Roofers in Arlington, Jacksonville
Arlington is the original postwar suburb on the east bank of the St. Johns River, a grid of quiet block ranch streets between the expressway, the river and Jacksonville University. Access is easy, lots are flat and driveways are short, and every permit runs through the City of Jacksonville Building Inspection Division.
What usually goes wrong on Arlington roofs
- Low-slope hip roofs on 1950s block ranches letting wind-driven rain under shingles at eaves and valleys
- Original plank decking rotting at overhangs where clogged gutters have soaked the eaves for years
- Cracked pipe boot collars and old gooseneck vent flashings leaking into hallway and bathroom ceilings
- Flat and low-slope roofs on 1970s duplexes and apartment buildings ponding and splitting at seams
- Algae streaks and moss on shaded north slopes under mature oaks and pines
Local notes from the roofers
Most roof calls in Arlington come from the same era of house: a 1950s or 1960s concrete block ranch off Arlington Road, Cesery Boulevard or Rogero Road with a hip roof pitched low enough that water moves slowly across it. On those roofs the shingles are rarely the first thing to fail. It is the pipe boots, the old gooseneck vents and the drip edge at the eaves, where decades of overflowing gutters have softened the original plank decking. When a roofer opens one up in this part of Jacksonville, replacing a few sheets of decking at the overhangs is routine, and a good estimate says so before the tear-off. Summer thunderstorms hit here from the southwest across the river with strong downdrafts, and mature oaks on the older streets drop limbs and keep north slopes damp enough for algae and moss. Permits go through the City of Jacksonville, with no historic review in this part of Duval County. Because many roofs here are fifteen to twenty-five years old, much of the work is inspection and documentation for Florida insurers, plus wind mitigation upgrades during replacement.
Homes and roof types in Arlington
The core of Arlington between the Mathews Bridge, Arlington Expressway and University Boulevard is 1950s and 1960s concrete block ranch homes with low-slope hip roofs, carports and screened porches, mostly under architectural shingles today, with a scattering of 1970s duplexes and small apartment complexes under flat or low-slope roofs.