Gilbert is a town of pitched tile roofs, and that is exactly why its flat roofs get overlooked. The flat part is usually the covered patio, the room added at the back or the casita. We are Circle G Roofing. Spray foam roofing is our specialty, our office is in Scottsdale, and Gilbert is part of the area we serve. This page explains how flat roofs fail in Gilbert, how we repair them and what the Town’s rules say.
Flat roof repair in Gilbert in brief
We repair spray foam roofs, coated roofs and other low-slope roofs on Gilbert homes. We are based in Scottsdale, not Gilbert, and we travel to you. The inspection is free, you see photographs of what we find, and the price is fixed in writing before work starts. Our emergency leak line is answered 24/7.
Call us and tell us which part of the house has the flat roof and where the water is showing. We will arrange a free inspection in Gilbert.
Where the flat roofs are in Gilbert
Gilbert grew late and fast. The census counted 1,971 residents in 1970, 29,188 in 1990, 109,697 in 2000 and 267,918 in 2020. A town once known as the Hay Shipping Capital of the World added almost 240,000 people in thirty years, and most of its homes wear concrete tile on a pitched roof.
The flat and low-slope roofs sit among them:
- Covered patios. A patio cover tied into the back wall of the house is a common flat roof on a Gilbert home, and the joint where it meets the house wall is a known place for leaks.
- Additions and enclosed patios. A room added after the house was built often has a low-slope roof finished with foam or a coating.
- Casitas. A small separate building often carries a flat or low-slope roof of its own, finished the same way.
- Older homes near downtown. Gilbert was incorporated in 1920 and had fewer than 2,000 residents as late as 1970, so the houses around the Heritage District, the Town’s downtown, are generally older than the tile subdivisions.
We cover the whole town, from the Heritage District downtown to planned communities such as Val Vista Lakes, Agritopia and Power Ranch.
Why flat roofs fail in the Southeast Valley
A flat roof is not flat. It is built with a slight fall so that water runs to the drains and scuppers instead of ponding. Most flat roof trouble comes down to one of four things going wrong with that drainage or with the surface.
Sun on the coating
Gilbert’s average high in July is 106 degrees, and its record high is 119. On a foam roof the foam is not what wears out. The reflective coating over it is. Once the coating turns chalky and thin, the sun reaches the foam, and the foam starts to crack, blister and take on water.
Water that does not leave
Water still standing two days after rain means a low spot or a blocked scupper. It is one of the plainest signs that a flat roof is due for attention.
Edges, walls and pipes
On a foam or flat roof the failure is usually one blistered area or a penetration that was never sealed properly. So we look hard at the parapet wall, the line where the patio roof meets the house, each pipe, and the curb under the air conditioning unit.
Monsoon wind, dust and debris
The National Weather Service dates the monsoon from June 15 through September 30 and says the outflow from a strong storm can produce winds of 50 miles per hour or greater, raising very dense dust from open fields and desert. Gilbert storms bring strong wind and short, heavy rain, and we see debris against walls and in valleys afterward. On a flat roof the same debris ends up in the scuppers and drains. For homes, the Town’s building code sets an ultimate design wind speed of 115 miles per hour, which tells you what roofs here are expected to stand up to.
How we repair a flat roof
Every repair starts with finding where the water enters. On a flat roof it often travels under the surface before it shows on a ceiling, so the stain is a starting point and not the answer.
- Free inspection. We walk the roof, photograph it, probe for moisture and check the drains, scuppers, parapet flashing and penetrations.
- Written fixed price. You see the photographs, and the price is agreed in writing before anything starts.
- Wash and dry. The repair area, or the whole roof for a recoat, is power washed and dried. Coatings bond only to a clean dry surface.
- Cut out what is wet. Blistered and saturated foam is cut out and rebuilt with new foam. Low spots are filled so that water runs to the scuppers.
- Seal the joints. Seams, scuppers, parapet flashing, pipes and curbs are sealed and reinforced before the open roof is coated.
- Coat. The coating goes on as one continuous layer at the thickness specified.
