How to Repair Tiny Holes in Your Commercial Roof?

Tiny holes in commercial roofing membranes — from fasteners, foot traffic, hail, or equipment installation — are among the most common sources of leaks. Here's the right way to address them.

Why Small Holes Are a Big Problem

A pinhole in a roofing membrane allows water infiltration that can travel laterally through insulation for feet before appearing as an interior leak. Left unaddressed, a tiny hole can saturate insulation, cause mold growth, and eventually compromise the structural deck below. Small problems become expensive problems when ignored.

Standard Repair: Patch and Seal

For isolated holes in TPO, EPDM, or modified bitumen systems, the standard repair involves: cleaning the area thoroughly, applying a compatible primer, placing a reinforced patch of the same membrane material over the hole with appropriate overlap, and heat-welding or adhering the patch per manufacturer specifications. The patch must extend at least 3 inches in all directions from the hole.

Coating System Repairs

For roofs with existing coating systems, small holes can be repaired by cleaning the area, applying compatible sealant, and recoating the patch area to match the surrounding coating. This restores the seamless surface.

Spray Foam for Multiple Small Holes

When a roof has many small holes distributed across a large area — common on aging metal roofs with fastener corrosion — individual patching becomes impractical. A silicone coating restoration system addresses all holes simultaneously in a single application, which is far more cost-effective than individual repairs on a roof with widespread issues.