Where does water get into a stone house?
On a steep roof that butts into a stone gable or chimney, the joint is everything. Many older repairs here used roof cement smeared along the wall, which cracks after a few summers. Water then runs down the stone face, slips behind the metal and reaches the timber framing or the ceiling below.
A proper fix pairs base flashing on the roof with counterflashing set into a cut mortar joint. The counterflashing laps over the base piece, so water sheds outward even as stone and metal move at different rates. It's slow, careful work, and it's the core of our flashing repair on masonry homes.
We also look at the chimney cap and crown, since many leaks blamed on the roof start there. Our chimney leak work covers caps, crowns and the flashing apron around the base.
Can a new metal roof keep the old town look?
Yes, with the right profile. Narrow panels with a low seam, or 5V crimp on simpler cottages, suit the scale of Castroville's older houses. Wide, tall seams and bright paint colors can look out of place next to weathered limestone. We'll bring samples and show you photos of the panel on a similar roof before anything is ordered.
If your home sits in the historic part of town, check with the City of Castroville about exterior review before changing material or color. We can supply drawings, spec sheets and photos for that conversation. Our work on older homes keeps ridge lines, overhangs and trim proportions as they were.
What changes for newer homes outside the old town?
Subdivisions and acreage homes along US-90 and the roads toward Hondo are mostly shingle roofs from the last few decades. They face the same spring hail as San Antonio, and many are nearing replacement. For those, a hail inspection after a storm is the first step, with photos of bruised shingles and dented vents.
Medina County's open ground also lets wind run hard across these homes. We check ridge caps, rake edges and starter rows, where wind lifts shingles first, and fasten new roofs with the full nailing pattern the manufacturer calls for. If you'd like someone to look at either kind of house, phone (210) 750-1898.
