Metal roofs are sold as 50 year roofs, and the panels really do last. But a roof is only as good as its weakest point, and on a metal roof that is almost always the penetrations: the vents, the pipes, and anything else that comes through the panels. This vent on a metal roof in Aldergrove is a good example.
The roof was fine, the penetration was not
The metal panels were in good shape. The problem was the vent. Like a lot of metal roof penetrations, it was sealed with nothing but caulking.
Caulking is not permanent. It shrinks, cracks, and lets go, usually within a few years. When that happens at a penetration, water runs straight in, even though the roof around it has decades of life left.
What we did
The customer did not want to replace the vent, so we cleaned it up and applied fresh caulking to re-seal it. That buys time, but it is important to be clear about what it is: maintenance, not a permanent fix. A caulked penetration has to be checked and re-sealed every so often.
The honest truth about 50 year metal roofs
Metal roofing panels can last 50 years. The penetrations usually cannot, at least not on their own. If the vents, pipe flashings, and boots were not detailed properly when the roof went on, they end up relying on caulking or rubber boots that have to be maintained. None of that means the roof is bad. It just means a metal roof, like any roof, needs someone keeping an eye on the details.
Have a metal roof? Check the penetrations
If you have a metal roof, the panels are probably fine. The places to watch are every spot where something comes through the roof. If you see cracked caulking or a hardened rubber boot around a vent or pipe, get it resealed before it leaks. We maintain and repair metal roofs and every other roof type across Greater Vancouver and serve Aldergrove and the surrounding area. See our roofing services or call 778-389-5564 for a free estimate.