Metal Roof Repair by Problem
A good repair visit starts by finding where the water actually gets in, which isn't always above the ceiling stain. These are the jobs a contractor will usually quote.
Fastener and Washer Replacement
On screw-down panels, a fastener is the first suspect. Angi notes that when the leak comes from failing screws, the screws themselves may cost only $15 to $75, not counting labor. Replacements go one size larger than the originals, a #17 for a #14 for example. Ask whether the roofer plans to replace every screw on the slope or only the ones that look bad. On an old roof, the ones that look fine are usually the same age. How often a screw-down roof needs this is covered on our corrugated metal roofing page.
Seam and Side-Lap Leaks
On exposed-fastener roofs, water gets in where one sheet laps over the next, once the sealant in the lap dries out or the stitch screws loosen. On standing seam, the leak is usually a seam that has opened. A single-lock seam is easier to open and close again than a double lock, which takes more labor to repair. On shallow pitches the lap and seam rules are stricter; see our low slope metal roof page.
Flashing and Pipe Boot Repairs
Anything that breaks through the roof is a weak point: plumbing vents, exhaust fans, chimneys, and the line where a lower roof meets a brick or sided wall. Rubber pipe boots crack in the sun, and Angi puts a vent boot replacement at $250 to $500. Wall and chimney leaks are often patched with caulk. Ask whether the fix is new bent metal flashing or sealant. In our view, sealant alone is a stopgap.
Panel Replacement
A panel that's been punctured by a limb, cut for an old vent, or rusted through gets replaced, not patched. The new panel has to match the profile, gauge and paint of the old one, which gets harder on an older or discontinued color. Angi's range for rust and corrosion repairs is $500 to $3,000, depending on how far it has spread. Priced by area, Angi puts steel roof repairs at $9 to $19 per square foot and aluminum at $6 to $16, labor included.
Storm and Hail Damage
After wind or hail, separate what looks bad from what leaks. InterNACHI's inspector training says hail can dent metal panels without functional damage, because they lie flat on the deck, but damage at seams, ridge and hip caps, gable and eave trim, and panel edges can let water in or reduce wind resistance. Angi puts storm damage repairs at $700 to $4,000. For the scheduled after-storm check itself, see metal roof inspection.
Why Columbia homeowners call Columbia Metal Roofs
- A free on-site measure and a written quote
- Panel type, steel gauge and paint system spelled out before you sign
- Ask who pulls the roofing permit: it goes in the scope
- Your request goes to one independent metal roofer, not a list
- No fee to the property owner for the referral
Metal Roof Repair After Columbia Storms
Richland County's storm records show how often a Columbia roof takes a hit.
Thunderstorm wind
Richland County drew 331 thunderstorm wind reports in NOAA's Storm Events Database between 2015 and 2024, from 22 to 44 in a single year, and 57 of them note property damage. The highest measured gust was 61 knots, at Arthurtown in July 2015.Hail
The same records show 49 hail reports in Richland County over those ten years, 15 of them an inch or larger. The biggest stones, 1.75 inches, fell at Blythewood in April 2015 and Leesburg in April 2017. Capitol View had 1.25-inch hail in June 2016.Tropical storms
Helene's top gust at Columbia Metropolitan Airport on September 27, 2024 was 67 mph, and a rain gauge just north-northwest of the city caught 10.76 inches, per the SC State Climatology Office.Tornadoes
The state climatology office counts 30 tornadoes affecting Richland County between 1950 and 2021.
After a storm, look from the ground first. Check for lifted trim and ridge caps, branches on the roof and new ceiling stains, and take dated photos before anything is moved. Stay off a wet metal roof. Then book a roofer to look at seams, trim and fasteners up close.
Metal Roof Repair Costs and Insurance Claims in South Carolina
Angi's national average for metal roof repair is $1,919, from 2,354 projects, and most homeowners pay between $640 and $3,198. Small leaks cost the least. Storm damage costs the most. When an old metal roof needs replacing rather than repairing, Angi's national range for a roof replacement is $11,700 to $28,700.
Two parts of South Carolina's roofing law (S.C. Code § 40-59-25) matter on a storm claim:
Five business days to cancel
If you sign a roofing contract that will be paid from insurance and the insurer then denies all or part of the claim in writing, you may cancel before midnight on the fifth business day after you get that notice. The contractor must give you this right in bold type, with a cancellation form attached to the contract.No deductible deals
A contractor may not advertise or promise to pay or rebate any part of your deductible, including through a discount for putting up a yard sign. A violation is a misdemeanor.
Metal Roof Repair or Replacement: Signs to Weigh
The question is how far the damage has spread compared with how much life the panels have left. A roofer who has been up on the roof can usually tell you which side of the line you're on, and a good one will show you photos of what they saw.
Rust-through on many panels
Holes in more than a few panels point to metal roof replacement.Chalky paint, light surface rust
Often a candidate for metal roof coating after the screws and laps are fixed.Leaks at screws across the roof
A full re-screw is a repair, priced in screws and labor, not new panels.Damage in one area
A few panels and some trim, matched in profile and color, is a repair.