White Ridge Roofing works on homes in Cottonwood Heights, and the roofs up here are not the same as roofs on the valley floor. You sit at the mouths of Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons. More snow lands on your house, and more wind pushes against it.
We look at a roof, tell you what we actually find, and give you the options in plain language. Sometimes that means a repair. Sometimes it means a replacement, and sometimes it means your roof has life left and you should spend the money elsewhere. If you want to talk it through, call (801) 880-7663.
What We Do in Cottonwood Heights
Most calls start the same way. Somebody sees a stain on a ceiling, or finds shingle pieces in the yard after a windy night, or notices a long row of icicles hanging off an eave in January.
We come look. We get on the roof when it is safe to get on the roof, and we check the places water actually gets in — valleys, flashing, penetrations, the eave edges where ice backs up.
Then we tell you what is going on. If it is a repair, we explain the repair. If the roof is near the end of its service life, we say that too, and we tell you why we think so rather than just asserting it.
We are not interested in selling you a roof you do not need. That approach has given this trade a reputation around here, especially after a hailstorm, and we would rather be the people you call back in six years.
The Roofing Services We Offer
Here is what we handle, and the page for each one if you want more detail.
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Roof repair
the everyday problems — a few blown shingles, a leaking pipe boot, failed flashing at a chimney or a sidewall. -
Roof replacement
for roofs past the point where patching makes financial sense, or where the underlayment and decking need attention, not just the surface. -
Roof inspection
the starting point when you are buying a house, selling one, or simply do not know what shape your roof is in. -
Storm damage roof repair
addresses wind and hail damage, including the documentation side when you are working with an insurer. -
Emergency roof repair
for active leaks that cannot wait for a scheduled appointment. -
Flat roof repair
applies to low-slope sections — porch roofs, additions, and the flat planes you find on some of the more modern custom builds up here. -
Metal roofing
worth a conversation on steep roofs that shed heavy snow. -
Gutter installation
more at the canyon mouths than people expect, because meltwater has to go somewhere.
We Know Cottonwood Heights
Cottonwood Heights has a geography that shows up in its roofs. The canyons funnel weather straight down into the neighborhoods below them. Wind comes out of Big and Little Cottonwood in gusts that find any shingle with a weak bond.
Drive Fort Union Boulevard and you see the housing stock change as you go. Older ramblers sit near the commercial stretch by Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Market. Head uphill and the homes get larger, newer, and considerably more complicated on top.
Down near Wheeler Historic Farm the ground flattens out and the neighborhoods are more established. Around Cottonwood High School and over toward Hillcrest High School you get the classic mid-century layout — long, simple rooflines on homes built when a roof was a roof.
Snow totals differ across a few miles here. A storm that leaves four inches at the bottom of the hill can leave a foot on a bench home. That difference is the whole reason we talk about underlayment and ventilation as much as we talk about shingles.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Cottonwood Heights
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If your street is not on that list, that does not mean we do not come. Call and ask.
What the Weather and Terrain Do to a Roof Here
Ice damming is the big one. Snow sits on the upper roof, warm air from the attic melts the underside, water runs down to the cold eave and refreezes. That dam backs water up under the shingles.
Shingles are not waterproof going uphill. They shed water, which is a different thing. Once water is moving backward under them, the only thing between it and your ceiling is the underlayment.
That is why we care about ice and water barrier at eaves and valleys on homes up here, and why ventilation is part of the conversation. A properly vented attic stays closer to outside temperature, and a cold roof deck makes much less meltwater.
Wind is the second issue. Gusts coming out of the canyons lift shingles at the edges and the ridge. You often cannot see the damage from the ground — the shingle is still there, the seal under it is broken.
Then there is the weight. Heavy spring snow loads a steep, complex roof unevenly, and snow sliding off one plane onto a lower one can tear up the lower section over a few seasons.
Steep and Complex Roofs on the Bench
The larger custom builds up the hill have roofs with a lot going on. Multiple gables, dormers, intersecting valleys, chimneys, skylights.
Every one of those is a transition, and transitions are where roofs leak. The shingle field in the middle of a plane almost never fails first.
Steepness changes the work too. A steep roof sheds snow well, which is good, but it means staging, fall protection, and more time. It also means snow comes off in slabs, so what sits below the eave — a gutter, a lower roof, a deck — takes the hit.
On roofs like these we spend most of our inspection time at the detail points. Valley metal, step flashing where a roof plane meets a wall, counterflashing at the chimney, the boots around plumbing vents.
If you have a complicated roof and a leak you cannot locate, that is normal. Water travels along rafters and shows up on a ceiling several feet from where it entered. Finding the actual entry point is most of the job.
Older Ramblers and What They Need
The 1960s ramblers around Cottonwood Heights were built well, but roofing practice has changed since then.
Ice and water barrier at the eaves was not standard. Neither was the volume of intake and exhaust ventilation we would install today. Many of these homes have a handful of small vents and no soffit intake to speak of.
