When you live and work in St. Louis, your roof rides out nearly every mood the Mississippi Valley can throw at it. We get spring storms with wind that rips shingles like paper, summer heat that bakes asphalt until it curls, late season hail, and wet winters that test every seam and flashing. Over the years I have watched good roofs fail early because of small mistakes, and I have seen modest systems outlast their warranties because the crew that installed them cared about the details. That’s why the contractor you choose matters as much as the materials you buy. Conner Roofing, LLC has built its reputation in this environment, serving homeowners and small businesses across the metro with a focus on honest assessments and careful workmanship.
This guide walks through the services Conner Roofing provides in St. Louis MO, how to think about repair versus replacement, what goes into a reliable roof system, and the maintenance choices that make a measurable difference. I will also share practical examples from the field, the kind that rarely make it into brochures but save real money.
A local roofer’s job is as much diagnosis as installation
Roofs fail for patterns of reasons. In our region, I see these most often: improper ventilation that cooks shingles from the underside, fasteners driven high or at an angle, underlayment that wasn’t overlapped enough, and flashing that looks tidy but channels water the wrong way. The best roofers spot these early and fix the underlying cause rather than just the symptom.
Conner roofing services in St. Louis tend to begin with a roof evaluation that treats the home as a system. That means they look at intake and exhaust in the attic, the condition of decking, the state of gutters, and even how nearby trees feed organic debris into valleys. On older bungalows in Webster Groves or brick foursquares in South City, you often find a mix of original framing with later ventilation shortcuts. A proper inspection surfaces these issues and gives you a clear scope of work.
Repair or replace: practical decision points that hold up
There is a lot of gray area between a quick patch and a full tear-off. The right choice depends on age, extent of damage, and risk tolerance. Here is how I think about it after years of climbing ladders in St. Louis weather.
If your roof is under 10 years old and the damage is confined to a slope or two, repair almost always makes sense. Replace torn shingles, reseal penetrations, and address the cause of the failure. For hail events, repairs can handle bruising and a few blown-off tabs, but widespread granule loss across many planes usually signals the end of service life.
If your roof is 12 to 18 years into a 25 or 30 year shingle, test a handful of shingles for brittleness. If tabs crack when gently lifted, replacement is near. If they flex and sit back down, a repair can buy seasons. Asphalt does not age by calendar alone. South and west exposures age twice as fast as shaded north sides. Conner roofing services St Louis include slope-by-slope assessment that respects this reality rather than treating the roof as one uniform condition.
If decking is spongy underfoot or nails back out through shingles, you likely have ventilation or moisture issues. Patching over systemic problems is like painting over a leak. This is where Conner Roofing, LLC separates itself: they prioritize the health of the deck and the airflow path, not just the cosmetic fix.
What a complete replacement really includes
A full replacement in St. Louis MO goes beyond new shingles. Done well, it is a coordinated set of layers that manage water, air, and heat. Here is the sequence that I expect on a professional job with Conner roofing services St Louis MO.
Tear-off is complete. Two layers of old shingles might have been legal decades ago, but they hide soft decking and trap heat. A full tear-off exposes the deck so you can replace any delaminated plywood or cracked planks. You also remove old flashings unless they’re integral to masonry details and still sound, which is rare.
Underlayment matters more than many think. I like to see a high-temp ice and water shield along eaves at least 24 inches inside the warm wall, up valleys, and around penetrations. The rest of the field gets a quality synthetic underlayment. Felt still shows up on budget quotes, but synthetics handle wind uplift during installation better and resist wrinkling when humidity jumps after a storm.
Starter courses, drip edge, and rake edge form the perimeter. The drip edge should be installed beneath the underlayment at the eaves and over the underlayment on rakes to steer water into the gutter and away from fascia. This detail seems small, yet it is the difference between clean eaves and rotted fascia after a couple of seasons.
Shingle choice is a matter of budget, style, and wind rating. Architectural asphalt shingles dominate in St. Louis because they balance cost, curb appeal, and durability. When I see three-tab shingles here, it is usually on a shed or a roof older than a rookie baseball contract. For certain neighborhoods with historic requirements, Conner roofing services St Louis MO can present impact-rated shingles with profiles that mimic wood or slate at a fraction of the weight.
