Seasonal homes · 6 min read
Roof Maintenance for Seasonal Shore Homes
A simple calendar for owners who are not there all year — and the access plan that makes it work.
Borough of Wildwood Crest · Cape May County
Roofing Contractor in Wildwood Crest, NJ
The quieter, more residential southern end of Five Mile Beach — shore houses, bay-side homes on Sunset Lake, condominiums and mid-century motels.
Photo: Jim, the Photographer / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0). Credits
Wildwood Crest was laid out in the 1910s as a residential extension of Wildwood, and it has kept more of that character than its neighbour. There are still Doo-Wop motels here — the style's first example, the Ebb Tide, was built in the Crest in 1957 — but much of the borough is homes: single-family shore houses, two-family homes, condominiums and bay-side houses around Sunset Lake.
About 3,100 people live in the Crest year-round, with an older population than Wildwood's, and roughly three in four of its housing units were counted as vacant on census day in 2020.
About Wildwood Crest
Wildwood Crest occupies the southern part of Five Mile Beach, between the City of Wildwood and the Diamond Beach section of Lower Township. Sunset Lake lies along the bay side. Part of the beach is set aside to protect nesting birds such as the piping plover. The borough is a dry town and offers free guarded beaches.
The buildings
The building stock spans older single-family houses, newer large shore homes (some with elaborate rooflines, balconies and hipped roofs), two-family homes, condominium buildings — several of which replaced demolished motels — and surviving Doo-Wop motels such as the National Register-listed Caribbean Motel. Motel and condominium roofs are frequently low-slope; houses are mostly pitched.
Exposure profile
What Wildwood Crest’s setting means for its roofs
Nor'easters in winter and tropical systems from late summer into autumn bring the most damaging wind and rain.
- Coastal exposure
- Oceanfront homes face the Atlantic directly; bay-side homes on Sunset Lake face westerly winds over the water. Salt air affects metal flashing, gutters and fasteners throughout.
- Wind
- Large, tall homes with complex hipped roofs have long hip lines and edges that need secure capping; balconies and roof decks add penetrations and transitions to watch.
- Drainage
- Hipped roofs send water to every side of the house, so gutter runs are long and downspouts must be well placed. Low-slope roofs on condos and motels need clear drains.
- Seasonal use
- Roughly three in four homes are seasonal or occasional-use. Many are rented; a spring roof check and post-storm follow-up protect both owners and guests.
A mix of roof systems in one borough
In a short walk through the Crest you can see asphalt shingle roofs on older houses, tile-look and hipped roofs on newer shore homes, membrane roofs on condominiums and angular low-slope roofs on mid-century motels. Each has different maintenance needs — which is why an inspection starts by identifying exactly what is on the roof.
Asphalt shingle roofingCondominium and motel roofs
Many of the borough's condominiums and motels have low-slope membrane roofs. Keeping drains clear, checking seams and curbs after HVAC servicing, and watching edge metal after storms are the basics that prevent most leaks.
Flat and low-slope roofingRentals and second homes
For rented homes, a roof check between the end of one season and the start of the next is the easiest way to avoid mid-summer leaks. For second homes, add a post-storm check after significant winter weather.
Seasonal-home roof careHips, balconies and height
Newer homes in the Crest are often tall with hipped roofs, balconies and decks. Hips and ridges need secure capping; balconies and decks add penetrations and wall transitions that need careful flashing.
Signs of wind-lifted shinglesRepairs on houses and condos
Leaks in the Crest often trace back to balcony and deck connections, hip caps or flashing at walls. On condominium buildings, repairs are coordinated with the association and scheduled to avoid disturbing residents where possible.
Roof repairReplacement planning
Replacing a roof on a large shore home or a condominium building is best planned for the off-season. For associations, an inspection report with photographs helps the board budget and decide.
Roof replacementLong gutter runs on hipped roofs
Hipped roofs drain to every side of the house, so gutters wrap the whole building. Correct pitch, enough downspouts and secure hangers keep water off walls and foundations.
Gutters and drainageRoofing challenges in Wildwood Crest
- Hipped and complex roofs on larger shore homes
- Low-slope roofs on condominiums and motels
- Balcony and roof-deck penetrations
- Bay-side wind exposure on Sunset Lake
- Seasonal vacancy and rental turnover
Problems we are most often asked about
- Hip and ridge cap loss after storms
- Leaks where balconies and decks meet walls
- Ponding on condo and motel roofs
- Corroded gutters and flashing on bay-side homes
- Aging shingle roofs on older single-family houses
Roofing services in Wildwood Crest
Most Wildwood Crest roofing needs fall into these services:
Residential Roofing
Roofing for the county's full range of houses — Victorian cottages, raised shore homes, duplexes, ranches and farmhouses on wooded mainland lots.
Flat Roofing
Low-slope roofs on additions, porches, decks over living space and commercial buildings: membrane and seam repair, drainage correction, flashing and replacement.
Roof Repair
Finding where water is actually getting in — flashing, pipe boots, valleys, lifted shingles, roof edges — and fixing that, rather than the stain it left.
Roof Inspection
A close look at the whole roof — surface, flashing, edges, drainage and attic — before buying, before the season, after a storm, or when you simply are not sure.
Gutter Services
Gutters and downspouts treated as part of the roof: repair, replacement and re-pitching so water leaves the roof edge instead of backing into fascia and walls.
Wildwood Crest questions
Frequently asked in Wildwood Crest
Do you work on Doo-Wop motels in Wildwood Crest?
We work on low-slope and mixed roofs on motels and other commercial buildings. For properties listed on historic registers, owners should confirm any review requirements with the borough before choosing materials; we do not provide preservation-compliance advice.
Our house on Sunset Lake gets hit hard by westerly winds. What should we watch for?
Ridge and hip caps, the rake edges on the west-facing side, and gutters and flashing that can corrode with salt spray. A check after strong westerly blows is worthwhile.
Is Diamond Beach part of Wildwood Crest?
No. Diamond Beach, just south of the Crest on the same island, is part of Lower Township. We serve it too — see our Lower Township page.
Nearby service areas
Guides for Wildwood Crest property owners
Drainage · 5 min read
How Gutters Help Protect Roof Edges During Heavy Rain
Drip edge, gutter, downspout, ground: the four links that keep a heavy rain away from fascia, walls and foundations.
Coastal exposure · 6 min read
What Salt Air Can Mean for Roof and Gutter Components
Salt air does not destroy roofs. It does work on certain metal parts — and knowing which ones makes maintenance simple.
Roof evaluation request
Request a roof evaluation in Wildwood Crest
Tell us about the property and what you are seeing. If you are away from your Wildwood Crest property, say so and we will ask about access.
- Only your name, phone number and the service are required. The property address is optional.
- Submitting this form lets us respond about this roofing request. It does not sign you up for marketing texts, emails or calls.
- Water coming in right now? Calling is faster: (914) 906-5748.
Roofing for the Borough of Wildwood Crest, Cape May County, New Jersey. This page describes an area we serve; we do not claim an office in Wildwood Crest.