Flat Roof Coatings & Roof Inspections in Pittsburgh, PA
Most flat roofs fail at a few details long before the whole roof is worn out: a seam that lifted, a flashing pulled off the brick, a drain packed with leaves, a pitch pocket that cracked. An inspection catches those while they are small. We walk the whole roof, check the drains, flashings and seams, take moisture readings where the insulation might be wet, and give you a photo report with each issue ranked and priced. If the roof is aging but still dry underneath, a coating can be a good alternative to replacement: the roof is cleaned, the weak details are repaired and reinforced, and a silicone or acrylic coating is applied at the thickness the manufacturer specifies. If the insulation is wet, we tell you a coating won't work.
What's included
- Full walk of the field, seams, flashings, edges and penetrations
- Moisture readings or core cuts where needed
- Drains, scuppers and gutters cleared
- Photo report with each issue ranked by urgency
- Each repair priced separately for approval
- Spring and fall maintenance visits
- Silicone coatings for roofs that hold water
- Acrylic coatings for well-drained and metal roofs
- Pre-purchase roof inspections for buyers
Sound like your roof?
- Nobody has been on the roof in more than a year
- You are buying or selling a building or row house
- The membrane is chalky, weathered or starting to crack
- You want more years from the roof without a tear-off yet
- A storm just came through and you want it checked
Leaking right now? Protect the inside first
Move belongings away from the drip, shut off power to any wet light fixture, and stay off the roof in a storm or on ice. Then request service: an active leak can usually be dried in until the permanent repair.
Coatings & Inspections — FAQs
Most coating systems run about $2–$5 per square foot, depending on the coating, the thickness specified, how much repair and reinforcement the roof needs first, and the warranty term. See the flat roof coating guide.
Yes, if the leaks are at details that get repaired first and the roof underneath is dry. A coating over wet insulation or soft decking traps the moisture and fails. That is why a moisture check comes before any coating quote.
Silicone tolerates standing water and is the usual choice for flat roofs that pond. Acrylic costs less and works on roofs that drain quickly, such as metal, but it doesn’t hold up under ponding water.
Photos of the whole roof and of every issue found, each ranked by urgency and priced separately, plus a note on the roof's overall condition and how many years it likely has left. See the inspection checklist.
Yes. A pre-purchase inspection tells you what the roof needs now and roughly when it will need replacing, which is useful for negotiating the price.