Why leaks get repaired twice
The most expensive thing about a commercial roof leak is usually the second repair, because the first one was aimed at the wrong place. Water entering a low-slope roof does not fall straight down. It travels along the deck, follows insulation joints and structural members, ponds on top of a vapor barrier, and eventually finds a penetration in the ceiling that may be a considerable distance from where it got in.
So a contractor who patches directly above the stain has a reasonable chance of sealing a piece of sound roof while the actual defect keeps working. The ceiling dries out, everybody assumes it is fixed, and it reappears in the next heavy storm — sometimes in a different room, which makes it look like a new problem rather than the same one.
Finding the real entry point takes a systematic look at where water could plausibly enter uphill of the interior damage: penetrations, curbs, drains, terminations, seams and any previous repair work. On the buildings we are called to, the answer is at a detail rather than in the open field of the roof the large majority of the time.
- Entry point located, not guessed. We work uphill from the interior evidence rather than patching above the stain.
- Penetrations checked first. Curbs, boots, drains and equipment supports are where most commercial leaks originate.
- Previous repairs assessed. Old patching is frequently either the cause or a sign of where the roof has been failing for years.
- Interior evidence read properly. Where and when water appears tells you a great deal about the path it took.
- Honest scope. If a leak is a symptom of a roof that is finished, patching it repeatedly is not a service to you.
How we approach a leak
Interior assessment
Where the water appears, when it appears, and whether it correlates with wind direction or only heavy rain. A leak that only shows in wind-driven rain points somewhere different from one that shows in any downpour.
Systematic roof survey
Everything uphill of the interior evidence: penetrations, curbs, drains, scuppers, terminations, parapet junctions, seams and prior repairs, in that order of probability.
Repairing the cause
The defect is repaired and re-detailed with reinforcing fabric rather than smeared with sealant. Sealant on a moving joint is a temporary measure that fails on schedule.
Reporting what else we found
We are on the roof anyway. If there are three more details heading the same way, you will hear about them while they are still cheap.
Advising honestly on the bigger picture
Repeated leaks across a roof usually mean the assembly is at the end of its life. Where that is true, we will say so rather than selling you an annual patch.
Why building owners choose us for this
We work uphill from the evidence
Patching above the stain is why leaks come back. Water travels a long way inside an assembly.
Fast response on active water
Water actively entering a building is worth a phone call, not a form. We will move you up.
Repairs that are detailed, not smeared
Sealant on a moving joint fails predictably. Proper detailing with reinforcing fabric does not.
We will tell you to stop patching
If a roof needs three repairs a year, the honest advice is not a fourth repair.
Roof Leak Repair Questions
The most common reason is that it was aimed above the interior stain rather than at the actual entry point. Water travels along the deck and structural members before it comes through a ceiling, so the visible damage is frequently some distance from the defect. The patch seals sound roof and the real problem keeps working.
It is a useful clue. Wind-driven rain gets into places vertical rain does not — terminations, parapet counter-flashings, wall junctions and the upwind side of curbs. A leak that only shows in wind normally points at a vertical or edge detail rather than at the roof field.
Call rather than using the form and we will tell you honestly. We are based on South Congress Avenue in Palm Springs, so most of Palm Beach County is a short drive. Active water entering a building is the one situation where we would rather you interrupt us.
Yes, and that is most of the leak work we do. What matters is whether the roof is repairable, not who built it. We will tell you if a repair is worthwhile or if the assembly is genuinely past it.
It can, depending on the manufacturer and the system, which is why it is worth telling us if the roof is still under warranty before anyone touches it. Where a manufacturer's warranty is live, the right route is often work carried out to preserve it rather than an independent repair.
It is common, and it usually means the roof is at the end of its service life rather than that you have been unlucky. At that point repeated repairs stop being maintenance and become an expensive way of postponing a decision. We would rather assess the whole roof and give you a straight answer.