When we tear one of these roofs off, what is underneath tells the story. Sometimes the decking is in good shape and the job is straightforward. Sometimes there is a second layer, or soft spots near the eaves from years of ice.
We would rather find that out and tell you before we start than surprise you halfway through. During an inspection we check attic ventilation, look for daylight and staining on the underside of the deck, and note anything that changes the scope.
Simple rooflines also make repairs more practical. On a rambler, a localized repair often genuinely solves the problem, where on a complex roof the same money might be better spent on a larger section.
Storm Damage and Insurance
After a hail or wind event, you will get knocked on. Some of those people are legitimate and some are not.
Here is the honest version. We can inspect your roof and document what we find. We can show you the damage and explain it. We can talk with your adjuster about what is on the roof.
What nobody can do is guarantee your claim gets approved. That decision belongs to your insurance company, and anyone who promises you an approved claim is telling you something they cannot know.
Wind damage up here is often subtle. Shingles that look fine from the driveway can have broken seals along a whole slope. Hail damage shows as bruising — spots where the granules are knocked off and the mat underneath is soft.
If you think you took damage, get it looked at before the deadline in your policy. Most carriers have a window for reporting. Waiting through a season makes the whole thing harder to sort out.
Gutters, Meltwater and Drainage
Gutters on a bench home are not a cosmetic item. In the spring you have real volume of meltwater coming off the roof, sometimes several times a day as temperatures swing.
That water has to get away from the foundation. If the gutters are undersized, pitched wrong, or torn loose by a snow slide, it ends up at the base of the house.
Snow sliding off a steep roof will rip a gutter clean off. That is common enough here that gutter placement and bracket spacing are worth thinking about, not just the color.
We look at drainage as part of a roof job rather than as an afterthought. Where downspouts terminate, whether valleys are dumping onto a lower roof, whether there is a spot that ices up every single winter.
What Happens When You Call
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You call
You call (801) 880-7663 and tell us what you are seeing. A stain, a drip, missing shingles, a roof you know is old. -
We come out and look
We get on the roof if conditions allow, check the attic side when that helps, and take photos of anything we find. -
We explain it
Then we explain it. What is wrong, what caused it, what the options are, and what each one does and does not solve. You get that in plain terms. -
Take a second opinion
If you want a second opinion after that, take one. A roof is a significant purchase, and nobody should feel rushed into it in a driveway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you serve the bench neighborhoods above Fort Union Boulevard?
Yes. The homes up the benches are a regular part of our work in Cottonwood Heights, including the larger builds with steep, multi-plane roofs.
Why does my house get ice dams when my friend's down the valley does not?
More snow sits on your roof for longer at the canyon mouths. Combine that with attic heat loss and warm air melting snow from below, and dams form at the eaves.
Can you fix an ice dam problem without replacing the roof?
Sometimes. Improving attic ventilation and insulation addresses the cause. But if the eave has no ice and water barrier, fixing it properly usually means redoing that section.
My shingles look fine from the ground. Could I still have wind damage?
Yes. Canyon wind commonly breaks the seal strip under a shingle without removing it. That damage is only visible when someone lifts the shingle by hand.
What is the low-slope section over my addition made of?
That depends on the build. Older additions often have a rolled or built-up surface. We can tell you what you have during an inspection and what it needs.
Is metal roofing a good idea in Cottonwood Heights?
It sheds snow well on a steep roof, which is a real advantage up here. It also means managing where the snow lands. Worth a conversation about your specific roof.
Should I get my roof inspected before buying a home here?
It is a good idea. Housing stock in Cottonwood Heights ranges from 1960s ramblers to recent custom builds, so the condition and remaining life vary enormously.
My ceiling stain is nowhere near a vent or chimney. Where is the leak?
Water follows rafters and sheathing before it drops. The entry point is usually uphill of the stain, often at a valley, flashing detail, or penetration.
Do you work in winter?
We assess roofs year round. Some work can be done in cold weather and some genuinely should wait. We will tell you honestly which category yours falls into.
What should I do right now if water is coming in?
Put a container under it and call us at (801) 880-7663. If it is actively running, that is what our emergency roof repair service is for.
What customers say
The entire White Ridge experience was top notch. From the initial consultation to the proposal to the installation. They were so much more focused on quality versus just a transaction. We received 4 quotes and 3 quotes were focused on a cheap roof option that would’ve lasted 10-15 years. Parker and his team walked us through every option and showed us the differences between the shingles and quality.
I’ve never had to face roof problems before, so I didn’t know what to expect. But White Ridge guided us through the process. What I really appreciated was the communication through the entire process. They had patience with all my questions and were so kind. The crew were friendly and they cleaned up everything when finished. I would 💯 recommend White Ridge Roofing!!
White Ridge Roofing does it better than everyone else. I’m not just saying that to promote some average service, no- they are spot on! They made the whole experience pain free, even walking us through ways to achieve extra savings. I’ll recommend White Ridge Roofing to anyone who I hear needs a roof fixed or is building a house!