Aerial view of a two-story home with a concrete tile roof

Dry Rot Repair in Sacramento

Rotted roof decking, battens, fascia and barge rafters replaced the right way. We show you photos of every piece and charge a fixed price per piece, not by the hour.

THE SHORT ANSWER

What causes dry rot on a roof?

Dry rot starts when water gets past your roofing and keeps soaking the wood underneath. The most common causes we find in the Sacramento area are clogged valleys and channels on tile roofs, worn underlayment, flashing that was never installed right, and missing drip edge at the eaves. Our dry rot repair in Sacramento fixes the leak that caused it, not just the wood, so it doesn’t come back.

Dry rot repairs we do

Dry rot in the roof deck of an Elk Grove tile roof after the old underlayment and battens were removed

Roof decking

Soft or rotted plywood under tile and shingle roofs, replaced before new underlayment goes on.

Tiles removed along a Sacramento tile roof valley, showing dry-rotted battens and worn underlayment

Battens on tile roofs

Rotted battens can’t hold tiles in place. We replace them with upgraded water-flow battens.

Severe dry rot in the roof decking at the eave, found after the old tile roof was removed in Rocklin

Eaves, fascia and barge rafters

Rotted edges at the eaves and gables, cut out and spliced or replaced with new wood.

How do you price dry rot repair?

If we find dry rot, we take photos and show you exactly what we found. Then we charge a fixed price per piece of wood we replace, the same price list every time. We don’t bill dry rot by the hour, because time-and-materials billing can run up fast and is hard to predict. Most homeowners prefer knowing the cost per piece up front.

How do I know if my roof has dry rot?

Signs include a soft or spongy spot when you walk the roof, water stains on the ceiling under a leak, visible rot at the eaves or gable edges, and tiles or shingles that won’t stay in place. Often it can only be seen once the roofing is opened up, which is why we photograph everything during the repair.

Can you fix dry rot without replacing the whole roof?

Usually, yes. On a repair, we remove the roofing over the damaged area, replace the rotted wood, install new underlayment and flashing, and put the roofing back on. If the roof is worn out everywhere, we replace the dry rot during a full roof replacement instead.

Do you repair dry rot near me?

We repair dry rot across Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, Elk Grove, Folsom, Citrus Heights and the surrounding area. See all service areas.

Recent dry rot repairs

Real photos from our jobs, with the cause of the dry rot and how we fixed it.

Soft spots and dry rot on a commercial flat roof in Auburn (95603)

This TPO roof, with solar panels on it, had soft spots in four areas along the walls and in the open roof, about 150 sq ft in all. We cut out the membrane at each soft spot, replaced the rotted decking, installed new matching insulation and new 60 mil TPO secured with fastening plates, hot-welded and probe-checked the seams, then probe-checked the rest of the roof and sealed any open seams.

Soft spot outlined in red along the parapet wall of a commercial TPO flat roof with solar panels in Auburn
AuburnBefore: soft spot along the wall.
Commercial flat roof in Auburn opened up at a soft spot, showing rotted decking and wet insulation between the framing
AuburnOpened up: rotted decking and wet insulation.
New TPO repair section with welded seams on a commercial flat roof in Auburn after the dry rot was replaced
AuburnAfter: the new TPO patch.
New white TPO membrane along the parapet wall of a commercial flat roof in Auburn after a soft spot repair
AuburnAfter: new TPO along the wall.

Tile roof chimney and valley in Elk Grove

Clogged channels at the chimney and valley backed water up under the tiles. Once the underlayment and battens came off, we found dry rot in the deck. We replaced the wood, the underlayment and the battens.

Tile roof by a chimney in Elk Grove with tiles removed, showing damaged underlayment and battens from clogged drainage channels
Elk GroveBefore: damaged underlayment and battens.
Dry rot in the roof deck of an Elk Grove tile roof after the old underlayment and battens were removed
Elk GroveDry rot in the roof deck.
Roof Recovery crew installing new underlayment and water-flow battens around a chimney on an Elk Grove tile roof
Elk GroveNew underlayment and water-flow battens.

Tile roof valley in Sacramento (95833)

Debris clogged the valley, water overflowed onto the underlayment, and the battens dry-rotted until they couldn’t hold the tiles. We replaced the underlayment, battens and valley metal and reinstalled the original tiles.

Tiles removed along a Sacramento tile roof valley, showing dry-rotted battens and worn underlayment
SacramentoDry-rotted battens along the valley.
New underlayment, water-flow battens and 5-crown valley metal on a Sacramento tile roof before the tiles go back on
SacramentoNew underlayment, battens and valley metal.

Low-slope patio roof in Sacramento (95820)

The patio roof was too low-slope for shingles, so water backed up underneath and rotted the wood. We replaced the dry rot and installed a 60 mil TPO roof.

Low-slope patio roof on a Sacramento home after tear-off, before the dry rot was replaced
SacramentoTear-off, before the dry rot was replaced.
New Versico 60 mil TPO patio roof over ISO board insulation on a Sacramento home
SacramentoAfter: the new TPO patio roof.

Roof replacements in Rocklin and Elk Grove

On full replacements, we tear off down to the deck so hidden dry rot can be found and replaced before the new roof goes on.

Severe dry rot in the roof decking at the eave, found after the old tile roof was removed in Rocklin
RocklinSevere dry rot at the eave.
Roof deck in Elk Grove after tear-off and dry rot replacement, ready for new shingles
Elk GroveDeck after dry rot replacement.

How it works

1

Book an inspection

Appointments are usually available within a few days.

2

We inspect and photograph

We check the roof and show you photos of what we found.

3

Get a written quote

With repair and replacement options when both make sense.

4

We schedule the work

Usually 2–4 weeks out. Leaking now? Once you approve the repair, we tarp the roof for free until we’re back.

Dry rot repair FAQ

How much does dry rot repair cost?

We charge a fixed price per piece of wood we replace, so the cost depends on how many pieces are rotted. You’ll see photos of every piece and the price before we start. The inspection is free.

Will dry rot come back after it’s repaired?

Not if the cause is fixed. That’s why every dry rot repair starts with finding where the water got in, whether it’s a clogged valley, worn underlayment, failed flashing or missing drip edge.

Is dry rot dangerous for my roof?

Rotted decking and battens can’t hold nails or tiles properly, and the leak that caused them keeps spreading. Left alone, a small repair can turn into a much bigger one.

Do you find dry rot during a roof replacement?

Yes. Every replacement is torn off down to the deck, so we can find and replace any rotted wood before the new roof goes on.

Get a free dry rot inspection.

Photos of everything we find and a written quote the same day. We answer 24/7.