North Kingstown, RI Roof Replacement
Challenge
Kirk’s home was a beautiful 27-year-old property that had stood strong over the years, but like many aging homes, it started to show signs of wear. For the first decade or so, the roof did its job without much issue. However, as time passed, one area became a constant source of frustration: the skylights.
Every fall and spring, Kirk found himself on the roof, clearing out piles of leaves and debris that collected around the skylight section of his roof. With 8 skylights bunched together with no system in place for debris to get out, if he didn’t keep up with this maintenance, water would eventually find its way inside. At first, it was just a nuisance, extra yardwork and a bit of worry whenever the weather turned. But over time, it became a cycle of stress and constant upkeep. The situation grew worse when the roof began leaking directly into his home office. Kirk felt water dripping on his shoulder while he was trying to work, and that’s when he knew it was time to look for a lasting solution. He needed more than another repair or seasonal cleanup. He wanted peace of mind, a roof and skylight system that would perform reliably without forcing him onto the roof every season. That’s when he reached out to Klaus Larsen Roofing for help.
Solution
To fully resolve the problems Kirk had been facing, our team completed a full roof replacement along with a redesign of the skylight areas. The home’s original roof had simply reached the end of its lifespan, so we started by removing all the old shingles and underlayment to give the structure a clean, solid foundation. From there, we rebuilt the system with SealoronXT Deck Tape to seal every plywood seam, followed by SealoronXT Ice & Water around all edges, valleys, and other vulnerable areas where water could get in. The rest of the roof was secured with VeloraONE Roof Underlayment, which creates a durable, leak-proof barrier before the shingles go on. For the finished surface, we installed a new IKO shingle roofing system, giving the home a fresh, updated look and long-lasting protection.
To solve the skylight problem in a way that would both protect the home and make Kirk’s life easier, we started by looking at the roof section that had been designed with nothing but skylights. While the design was striking, it wasn’t practical. Too many skylights close together created constant maintenance headaches and left the roof vulnerable to leaks. We worked with Kirk to identify which skylights he wanted to keep for natural light and which could be removed to give the roof a better balance of function and durability. By eliminating a few, we opened up more solid roof surface, which immediately reduced the amount of debris that could get trapped in tight corners and lessened the chances of water pooling in those problem areas. This change gave the roof a much more reliable structure while still preserving the amount of light that was important to Kirk and his family.
With the remaining skylights, we designed and installed small skylight gutters in between each one. These gutters were a simple but critical addition: instead of water and leaves collecting in the gaps and forcing Kirk to scrape and clear them by hand, the gutters created a natural pathway for debris and runoff to flow down and away from the roofline. That meant water would no longer sit in place and seep under the flashing, and leaves wouldn’t clog the area to the point of causing leaks. Essentially, the gutters took over the job Kirk had been doing every season, saving him hours of labor and dramatically cutting down on the risk of water damage inside the home.
On the main section of the roof, we replaced the aging units with brand-new Velux skylights. By upgrading to Velux, Kirk gained skylights that are better insulated against heat loss in the winter and solar gain in the summer, reducing strain on the home’s heating and cooling system. Just as importantly, the new skylights came with modern flashing systems designed to integrate seamlessly into the roof, preventing the type of leaks that had been a recurring issue before.
Together, these changes gave Kirk a roof system that is not only watertight but also far more manageable for the long haul. The combination of removing unnecessary skylights, adding skylight gutters for smarter water management, and upgrading to Velux products created a system that works with the environment rather than against it. Instead of constantly worrying about scraping leaves, patching leaks, or dealing with water-stained ceilings, Kirk now has peace of mind knowing his roof is designed to handle the challenges of his property with minimal upkeep.
