Winter Roof Emergencies

Ice dams, snow load on flat roofs, ponding and snowmelt ponding, ice-choked drainage, freeze-thaw damage to chimneys, parapets and party-wall flashing, wind-driven snow, and thaw or rain-on-snow leaks. In Union City's flat-roof blocks, snow load and ponding lead; on pitched roofs in North Bergen, Weehawken and Secaucus, ice dams lead.

When water is entering, the roof is open to weather with more snow or rain coming, or it is sagging under snow load. Also urgent: an ice dam already leaking inside, or ice-choked drainage backing water up. Ice on eaves with no leak yet, moss, and general wear are scheduled, not urgent.

Because of the building stock and the weather together. Union City is dense, attached, flat-roof rowhouses, much of it older stock. Flat roofs don't shed snow and water — they hold it. About 30–35 inches of snow a year, plus 10–20 nor'easters a year, so snow load builds up repeatedly. January averages around 40°F / 25°F, meaning constant freeze-thaw cycling around 32°F. That cracks masonry, opens

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The core service area is Hudson County, NJ — these 5 towns, which have their own town pages on the site: Union City — 07087 West New York — 07093 North Bergen — 07047 Secaucus — 07094 Weehawken — 07086