Madison Roof & Leak
Dane County, Wisconsin

Metal roof leaks in Dane County

Metal almost never fails in the middle of a panel. It fails at the fasteners, where thermal movement backs screws out and flattens the neoprene washers underneath, and at seams where sealant has gone brittle. A screw standing proud by a couple of millimetres is an open hole, and there may be hundreds of them on a roof. Both failure modes are invisible from the ground and both are straightforward to fix — which is why a leaking metal roof rarely needs replacing.

Call (706) 696-1888

What the job involves

  • Survey of every fastener for backout and washer condition
  • Replacement of failed fasteners with oversized screws where needed
  • Seam and ridge inspection with resealing where sealant has failed
  • Check of penetrations, curbs and any transition to another material

Signs you need it

  • Screws standing proud of the panel surface
  • Rust streaks running down from fastener heads
  • A leak that worsens on hot days as panels expand

Why roofs fail in Dane County

Dane County has a winter long enough and cold enough that ice damming, not storm damage, is the dominant cause of roof leaks. The mechanism is heat loss rather than weather: warm air escaping into the attic melts snow on the upper roof, the meltwater runs down and refreezes over the cold overhang, and the resulting ridge of ice backs water up beneath the shingle courses until it finds a way in. The roof itself is usually in perfect condition. Repeated through a Dane County winter, freeze-thaw also works every flashing joint progressively looser, and spring brings hail and straight-line wind on top. The reason this matters is that fixing an ice dam leak by working on the shingles does not work — the problem is insulation and ventilation, and that is a different job.

Questions about metal roof leaks in Dane County

Do all the fasteners need replacing?

Not always, but they went in on the same day and have had identical weather, so if a number have backed out the rest are on the same trajectory. Doing the whole roof at once usually costs less than returning twice.

My metal roof leaks but there is no visible damage. Why?

That is the normal presentation. Fastener and seam failures are not visible from the ground and often not obvious from the roof either without checking each one. The panel itself is almost never the problem.

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Describe what you are seeing

You will get a straight answer on whether Dane County needs someone out today or whether it can wait — before anyone quotes you for anything.

Call (706) 696-1888
Call (706) 696-1888