Restaurant Roofing in Plano, TX

Restaurant roofs take a beating that office roofs don't. The kitchen hood exhaust fan blows grease onto the roof every day, and grease softens and breaks down many membranes, especially EPDM and asphalt-based roofs. Add a makeup air unit, rooftop HVAC, walk-in cooler condensers and gas lines on supports, and a small restaurant roof can have a dozen penetrations. On the Plano restaurant leaks we see, the problem is usually at one of them: a grease-soaked seam beside the hood fan, a cracked pipe boot or a curb whose flashing has pulled loose. A real fix sometimes means the hood or HVAC contractor has to lift the fan first, or the curb needs rebuilding. The estimate should say that and who does it. A tube of sealant around the base won't hold up to grease.

Whether you're in a strip center, a pad site or a downtown storefront, send us the address, the person who can get us onto the roof (often the landlord or property manager) and any past repair invoices or drawings. Those help us find the right unit, though we still need to see the flashing and insulation ourselves. We'll also ask about your hours, so roof work stays out of the lunch and dinner rush.

Finding the leaking penetration

Our penetration and flashing inspection starts at the equipment closest to where the leak shows up inside. We check the hood fan curb and any grease containment around it, the HVAC curbs, pipe boots, gas line supports and pitch pans. A drip over a prep table or dining booth may have come in several feet away and run along the deck, so we trace it from the roof side. If we need to open the flashing to see what's under it, we'll tell you where and why, and include sealing it up in the price.

If the wood curb or nailer under the flashing is rotten or grease-soaked, it gets replaced before new membrane goes on. When the change affects how a unit is supported, an engineer may need to check it. We photograph the damage so you can see what was fixed after it's covered up. One bad curb doesn't mean every penetration on the roof is failing. If another one nearby looks suspect, we'll suggest checking it instead of guessing. The estimate covers what we actually found, not damage we assume is there.

Is the insulation wet?

An infrared moisture survey can map where wet insulation may be hiding around the kitchen equipment and across the rest of the roof. It's a good first step, not the final word. Heat from the kitchen below, a patch or a change in insulation thickness can look a lot like wet board on the image. Where the result decides whether insulation stays or comes out, we pull a core sample to confirm and patch it the same visit. That keeps you from paying to replace dry insulation, or from leaving wet insulation under new membrane.

We'd rather tell you what we found than guess at the cause. A seam that has split beside the hood fan needs repair whether grease, age or foot traffic from service techs did it. What we can tell you is how far the damage goes and what has to come out. If we can't see the layer that matters, we'll say so and suggest a cut. Some bids price new flashing and assume everything underneath is sound without checking. That isn't the same job as one that includes cores, even if the prices look close.

What the kitchen trades and the roofer each do

Good equipment curb and support work relies on your hood and HVAC contractors. They disconnect, lift or move fans and units, handle gas and electrical connections, and restart and test everything once we're done. If a curb has to be raised or replaced, an engineer may need to approve it. We list that work on the estimate with their name next to it, so a new roof seam isn't mistaken for the fan or the HVAC unit being serviced and cleared to run.

The commercial roof repair follows the roof you have. TPO and PVC get hot-air welded flashing, and PVC holds up better to grease; EPDM uses tape and primer; modified bitumen gets compatible flashing plies. Around the hood fan we often recommend a grease containment box or a grease-resistant membrane patch. Where a wall meets the repair, we check the wall behind the counterflashing. If a drain is involved, we handle the membrane tie-in and a plumber handles any pipe below. When every bid lists those items, comparing them is much easier.

Working around service hours

Before any roof work over an occupied building, we go over the plan with you or your landlord: where we'll open the roof, where the ladder or hoist goes, and what sits underneath. Over a kitchen, that matters a lot. Dust or debris falling onto food prep areas is a health problem, so we'll talk about working when the kitchen is closed, tarping equipment, and keeping the walk-in and dry storage protected. An inspection visit doesn't mean the space is ready. You decide when we can work, and we plan around it.

Sometimes opening a curb shows more rot or wet insulation than expected. When that happens, we stop, take photos, and show you how far it goes and what it adds. If the hood or HVAC contractor has to do their part before we can finish, we keep the opening sealed so the next storm doesn't cause a new leak. We'll also check again what needs protecting below the larger area. The change order covers all of that, not just more membrane, so you're approving the full fix.

Keeping a record of the repair

After the new flashing is installed, nobody will see the curb or insulation underneath again. We keep photos and notes on which penetration we repaired, what wood we replaced, the membrane and grease protection installed and where test cuts were patched. Anything still waiting on another trade, like a fan restart, a wall repair or a plumber's pipe fix, is listed apart from the finished roofing. If a hidden layer still needs a look, we note where. The next manager or landlord can see exactly what was done without assuming the whole roof was checked.

We work on restaurant roofs around Downtown Plano and the rest of the city. Send the address and whoever handles roof access. Grease and equipment problems overlap with grocery store roofs and hotel kitchens, and we see both often, but your restaurant gets priced on what we find on its own roof, not another building's condition or a guess about where your equipment sits.

Commercial Roofing Questions

What should a restaurant penetration repair estimate include?

It should list the flashing and insulation coming off, any rotted curb being replaced, the new flashing and any grease protection. If the hood fan or HVAC unit has to be lifted, it should say who does that. Those items are what make bids comparable.

Can an infrared scan prove my insulation is dry?

No. Heat from the kitchen, patches and insulation changes can look like wet board on the image. We use the scan to decide where to look, then confirm with core samples.

Who decides when you can work over the kitchen?

You or your landlord do. We go over where we'll cut and how materials get to the roof, and you tell us the hours and areas to avoid. An inspection doesn't mean the kitchen is ready for roof work above it.

What if the damage is bigger than expected?

We stop, photograph it, and show you how far it goes and what it adds. The roof stays sealed while other trades do their part. We also update the plan for protecting the kitchen and storage below.

Ask for a restaurant roof inspection

Tell us where the leak is and who can let us onto the roof. We'll check the hood fan, the curbs and the insulation, then give you an estimate that names each trade.

Request a Roof Assessment