What does a roofer look for on an aging cedar roof in Airdrie?

Splitting shingles, soft spots underfoot and daylight showing through the deck are the three things a roofer zeros in on first when assessing an aging cedar shake roof. In Airdrie's climate, those signs tend to arrive faster than homeowners expect.

What a Cedar Shake Inspection Actually Covers

Shake condition is the starting point. A roofer looks for shakes that have split along the grain, curled at the tips, gone grey and brittle, or lost so much thickness that water can track underneath. Calgary's region sits at roughly 1,045 metres elevation with dry air, and Airdrie shares that exposure: shakes dry out and crack between seasons, then absorb snowmelt during chinooks. A roofer will check whether the splits are cosmetic or whether water has been sitting in them long enough to rot the shake below.

The deck underneath matters just as much. Cedar shake is typically installed over spaced strapping rather than solid sheathing, which means a roofer needs to look at each board for soft spots, delamination or rot. Soft spots underfoot during an inspection are a red flag that the damage has moved past the shakes themselves. Deck replacement adds roughly $65 to $130 per 4 by 8 sheet beyond the basic labour, so knowing the deck's condition before signing a contract matters.

Eave protection and underlayment are checked next. The National Building Code requires eave protection extending at least 900 mm up the slope to a line at least 300 mm inside the inner face of the exterior wall. On an older cedar roof, this layer is often a basic felt that has dried out or torn. A roofer will note whether it is still intact or whether water has been reaching the deck directly.

Flashings and valleys are common leak points. Step flashings at dormers and chimneys corrode or pull away from the wall over time. Valley metal on cedar roofs can hold debris and stay damp, accelerating rust. A roofer checks whether the flashing can be reused or needs replacement, which affects the quote significantly.

The attic rounds out the picture. A roofer or the homeowner can check from inside for water stains, frost on the sheathing in winter, or daylight showing through gaps. Poor attic ventilation is a common companion to an aging cedar roof and contributes to ice dams during Airdrie's freeze-thaw cycles.

On permits: if the inspection leads to a like-for-like cedar replacement, the City of Airdrie does not require a building permit under Alberta's Permit Regulation, provided there is no structural change. Switching to a different material type, such as asphalt or metal, is worth confirming with the City of Airdrie before signing anything, and the contract should spell out who arranges any permit if one turns out to be needed.

On cost: a cedar shake replacement in the Airdrie area runs roughly $10 to $18 per square foot installed, putting a typical house somewhere between $20,000 and $36,000 depending on roof size, pitch, deck condition and the product chosen. A paid inspection, if you want a written report before committing, typically runs $150 to $400.

For an honest read on whether your Airdrie cedar roof has years left, have a local roofer inspect it; our form will pass the request along.