What this site is for
The leak is the last symptom
By the time water reaches a ceiling tile, the membrane has been open for months and the insulation below it is already wet.
Deferring costs more than doing
A repair is hundreds. The replacement it turns into is tens of thousands. The arithmetic almost never favors waiting.
Coating is not always the answer
It works on a sound membrane over dry insulation. Sold on anything else, it buries the problem for two years.
About this reference
Why we write about repair and not just replacement
The money in roofing is in replacement, which is why so little is written honestly about repair. A roof that gets another eight years out of a coating is a roof nobody sells.
We write the repair case anyway, because the owner who trusts us at year twelve is the one who calls us at year twenty.
Every page here tells you the conditions under which a cheaper option works, and the conditions under which it is a waste.
Read our methodologyThe pillars
Where to start
Maintenance
Roof Maintenance: The Complete Owner Guide
Read the guide02Repair
Roof Repair: What It Costs and When to Do It
Read the guide03Leaks
Roof Leaks: Find Them, Fix Them, Stop Them
Read the guide04Coatings
Roof Coatings: Types, Cost and Payback
Read the guide05Restoration
Roof Restoration Explained
Read the guide06Storm and Emergency
Storm Damage Roof Repair
Read the guideMost read
The guides opened most, and the ones we update most often.
Get the maintenance checklist
The walk you or your facilities team can do twice a year, in order, with the things that actually predict failure.
Open it- Drains and scuppers clear
- Seams and laps at the perimeter
- Flashing at every penetration
- Standing water 48 hours after rain
- Punctures under rooftop units
- Sealant at pitch pans