Flashing and trim integrate the roof to the home. Step flashing where the roof meets a wall, counterflashing into brick chimneys, and saddle flashing behind wide chimneys reduce call-back leaks by orders of magnitude. Mortar joints around chimneys should be ground and new counterflashing set into proper kerfs, then sealed with a flexible masonry sealant. Too many roofs rely on surface-applied reglet that fails in the first freeze-thaw cycle.
Ventilation is nonnegotiable. Soffit intake must be clear and continuous where possible, paired with ridge vents or box vents that actually move air. Many St. Louis attics carry older insulation that blocks soffit chutes. On replacement, a good crew will open those paths and may add baffles to keep insulation from slumping into the intake. Balanced ventilation keeps attic temperatures closer to ambient, reduces ice dam risk along eaves, and extends shingle life.
Gutters and downspouts are not part of every roofing contract, but they should be inspected and addressed. A perfect roof above a clogged gutter still ends in water where it does not belong. Conner roofing service St Louis often pairs new gutters and oversized downspouts with replacements, especially on mid-century ranches where long eaves and minimal pitch demand smooth drainage.
How Conner Roofing handles storm damage and insurance work
After a hailstorm, my phone and every roofer’s phone rings nonstop. The best contractors do not chase storms across state lines. They serve their backyard, document damage carefully, and help homeowners navigate claims without pressure. Conner roofing services include storm assessments that distinguish between cosmetic wear and functional damage, something adjusters and homeowners both appreciate.
Three details help claims move smoothly. First, documentation with dated photos across all slopes captures patterns of damage. Second, core samples of underlayment or shingles are rarely necessary, but when a roof is borderline they can support a case. Third, a scope of work that matches local building codes avoids back-and-forth; for example, St. Louis County requires ice and water shield along eaves and valleys, and many municipalities require drip edge on replacement.
I advise homeowners to be present when adjusters visit. Not to argue, but to learn and ensure the adjuster sees the same slopes and soft spots the roofer flagged. Conner roofing service St Louis MO teams understand this rhythm and plan their time accordingly. If a claim is approved, the contractor should provide a clear path from deposit to final inspection, with material selections documented and change orders handled in writing.
Material choices that withstand St. Louis seasons
A roof in this climate must shrug off heat, humidity, and freeze-thaw. Asphalt architectural shingles are the default, but the details determine performance. When a homeowner asks me what to choose, I break it down by priorities.
If you want longevity without a premium price, look for laminated architectural shingles with a wind rating of 110 to 130 miles per hour and algae-resistant granules. That AR stamp matters if your home sits under mature oaks and maples, common across St. Louis neighborhoods. Paired with ice and water shield and proper ventilation, these shingles routinely reach 20 to 25 years of service.
If you plan to stay put and want the last roof you buy, metal standing seam is an option on simple rooflines. Many South City and Kirkwood homes have dormers and intersecting planes that complicate metal detailing, but for ranches and farmhouses, metal shines. It sheds snow quickly, resists hail well, and reflects summer heat. Conner roofing services can advise whether your structure and neighborhood covenants suit metal.
If you own a flat or low-slope roof, such as a garage addition or a commercial storefront, modified bitumen and single-ply membranes like TPO come into play. These systems demand precise flashing and terminations. In the city, parapet walls and scuppers must be built right, or ponding water finds its way into brick. A roofer with low-slope experience is invaluable here, and Conner Roofing, LLC works on both steep-slope and low-slope systems throughout the area.
The quiet importance of flashing around chimneys, skylights, and walls
Most roof leaks are not mid-field. They start where Conner roofing service the roof meets something. Chimneys in older brick homes often have hairline mortar cracks that widen with freeze-thaw. Combine that with rusted or surface-set flashing and you have the classic ceiling stain that blooms after a heavy rain. I have seen homeowners replace an entire roof only to discover the leak persists because the chimney needed tuckpointing and new counterflashing, not more shingles.
Skylights bring a similar story. If a skylight is older than 15 years and you are replacing the roof, replace the skylight too. The curb and flashing kits become weak links otherwise. Conner roofing services St Louis MO crews often coordinate with skylight brands that offer no-step flashing kits, which integrate cleanly with new shingles and reduce callbacks.
Wall intersections, particularly where vinyl or fiber cement siding drops to a lower roof, require step flashing under the siding and a headwall flashing that stands proud enough to divert water. Caulk is not a flashing substitute. It is a maintenance item, not a waterproofing strategy. A well-built step flashing detail uses one piece per shingle, set tight to the wall, and lapped by the course above.