Which coating goes on
| Coating | Where we use it |
|---|---|
| Silicone | The usual choice for a flat roof that holds water. It cures into a surface that water can sit on without softening it |
| Polyurea elastomeric | For roofs that move, take foot traffic or cannot be out of service for long. It cures fast, builds thickness in one pass and stretches instead of splitting |
A coating can go over spray foam and over most sound existing coatings with the right primer. It cannot go over anything wet or loose. Coating a wet roof seals the water in and creates a second problem, which is why the cutting out comes first.
Repair, recoat or full makeover
| What we find | What the roof needs |
|---|---|
| One blister, one split or a leak at a single pipe or wall joint, with sound coating around it | A spot repair |
| Coating chalky, thin or lifting at the seams across the roof, foam beneath it dry | A recoat, done before the foam gets wet |
| Wet or blistered foam in several places, low areas holding water, no recoat in many years | A full foam roof makeover: power wash, damaged foam removed, low areas refilled, whole roof recoated |
A foam roof in the Valley should be recoated about every 10 to 15 years. Leaving it late is what turns a recoat into a cut out and rebuild. Our full foam roof makeovers carry a 5-year warranty. That warranty applies to full foam roof makeovers only, not to spot repairs or other work.
Not sure which of the three your roof needs? Call us. We will look at it for free and show you the photographs.
Does flat roof repair need a Town of Gilbert permit
Usually not. The Town of Gilbert has adopted the 2018 International Residential Code with its own amendments, and those amendments add an item to the list of work exempt from a building permit: re-roofing not requiring a structural change. A foam repair, a recoat or a full foam roof makeover changes nothing structural.
Two cautions come with that. The Town’s code says an exemption from a permit does not authorize work done in violation of the code, so the roofing itself still has to be done properly. And if a repair uncovers rotten decking or damaged framing under a patio roof, the job is no longer just re-roofing. That question should go to the Town’s Development Services office before the structural part goes ahead.
Your HOA is a separate matter, and most Gilbert neighborhoods have one. A flat roof behind a parapet is out of sight, but a patio cover or a casita roof may not be. If the finish will be visible, check your community’s rules on color before the coating is chosen. We check association rules before ordering material.
Serving Gilbert from Scottsdale, honestly
We are not a Gilbert company and will not pretend to be one. Our office is in Scottsdale. Gilbert lies southeast of Phoenix, with Mesa to the north, Chandler to the southwest and Queen Creek to the southeast. For a booked inspection the distance makes no difference to you. For an emergency it means this: the leak line is answered 24/7, we respond as quickly as we can, and during a monsoon storm, when roofs across the Valley fail at once, we take the worst cases first.
What you get for calling a company from across the Valley is the specialty. Spray foam roofing is the core of what we do, along with silicone and polyurea coatings, roof waterproofing and deck waterproofing. Circle G Roofing is family run and has been roofing in the Valley for more than 20 years. A flat roof is not a side job for us between tile roofs.
If water is coming in right now
Clear the floor under the leak and set a bucket there. A ceiling that is bulging can be pierced at its lowest point, so that it drains in one spot. Stay away from wet wiring and fittings, and stay off the roof while it is dark or windy. Then call our emergency leak line.
Deck waterproofing and patio roofs
Not every flat surface on a Gilbert home is a roof in the usual sense. We also do deck waterproofing and weather sealing, and we coat porch and patio roofs. Polyurea is the coating we use where a surface moves or gets walked on, because it stretches instead of splitting and cures fast. Which system suits yours is decided at the inspection, after we have seen how the surface drains.
On a covered patio the trouble is most often at the joint with the house wall. That joint is sealed and reinforced before any coating goes on. A wider smear of sealant over the old crack is not a repair.
Looking after a flat roof between repairs
- Clear the scuppers and drains before the monsoon. June is the month for it. After a big storm, have the roof looked at even if nothing is showing inside.
- Look at the roof two days after rain. Water still standing marks a low spot worth fixing.
- Walk on it with care. A foam roof can be walked on. Spread your weight, do not drag equipment across it, and have any gouge sealed.
