Metal Roof Repair by a Metal Roofing Shop
Metal Roof Repair in Dallas-Fort Worth
Most roofers will not take on metal roof repair in Dallas-Fort Worth, so leaks at screws, seams and flashings get caulked over until the next storm. Architectural Metal Panels fabricates and installs metal roofing, which means we also know how to fix it: backed-out fasteners and failed washers, flashing and penetration leaks, hail inspections with insurance documentation, single-panel replacement and re-coating. The owner brings 26+ years of metal roofing experience to every diagnosis. Every repair starts with an inspection and a written quote.
- 26+ years in business
- Lifetime warranty
- Free written estimates
Why Do Metal Roofs Leak in North Texas?
Almost never through the panel. Metal roof leaks trace back to four things: aging fasteners on exposed-screw systems, failed sealant at trims and penetrations, flashing that was never built for thermal movement, and storm damage. The panels themselves usually have decades left.
- Fasteners and washers: rubber washers harden, screws back out, holes stretch. The most common call we get on corrugated and R-panel roofs.
- Sealant and closures: caulk at ridge caps, end laps and Z closures dries out under a UV index of 9 to 10 and lets wind-driven rain in.
- Flashing and penetrations: pipe boots, chimneys, skylights and wall transitions that were detailed for shingles, not for a panel that moves a quarter inch every afternoon.
- Storm damage: hail-crushed ribs, split seams, lifted trim and debris strikes, often on a roof that had years left.
Fastener Back-Out and Washer Failure on Exposed-Fastener Roofs
Exposed-fastener roofs depend on thousands of screws with rubber washers, and every one of them is a potential leak once the washer cracks. In Texas that typically starts 10 to 15 years after installation.
What makes the screws back out?
Heat. The panel expands and contracts daily while the screw stays put, so the screw works upward a hair at a time and the hole around it stretches into an oval. UV hardens the washer until it splits. Water then follows the screw thread into the purlin or decking, which is why the first sign is often a rust streak below a screw head or a stain on the ceiling under a lap.
How do we fix it?
We replace the fasteners, not the roof. Each backed-out or washer-failed screw comes out and a longer, larger-diameter screw with a fresh bonded washer goes in, so the threads bite new wood or steel. Where a hole has wallowed out beyond what an oversized screw will seal, we add a sealed plate or relocate the fastener to the rib. Stitch screws at side laps get the same treatment, and we re-set end-lap sealant while we are there. On a whole roof this is done slope by slope, counted per square, and it typically resets the roof for another decade.
Flashing and Penetration Leaks
Every hole and every change of plane on a metal roof is a flashing detail, and flashing is where most standing seam leaks live. We fabricate replacement flashing in our Forney shop instead of bending a generic piece on the tailgate.
- Pipe boots: rubber boots crack in Texas sun within a decade. We fit boots made for metal panels, sealed to the flat of the pan with a metal base that follows the rib profile.
- Chimneys: a leaking chimney usually needs a cricket to divert water, new step and counter-flashing let into the masonry, and a saddle that lets the panels float.
- Skylights and curbs: custom curb flashing with a back pan and diverters, rather than sealant poured into the corners.
- Headwalls, sidewalls and kick-outs: where a roof meets a wall, water has to be carried past the siding and into the gutter. A missing kick-out flashing rots fascia and sheathing quietly for years.
Our metal flashing page shows the pieces we fabricate, and where Texas roofs leak and how flashing stops it explains the details that matter most. Chimney caps, crickets and custom trim come from the same custom sheet metal shop.
Hail Inspection and Insurance Documentation for Metal Roofs
After a hailstorm, the question on a metal roof is not whether it was hit but whether the damage is functional or cosmetic, because many Texas policies now treat those two very differently. We inspect, document and explain the difference before you decide whether to file.
What does our inspection cover?
Every slope, photographed with the date, with dents counted inside chalk test squares. We separate cosmetic dents, which change the look but still shed water, from functional damage: cracked or chipped coatings that will rust, crushed ribs and split seams, flattened pipe boots, crushed ridge vents, dented gutters and bent trim that no longer sheds water. You get the report whether or not you file.
