There’s a bucket in the hallway again. The last roofer patched the spot right above it, and two heavy rains later it’s dripping in the same place. Or a tenant is asking when the stained ceiling tiles will be replaced, and you don’t have an answer. You need commercial roof repair in Lee’s Summit that fixes the leak for good, not one more patch.
Repeat leaks are frustrating and expensive, and they wear on your relationship with tenants and customers. Most of the time, the problem isn’t that the roof can’t be fixed. It’s that nobody found where the water is actually getting in.
APC Roofing has repaired residential and commercial roofs across the Kansas City metro since 2017. We’re GAF Certified, licensed and insured, and your inspection is free. Call 913-398-5020 to get someone on your roof.
Why commercial roof leaks are hard to find
On a low-slope roof, water doesn’t drip straight down. It gets in at a seam or flashing, runs along the deck or through the insulation, and comes out wherever it finds a gap, sometimes many feet away. The stain on your ceiling tells you where the water ended up, not where it started.
Finding the source means checking the roof above and around the stain, looking at every seam, flashing and penetration in that area, and sometimes tracing the path from inside. On larger roofs, a moisture survey can show where insulation under the membrane is wet, which helps separate a small repair from a bigger one.
Where commercial roofs usually leak
Seams and laps
TPO seams are heat-welded, and EPDM seams are taped or glued. When a seam opens from age, poor workmanship or movement, water goes straight in. Seams are one of the first things to check.
Flashing at walls, parapets and curbs
Anywhere the roof turns up a wall, a parapet or the side of a rooftop unit curb, the membrane has to be flashed and sealed. These joints move with the building and the weather, and they wear out before the open field of the roof does.
Rooftop units and penetrations
HVAC units, exhaust fans, pipes, conduit and roof hatches all pass through the membrane. Every one of them is a possible leak. Service techs walking to the units, dropping tools and leaving screws behind also cause a lot of punctures.
Drains and scuppers
Clogged drains leave water ponding on the roof. Standing water finds weak seams and adds weight. In winter, ice can block a drain entirely. A cracked or loose drain clamp can also leak right at the drain body.
Edge metal
Wind works hardest at the roof edge. Loose or damaged edge metal lets wind get under the membrane and water get behind the fascia.
Weather and commercial roof repair in Lee’s Summit
Spring hail can puncture a membrane or crush the insulation board under it, leaving soft spots you can feel underfoot. Strong storms pull at edges and loosen flashing. Winter freeze-thaw stresses every seam, and snow melting during the day refreezes at night in drains and low spots. Summer heat makes membranes expand and contract daily, which works at weak seams. If your roof leaks only in certain seasons, that pattern is a useful clue.
Temporary fix or permanent repair?
When water is coming in, a temporary patch can protect the building until a proper repair can be made. That’s fine, as long as everyone knows it’s temporary. A permanent repair uses materials that match the roof system, such as a welded TPO patch on a TPO roof or the right primer and tape on EPDM, and it fixes the cause, like a failed flashing, not only the hole.
Keeping a commercial roof in shape between repairs
Your roof doesn’t need constant attention, but a little regular care prevents a lot of leaks. As a general rule:
- Have the roof inspected in spring and fall, and after any major hail or windstorm.
- Keep drains, scuppers and gutters clear, especially before winter.
- Limit foot traffic to what’s needed, and ask service contractors to report any damage they cause.
- Keep a record of repairs, photos and warranties in one place.
When repair stops making sense
Repairs are the right call when damage is limited and the insulation underneath is dry. When leaks keep showing up in new places, large areas of insulation are wet or the membrane is brittle and cracking everywhere, repairs start costing more than they save. At that point it’s time to look at a new roof. Our commercial roofing installation in Lee’s Summit page covers what that involves, and our commercial roofing in Lee’s Summit page compares the systems. For smaller flat roofs on homes or additions, see flat roof repair in Lee’s Summit.
Storm damage and insurance
If hail or wind damaged the roof, the building owner files the insurance claim and pays the deductible. We document the damage with photos, give you a written estimate and work with the adjuster. Be wary of any contractor who offers to waive or cover your deductible.
How it works with APC Roofing
- Book your free inspection. Call 913-398-5020 or request a free online estimate.
- Get a clear, honest assessment and estimate. You’ll get photos of the leak source and anything else we find, a plain explanation and a written repair estimate.
- The repair gets done and the site gets cleaned up. The crew makes the repair and cleans up before leaving.
Commercial roof repair questions
Why does my roof keep leaking in the same spot after it’s patched?
Usually because the patch went where the water showed up inside, not where it got in. Water can travel a long way under a membrane before it drips.
Can a TPO or EPDM roof be repaired, or does it need replacing?
Both can be repaired. TPO patches are heat-welded and EPDM patches are bonded with the right primer and tape. Replacement only makes sense when damage or wet insulation is widespread.
Do you offer commercial roof maintenance in Lee’s Summit?
Ask about what your building needs when you book an inspection. Inspections each spring and fall, plus clear drains, go a long way.
Will you need access inside the building?
Sometimes. Seeing the stain and the ceiling space below it helps trace the leak, so it helps if someone can let the crew in.
A dry building and one less problem
A small leak on a commercial roof rarely stays small. Every rain wets a little more insulation, and wet insulation turns a simple repair into a section replacement.
Find where the water actually gets in and fix that properly. Then the bucket in the hallway can go back in the closet. Call 913-398-5020 to book your free commercial roof inspection, or start your estimate online.
