Repair of a leaking copper roof panel on a Frank Lloyd Wright "Usonian" design house with Bermuda-style roofing.
Copper Roof Repair in Greater Cleveland and Northeast Ohio
Factors to Consider When Repairing or Replacing a Copper Roof
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Age of the Copper Roof
As copper ages, it develops a layer of copper oxide known as copper patina. This patina begins as a thin coating with a dark bronze or olive hue and gradually thickens over time. Typically, it turns light green after about 15 to 20 years, depending on the local climate. The thickness of the patina varies based on the roof's design; areas with less exposure to erosion will have a thicker patina, while those with more exposure will have a thinner layer. For effective repairs, this patina must be removed mechanically to expose clean, bright copper of sufficient thickness before soldering a repair patch.
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Severity of Roof Damage
Small damaged areas can often be repaired quickly and efficiently. However, if a large portion of the roof is damaged, it's essential to evaluate whether it's financially sensible to repair it. In some cases, the cost of materials for repairing the existing copper may be higher than the labor costs associated with installing new copper roofing.
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Location of Damage
Damage located along standing seams and horizontal seams is particularly challenging to repair. The additional layers of folded or lapped metal make it difficult to open and clean the metal joints sufficiently for proper soldering or panel replacement.
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Roof Design
Sometimes, the roof area may be improperly pitched or too flat for a standing seam roof. Additionally, seams and panels may be installed incorrectly, such as seams running horizontally on a barrel-style roof.
Examples of Repairable and Unrepairable Copper Roofing
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Repairable copper roof.
Falling slate shingles damaged this 100-year-old copper flat seam roof. The copper has a thick layer of copper patina, which has protected the metal from wear and tear. With careful cleaning and preparation, a new copper metal patch can be soldered over the damaged areas for a permanent repair.
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A poorly soldered, leaking roof seam that is new enough to warrant repair.
Copper roof repair is in progress. The seam has been opened for cleaning the original copper patina to bare metal before fitting and soldering.

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An example of an unrepairable copper standing seam roof.
An example of an unrepairable copper standing seam roof is one with an insufficient pitch or slope. This condition allows for snow and ice accumulation, which can lead to the formation of ice dams during winter. This can cause water to back up and enter the standing seams of the roofing. Furthermore, these roofing joints are caulked instead of properly folded together. The caulking can dry out and crack within a few years due to extreme heat and panel movement.

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Original installation error.

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Typical causes of broken seams are incorrect soldering.
Most broken seams look like the image below. There is only a small amount of solder at the seam edge, and no solder is present between the folded layers of copper. These seams are easily broken. If the majority of the roof were soldered in this way, it would be better to replace the entire roof.

And a well-soldered copper roof seam. The solder has flowed through the entire seam for a permanent, unbreakable joint.

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This copper roof was damaged by a storm and further compromised by both the original and subsequent installation errors.

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Worn-out copper roofing sheet.
This roof has worn through near the soldered seam. A good indication of worn-out, too-thin-to-solder roofing is the presence of an orange coloring on the copper. The protective copper patina has worn off due to excessive weathering, revealing the bare copper beneath.