What should you know before filing a claim?
Three things. First, the cosmetic-damage exclusion: the Texas Department of Insurance approved an optional endorsement in 1998 for policies with an impact-resistant credit, and carriers now attach their own versions widely, so dents that do not leak may not be covered. Second, the deductible: Texas wind and hail deductibles typically run 1% to 5% of dwelling coverage, 2% being the North Texas norm, and since September 1, 2019 (HB 2102) no contractor may legally waive or absorb it. Third, roof age: many carriers move older roofs to actual cash value at renewal. We meet your adjuster on site with the photos and an itemized scope; the carrier decides the claim, and we never promise an outcome. More in our Class 4 insurance guide.
How do you spot a storm chaser?
The Texas Attorney General’s warnings after every major storm fit on one line: an uninvited knock, pressure to sign today, a request to sign over your insurance check, cash up front or an offer to cover your deductible. Texas has no state roofing license; check city registration, insurance and a real local address. Ours is 107 Industrial Dr, Forney, and our credentials are Fully Insured.
Panel Replacement on Standing Seam and Exposed-Fastener Roofs
A single crushed, split or debris-struck panel does not mean a new roof. We replace the panel, formed to the same profile and length in our shop, and leave the rest of the roof alone.
On standing seam, we unseam the damaged panel from the ridge, lift it out, set the new one on the existing clips and reseam it; snap-lock comes apart more easily than double-lock, which needs the seamer run again. On exposed-fastener roofs we unscrew and swap the sheet, then re-fasten the laps with new washered screws. The honest caveat is color. Kynar 500 fades slowly, but a new panel in year fifteen reads slightly brighter than its neighbors, and SMP finishes fade more. We match from the original coil line when we can, and on a highly visible slope we sometimes replace the full run so the roof reads evenly. See Kynar 500 vs SMP for why finish choice matters later.
Re-Coating an Aging Metal Roof
A roof coating makes sense on an exposed-fastener roof with chalked paint, surface rust and sound panels. It buys years, not decades, and it is not a substitute for fixing the fasteners first.
The job in order: pressure wash, treat rust, replace every failed fastener, seal laps and seams with reinforcing tape, then roll or spray an elastomeric or silicone roof coating rated for metal. Done that way, a tired R-panel roof on a shop, barn or older house gets a reflective, watertight surface and a cooler interior. We do not recommend coating a Kynar standing seam roof; the finish does not need it and the coating would not bond as well as the factory paint. For shops and metal buildings, see commercial metal roofing.
When Does Repair Beat Replacement?
Repair when the problem is at the details and the panels have life left. Replace when the panels themselves are done, or when fixing the details would cost a large share of a new roof that would outlast everyone involved.
| What we find | Usually the right call |
|---|---|
| Backed-out screws and cracked washers, panels sound | Re-fasten the roof with oversized screws |
| Chalked, surface-rusted R-panel under about 25 years old | Re-fasten, then re-coat |
| One or two damaged standing seam panels | Replace the panels, match color |
| Leak at a chimney, wall, skylight or pipe | Rebuild the flashing with shop-fabricated pieces |
| Hail dents that do not leak | Usually cosmetic; your call and your policy’s |
| Wallowed holes across the roof, rust-through, exposed-fastener roof past 30 years | Replace, often with concealed-clip standing seam |
If replacement is the answer, our types of metal roofing guide compares the systems and the residential metal roofing hub has prices. New work carries our lifetime workmanship warranty, and hail-dented gutters are usually replaced on the same visit.
How We Price Metal Roof Repairs
Honestly, which means not by phone. The same ceiling stain can be one failed pipe boot or a slope of stretched screw holes, and nobody can tell which from the driveway.
- Service visit minimum: covers the trip, the inspection and the first block of labor, so a simple fix is often finished on the first visit.
