Repair and leaks
Where a metal roof leaks, and what fixes it
A metal roof is a system of panels, fasteners, seams and flashing, and a leak is almost always at one of the joints.
Backed-out screws and worn washers
On an exposed-fastener roof the panels move with the temperature, and the screws work loose over years. We re-seat them or replace them with larger ones, and replace washers that have hardened.
Flashing and penetrations
Pipes, chimneys, skylights and valleys leak when the flashing pulls away or the sealant fails. We reflash them, not just caulk them.
Seams and laps
A seam that has opened or a lap with no sealant lets water in. We find the gap, close it and tell you why it opened.
Rust at edges and scratches
Steel rusts where paint is cut or scratched. We clean it, treat it and touch it up before it spreads, and say when a panel is past that.
Repair or replace
We would rather re-seal than sell you a roof
If most of the roof is sound, repair is the honest answer and we say so in writing. If it isn't, we show you why with photos.
Repair when the panels are sound and the leaks are at the joints.
Replace when the steel is rusting through, the paint has failed or the panels have lost their shape.
A written note says which, and why, either way.
Leaking now?
If water is coming in
Call the shop in business hours and say so first. We move you up the schedule and tell you what to do in the meantime. We don't run a night line, and a visit outside working hours costs more than a daytime one, which we say before we come.
Protect the room
Move belongings, set a bucket and lay a towel. Don't go on the roof.
Take photos
Of the ceiling, the stain and the attic if you can reach it safely, and text them to the shop.
We call you back
We say what we think it is, what to do until we arrive and when we can be there.
Repair
Questions about repairs
How do I know my roof needs replacing and not repair?
Look in the attic for daylight, stains or wet insulation, and from the ground for loose panels, rust at the edges or flashing that has pulled away. On a metal roof, backed-out screws and worn washers are the usual leak and they are a repair. We say which it is, and we would rather re-seal than sell a roof you don't need.
How long does a metal roof last?
Steel panels are commonly given a service life of 40 to 70 years, depending on the coating, the site and the care it gets. Paint fades and chalks long before steel gives out. What you are buying is the steel, the paint and the details, so we write all three on the estimate.
Do you take a deposit?
Custom-cut panels are ordered for your roof, so the payment schedule is written on your estimate before you sign, with what is due and when. Ask us any question about it first.
Send us a photo of the leak
Text it to the shop, or fill in the form. We will say what we think it is before we come out.