- Tell other trades. Ask anyone servicing the air conditioning to treat the roof the same way.
- Know the recoat date. If nobody can say when the roof was last coated, have it inspected.
If Salt River Project is your electric utility, ask about its Cool Roof Rebate before a recoat. SRP’s terms cover homes with a roof pitch of 2 in 12 or less and exclude a cool roof over a patio or a garage, so the flat roof over the living space may qualify where the patio cover does not. SRP can change or end the program without notice.
More from us
This page is about flat roofs in Gilbert. For everything we do, see our roofing company Scottsdale AZ page. For leak repair on tile and shingle roofs, see roofer Scottsdale AZ. For licensing and paperwork, see roofing contractor Scottsdale AZ, and for a roof past repair, roof replacement Scottsdale AZ. Our main site is Circle G Roofing.
Call us about your flat roof in Gilbert. The inspection and the written price are free.
Common questions
Do you really cover Gilbert from Scottsdale?
Yes. Our office is in Scottsdale and Gilbert is part of the area we serve. Booked inspections are scheduled as normal. For emergencies, our leak line is answered 24/7 and we respond as quickly as we can.
Do I need a permit to repair or recoat a flat roof in Gilbert?
Usually not. The Town of Gilbert’s code amendments list re-roofing not requiring a structural change as work exempt from a permit. If the repair uncovers damaged decking or framing, ask the Town’s Development Services office before that part goes ahead.
Why does my patio roof leak where it meets the house?
A roof-to-wall joint is a common place for a flat roof to leak, usually because it was never sealed properly or an old patch has failed. The joint is sealed and reinforced before any coating goes on.
How often should a foam roof be recoated?
About every 10 to 15 years in the Valley. The coating wears out before the foam does. Recoating on time keeps the job a recoat. Leaving it late means cutting out and rebuilding wet foam first.
Will a coating alone stop my flat roof leaking?
A coating stops water entering through the surface. It cannot fix wet or blistered foam, or a pipe or wall joint that was never sealed. Those are cut out and rebuilt first. Coating over a wet roof seals the water in.
Silicone or polyurea: which coating is right?
Silicone is the usual choice for a flat roof that holds water. Polyurea suits roofs that move, take foot traffic or need a fast turnaround. We choose after seeing how your roof drains.
Is there a warranty on flat roof work?
Our full foam roof makeovers carry a 5-year warranty. It applies to full foam roof makeovers only, not to spot repairs. Ask us what applies to your job and we will put it in the written quote.
Can I walk on my foam roof?
Yes. Spread your weight, avoid dragging equipment across it and have any gouge sealed so the foam is not left open to the sun.
How long does a foam roof last in Gilbert?
With proper maintenance, 20 years or more. The foam is not the part that wears out. The coating is, so the date of the last recoat matters more than the date the roof was installed.
Can foam go over my existing flat roof?
Usually, yes, after we have checked the surface, the drains and the penetrations. Anything wet or loose has to come out first, because foam and coatings are only as sound as what they are bonded to.
My house has a tile roof. Why would I need a flat roof repair?
Many tile homes in Gilbert have a flat part as well: a covered patio, an addition or a casita. Those roofs are finished with foam or a coating and need recoating on a schedule of their own.
What does the monsoon do to a flat roof?
Wind throws debris onto the roof, and then the rain arrives in a short, heavy burst. Water that cannot reach a drain stands on the roof. The National Weather Service dates the monsoon from June 15 through September 30, so clear the drains before then.
Does my HOA need to approve a flat roof recoat?
It depends on your community’s rules and on whether the roof can be seen. A roof behind a parapet is out of sight. A patio cover or casita roof may be visible. Check the rules on color before the coating is chosen.
Do you repair leaks at night in Gilbert?
Our emergency leak line is answered 24/7. We stop the water and protect the area below, then return to make the permanent repair in daylight on a dry roof, with a written fixed price first.
What does flat roof repair cost in Gilbert?
It depends on the size of the roof, how much foam has to be removed and whether the job is a spot repair, a recoat or a full makeover. We give no price by phone. The inspection is free and the price is fixed in writing.