- Written quote for defined scope: a slope re-fasten, a re-coat, a chimney re-flash or a panel swap is priced in writing before work starts, with the materials listed.
- Hourly beyond the quote: if we open a detail and find rotted decking or a second problem, we stop, show you, and price the extra at a stated hourly rate.
- After a storm: active leaks go first. We triage by who has water coming in and give you an honest arrival window.
Our shop is in Forney, so Rockwall, Mesquite and Garland are close, and we run repair calls across Dallas, Fort Worth and the rest of our service area.
Homeowner Reviews
What Dallas-Fort Worth Homeowners Say About Architectural Metal Panels
Metal Roof Repair FAQ
How much does metal roof repair cost in Dallas-Fort Worth?
We do not quote metal roof repairs by phone, because the same leak can be one failed pipe boot or a slope of wallowed screw holes. A service visit covers the inspection and the first block of labor; beyond that you get a written quote for the defined scope before any work starts. Compare that quote with your wind and hail deductible before you file a claim.
Why is my metal roof leaking at the screws?
On exposed-fastener corrugated and R-panel roofs, the rubber washer under each screw hardens in Texas UV and the panel’s daily expansion works the screw loose. After 10 to 15 years the washers crack and the screw holes stretch. The fix is new, oversized fasteners with fresh washers, and larger screws or sealed plates where the holes have elongated.
Can one standing seam panel be replaced without redoing the roof?
Usually. We unseam the damaged panel from the ridge down, slide in a new one formed to the same profile and length, and reseam it. Snap-lock panels come apart more easily than double-lock. The new panel will read slightly brighter than its faded neighbors, so on a visible slope we sometimes replace the whole run for a match.
Will insurance cover hail dents on a metal roof in Texas?
Often not, if the dents do not leak. Many Texas policies carry a cosmetic-damage exclusion, first approved as an optional endorsement in 1998 and now widely attached by carriers. Functional damage such as split seams, cracked coatings and crushed flashings is a different matter. We document both so your adjuster can see the difference.
Is it legal for a roofer to waive my deductible in Texas?
No. Since September 1, 2019, under HB 2102, a contractor who pays, waives, rebates or absorbs a homeowner’s deductible commits a Class B misdemeanor, with penalties up to a $2,000 fine and 180 days in jail. A roofer who offers it is breaking the law, and your insurer may ask for proof you paid the deductible.
Should I re-coat my old metal roof or replace it?
Re-coat when the panels are sound, the rust is surface-level and the roof has 10 or more years of structure left; a coating buys years, not decades. Replace when screw holes are wallowed across the roof, panels have rusted through or the roof is an exposed-fastener system past 30 years. We inspect first and tell you which one it is.
Do you repair shingle roofs?
No. Architectural Metal Panels works on metal roofs only, including standing seam, metal shingle, metal shake, stone-coated tile, corrugated and R-panel. If your shingle roof is failing, our why asphalt roofs fail in Texas page explains what we see on tear-offs and the residential metal roofing hub covers the systems we install.
Get Your Free In-Home Estimate
Tell us about your project and a Architectural Metal Panels specialist will call you back within one business day. No pressure, no obligation.
Or text a photo of your roof to (469) 569-3956
Prefer to talk now? Call (469) 569-3956. Fully Insured.
Sources
Insurance, legal and weather references on this page (checked October 2026):
- Texas Legislature bill analysis of HB 2102 (86th Legislature, 2019)
- Texas Department of Insurance: state law cracks down on roof scams
- Texas Department of Insurance Commissioner’s Bulletin B-0030-98
- United Policyholders: Texas peak hail season and the wind and hail deductible (2026)
- Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel: ACV vs. RCV
- Texas Attorney General: warning about contractor scams after hail storms
- Interlock Roofing: concealed vs. exposed fasteners
- Roofing Contractor: RCAT’s voluntary licensing program
Leak, Dent or Loose Screws? Get a Straight Diagnosis.
Call (469) 569-3956 for an active leak, or book an inspection online. You get dated photos, a plain answer on repair versus replacement and a written quote before any work starts.