Ventilation, insulation, and why attic conditions matter
Temperature swings inside an attic can be brutal. I have measured 140 degrees on a July afternoon in an unvented attic in St. Louis County. That heat radiates into living spaces, cooks shingles from below, and dries out sealants faster than any storm will. Proper ventilation lowers attic temps, reduces moisture that feeds mold, and extends the life of your roof system.
The principle is simple. Cool air enters at the soffits, moves along the underside of the roof deck, and exits at a high point, typically a ridge vent. Box vents or power vents can work, but a continuous ridge vent paired with continuous soffit intake tends to move air more evenly across complex rooflines. The weakness I encounter most often is blocked soffits. Insulation baffles are cheap, and installing them during a roof replacement is efficient. Conner roofing services include airflow checks and the addition of baffles where needed, a small line item that pays back over years.
Insulation also plays a role. If you see frost on nails in the attic during cold snaps, warm moist indoor air is reaching the attic and condensing. Air sealing and adding insulation to recommended R-values helps. Roofers are not always insulation contractors, but the good ones point out these issues and bring in partners. I appreciate when a roofing crew tells a homeowner that a roof alone will not fix a moisture problem. Conner Roofing, LLC has a habit of calling this out rather than kicking the can.
Maintenance that prevents major headaches
Roofs thrive on small, regular maintenance. In my experience, a simple seasonal routine catches problems when they are cheap to fix. A spring and fall check is enough for most homes. Look for debris in valleys and gutters, nail pops, lifted shingles after wind events, cracked pipe boots, and failing caulk at flashing edges. In neighborhoods with maple and oak canopies, gutter guards can help, but they are not a one-time solution. They still need cleaning, just less often.
After a heavy storm, take a slow walk around the house. Use binoculars if you have them. You are looking for missing shingles, bent ridge ventilation, or shingles out of alignment along rakes. If you see granular drifts at downspouts or an unusual amount of shingle grit on the driveway, that is a sign of accelerated wear. Conner roofing service St Louis offers maintenance visits that bundle these checks with small fixes on the spot. It is not glamorous work, but it is how roofs reach their intended lifespan.
What sets a reliable St. Louis roofing contractor apart
Price matters, but bid comparisons can be apples and oranges. When I evaluate a proposal, I look for specificity. Which underlayment, how many feet of ice and water shield, what ventilation reliable Conner Roofing, LLC approach, and how are flashings handled at chimneys and walls. If a bid is thin on these details, it is often thin on the jobsite.
I also look at how the crew treats cleanup and protection. Landscapes and painted siding do not like shingle tear-offs. Crews that protect driveways with plywood under dumpsters, drape tarps to guide debris, and use magnetic sweepers religiously tend to handle the rest of the work with the same care. Conner roofing services St Louis tend to be as disciplined in cleanup as they are on the roof. It is part of the craft.
Permits and inspections vary across municipalities. Some require a simple roofing permit, others want pictures of ice barrier locations. A contractor that handles this paperwork without fuss saves time and headaches. Warranties matter too, but read them for what they cover: workmanship, materials, or both. Manufacturer warranties protect against defects, which are rare. Workmanship warranties protect against improper installation, which is the more common source of leaks. Conner Roofing, LLC stands behind both, aligning their workmanship coverage with the lifespan you would reasonably expect in our climate.
A few real-world scenarios from St. Louis neighborhoods
A brick Tudor in South City with a steep front gable developed a leak two years after replacement. Another contractor had installed architectural shingles with a visually neat but functionally flawed valley. They used a woven valley on a pitch that demanded a closed-cut. The weave trapped debris, and water jumped the seam during heavy rain. Conner roofing services corrected it by converting the valley, adding ice and water membrane, and adjusting the drip edge to carry water properly into the half-round gutters. Cost was a fraction of a re-roof and solved the problem permanently.
In Webster Groves, a 1950s ranch had shingles that looked decent from the curb but curled at the edges near the ridge. The attic had two gable vents and no soffit intake. Summer heat cooked the shingle backs, and winter moisture condensed on the roof deck. Conner roofing service St Louis MO opened soffit bays, added baffles, installed a ridge vent, and replaced the worst slopes. The homeowner deferred full replacement by three to five years and saw lower cooling bills.
