contractors. That's when a thorough inspection becomes particularly valuable.

Mike: The products have improved significantly.

Today's homeowners have better shingles, improved underlayments, ice-and-water protection, ventilation products, flashing systems, and a much wider selection of colors and architectural styles.

But I'd emphasize one thing: a premium shingle doesn't compensate for poor installation.

The materials you see are only part of a roofing system. Deck preparation, underlayment, flashing, ventilation, fastening, and proper installation are what allow those materials to perform.

I'd take a properly installed quality roofing system over an expensive shingle installed poorly every time.

Mike: Walk around your house and look up.

Most homeowners look at their landscaping, driveway, siding, and windows every day—but rarely look closely at their roof.

Look at the shingles. Look at your gutters. Look at your chimney and flashing. Look for tree branches touching the roof.

Then look at where your downspouts discharge.

Five minutes walking around your house after a heavy rain can tell you a surprising amount about how your roofing and drainage systems are performing.

Mike: After 25 years, you learn never to assume what's underneath a roof.

We've opened roofs expecting a fairly straightforward replacement and discovered old repairs, multiple layers of materials, deteriorated decking, abandoned vents, and places where previous owners apparently decided that roofing cement could fix just about anything.

Sometimes the homeowner bought the house years earlier and had absolutely no idea what was underneath those shingles.

That's why you don't really know the complete condition of an older roofing system until you inspect it properly.

Mike: When the problem has moved from the outside of the house to the inside.

A missing shingle is a roofing problem.

Water-damaged decking, wet insulation, damaged drywall, stained ceilings, and mold or moisture problems can become a whole-house problem.

Another big one is gutters. People don't always think of gutters as part of protecting the roof, but managing water is critical.

If gutters are packed with leaves and debris, water isn't going where the house was designed to send it.

Don't wait for water damage to tell you something isn't working.

Mike: Get the water-management system around your house ready.

Make sure the roof is in good condition. Have damaged shingles or flashing repaired. Get leaves and organic debris off the roof. Clean the gutters and make sure every downspout is flowing properly.

Then check where that water goes when it reaches the ground.

Once temperatures drop, snow, ice, and freeze-thaw cycles make small problems much harder to address.

Fall maintenance is much easier than an emergency roof repair in January.

Mike: Don't choose a roofer based on price alone.

Ask how long they've been in business. Ask who's actually doing the work. Ask about insurance, warranties, materials, ventilation, flashing, cleanup, and exactly what's included in the proposal.

And be cautious of anyone who looks at your roof for five minutes and immediately tells you the entire thing needs to be replaced.

A good roofing contractor should be willing to repair a roof when a repair makes sense—and recommend replacement when it doesn't.

After 25 years, we've learned that earning the next phone call is more important than making the biggest sale today.

Don’t wait for a leak to tell you your roof has a problem.

Regular inspections, clean gutters, clear downspouts, and a quick check after major storms can catch small issues before they become expensive interior damage. As winter approaches, a little fall maintenance can go a long way toward protecting your home.

Look up, look around, and address small problems before they become big ones.