Metal Roof Repair
Metal roofs do not usually leak through the metal. They leak at fasteners, flashings, transitions and penetrations — all of which are repairable without replacing the roof.
What we actually repair
- Failed fastener washers on exposed-fastener roofs, replaced with oversized fasteners where the hole has enlarged
- Flashings at valleys, sidewalls, chimneys and skylights, renewed in compatible metal
- Penetration details around vents, pipes and solar mounts
- Individual damaged panels, replaced rather than patched
- Seams that have opened because movement was not allowed for, which usually means correcting the cause too
Why sealant is not a repair
Sealant has a service life measured in a handful of years. A metal roof is a multi-decade system. Using sealant as the waterproofing rather than as a secondary seal behind a proper flashing guarantees a return visit, and the next repair starts by removing the last one.
If the previous repair on your roof is a bead of caulk over a joint, that is what we will be undoing.
Matching what you have
Panel profiles and colours are discontinued constantly, so a perfect match on a twenty-year-old roof is not always possible. We will tell you honestly whether a repair will be visible, and where a visible repair sits on a roof plane nobody sees, that is often the sensible answer.
Damage caused by other trades
A large share of metal roof damage we repair was done by somebody servicing something else — a satellite install, an HVAC change-out, a solar crew, a chimney sweep. Walking panels incorrectly bends them, and nobody reports it.
If you have a metal or slate roof, tell every trade before they arrive and require pads and ladder access rather than free walking.
Common questions
Can a single metal panel be replaced?
On most systems yes, though standing seam panels interlock, so replacing one in the middle of a run is more involved than replacing an edge panel. It is still far cheaper than a new roof.
Why does my metal roof leak at the screws?
The washer under each screw head has a service life, and UV and thermal cycling shorten it. Once the washer hardens or the hole enlarges from movement, that screw is an open penetration — which is the inherent trade-off of an exposed-fastener roof.