A leaking or fogged skylight is one of the more anxious roofing problems for an island homeowner, because it sits at the intersection of two systems: the glass unit itself and the roof it penetrates. On the San Juan Islands, with roughly 40 inches of annual rain, wind-driven storms, and salt air working on every metal component, a skylight problem rarely stays small if it is ignored. The core question is always the same. Do you repair the skylight you have, or replace it en
A roof estimate should be a clear map of the work, the materials, and the money. Too often it is a single number scrawled on a business card, and homeowners find out too late that "the price" quietly excluded the tear-off, the flashing, or the dumpster. Getting an accurate estimate is a skill you can learn, and it pays off directly in fewer surprises and better negotiating footing. This guide walks you through how to prepare, what to ask, and how to compare bids like a prof
If you have an asphalt shingle roof, those tiny colored granules coating each shingle are not there for looks alone. They are the roof's sunscreen. The mineral surfacing shields the asphalt binder underneath from ultraviolet light, deflects heat, and adds fire and impact resistance. When granules start washing into your gutters faster than normal, the roof is telling you something. In the San Juan Islands, where roughly 40 inches of rain a year and salt-laden air work again
Most homeowners in the San Juan Islands think of their roof as a shield against the weather above it. That is only half the story. The air trapped underneath the deck matters just as much, and on islands that soak up roughly 40 inches of rain a year, poor ventilation quietly rots more roofs than any single storm. If you have ever seen a green carpet of moss creeping up a north slope or found a soft, spongy patch of plywood during a repair, ventilation was probably part of t