A small storefront in Maplewood had a low-slope roof with ponding water around two HVAC units. The original modified bitumen roof was still intact, but the flashings at curbs had failed. Rather than tear off, Conner Roofing, LLC reinforced the field with a cap sheet, rebuilt the crickets to move water to scuppers, and re-flashed the curbs. The owner kept the business open, and the repair outlived the remaining life of the original system by four years.
Budgeting and timing your project
St. Louis roofing costs vary with material and complexity. A straightforward single-story ranch with a simple gable roof and quality architectural shingles often falls in a mid four-figure to low five-figure range. Two-story homes with multiple valleys, dormers, and features like skylights, chimneys, and step walls push costs higher. Metal roofs start higher still, with long-term savings in maintenance and energy. Labor peaks in late spring and early fall when weather is cooperative. Scheduling early can secure a slot before summer storms back up everybody’s calendar.
Plan for contingencies. When old shingles come off, hidden problems sometimes surface. Most contractors include a per-sheet price for decking replacement and a line item for unforeseen flashing rebuilds. Set aside 10 to 15 percent of the contract value to handle these surprises without stress. A contractor that talks through these possibilities up front has your interests at heart. Conner roofing services often build this transparency into their proposals.
How to get the most from your contractor relationship
Clarity reduces friction. Share your goals: are you preparing to sell, planning to age in place, or aiming for a quiet, low-maintenance five years? Your priorities shape material choices and budget. Ask for a materials list by brand and model, not just category. Confirm ventilation strategy and flashing details. Align on start date, daily start and stop times, and how the crew will protect landscaping and access.
Be present for the pre-start walk-through. This is when staging, dumpster placement, and protection plans get set. During the job, expect daily updates, especially if weather interrupts the sequence. After completion, ask for a final walk with photos of underlayment, ice and water shield locations, and flashing work. Conner Roofing, LLC often provides this documentation as a matter of course. It sets a baseline for future maintenance.
Why choosing a St. Louis specialist pays off
Roofs are not generic, and neither is St. Louis weather. Local crews know which neighborhoods suffer squirrel damage in soffits, which blocks collect wind that lifts ridge caps, and which historic districts demand particular aesthetic details. They know the municipal permit quirks and which inspectors focus on ventilation or flashing. This local knowledge reduces change orders and revisits.
Conner roofing service St Louis MO works daily with these realities. Their teams are accustomed to brick chimneys that need more than a cap of sealant, to half-round gutters on older homes that require careful drip edge integration, and to low-slope transitions between home additions and original structures. The result for homeowners is fewer surprises and roofs that behave as expected in the first big storm after installation.
Ready to talk specifics for your home
You do not need to climb your own roof to make a smart decision. Ask for a thorough inspection, look at the photos and the plan, and choose a contractor with the patience to explain not just what they will do, but why. That is how roofs last. It is also how small problems stay small.
Conner roofing services bring that approach to St. Louis homes and small businesses. Whether you need targeted repairs, a full replacement, or a maintenance plan that keeps gutters clear and flashings tight, start with a conversation and a careful look at your roof’s current state.
Contact information and next steps
Contact Us
Conner Roofing, LLC
Address: 7950 Watson Rd, St. Louis, MO 63119, United States
Phone: (314) 375-7475
Website: https://connerroofing.com/
If you call for an estimate, have a few details ready. Share the age of your current roof if you know it, note any leaks and where they show up inside the house, and mention whether you have had ice dams or unusual attic heat. If you have a recent home inspection or insurance report, keep it handy. The more context you provide, the faster a roofer can separate urgent issues from items that can wait.
A short, practical checklist for homeowners
- Walk your home’s perimeter after major storms and note any missing shingles, gutter overflows, or fascia damage. Peek into the attic on a hot day and a cold morning to check for excessive heat, frost, or damp insulation. Trim back tree limbs that overhang roof planes, especially near valleys and chimneys. Clean gutters in late fall and late spring, even if you have guards. Schedule a professional roof check every two to three years, or sooner if you spot changes.
Good roofs keep families dry and buildings stable. Great roofs do the same with less drama over many more seasons. In St. Louis, that difference comes from attentive design, skilled installation, and routine care. Conner Roofing, LLC works at that intersection. If your roof is ready for attention, they are a call away.