Roof leak repair — find the source, fix the cause.
A stain on your ceiling is almost never directly below the leak — water travels along the underlayment and decking before it shows inside. Since 1974, Mike McGilvary Roofing has traced South Florida roof leaks to their true entry point with attic thermal imaging, then repaired the cause — a flashing joint, a valley, a cracked tile — without selling you a roof you don't need.
Accredited · Certified · Recognized · Family-Owned Since 1974
The stain on your ceiling is a symptom — not the source.
Water enters at a failed flashing or cracked tile, runs along the underlayment and decking, and drips through the ceiling feet away from where it actually got in. Patch the stain and the leak comes back. We trace water to its real entry point — then repair the cause.
Attic thermal imaging and a methodical, attic-up inspection locate the true entry point — even when the water travels before it appears. We fix that, document it, and back the work with a 2-year workmanship warranty — double the industry standard.
A small leak is a five-figure repair waiting to happen.
Water is patient. What starts as a stain becomes rotted decking and mold — here's the honest picture.
What a delayed leak really costs
A pinhole leak wicks into the decking and insulation, rots plywood, feeds mold, and stains drywall — turning a $600 flashing repair into a $6,000+ deck-and-interior job. A roof rarely fails all at once; the damage compounds quietly until the ceiling gives way.
Why the last guy's caulk didn't hold
Surface caulk smeared over a failed flashing or cracked tile buys a few months, then fails — because it never addressed the entry point. We don't seal symptoms; we rebuild the actual joint or replace the failed component, so the leak is gone for good, not just hidden until the next storm.
Published In & Recognized By
Everything it takes to stop a leak at the source.
We diagnose and repair the cause across tile, shingle, and flat roofs — with an honest repair-vs-replace recommendation every time.
- Attic thermal-imaging leak detection
- Flashing repair & reconstruction — walls, chimneys, skylights
- Valley repair & re-metaling
- Cracked or slipped tile & missing shingle replacement
- Pipe boot, vent & penetration re-sealing
- Emergency tarping & active-leak response
Six failure points we trace every week.
Most leaks come from one of these — we fix the cause, not the stain.
Flashing joints
Walls, chimneys, and skylights are the #1 leak source. Flashing dries, lifts, or was never installed correctly — we rebuild the joint properly instead of caulking over it.
Valleys
Valleys concentrate the most water flow and corrode or tear first, especially in coastal salt air. We repair the valley metal and the underlayment beneath it.
Cracked & slipped tile
A single cracked, slipped, or foot-traffic-broken tile exposes the underlayment to direct water. We replace the tile and inspect the membrane underneath for hidden damage.
Pipe boots & penetrations
Rubber pipe boots dry and split in the Florida sun in 8–12 years — a classic, sneaky leak. Vents, conduits, and skylights are chronic entry points we re-seal at the source.
Failed underlayment
When the moisture barrier beneath the surface fails, water finds every seam. We lift the surface materials, replace the failed section, and reinstall — before it rots the deck.
Storm & wind-driven rain
Hurricane uplift and wind-driven rain force water under tiles and shingles that shed it fine in normal weather. We find the storm-opened path and document it for the claim.
We find the leak before we fix it.
Water rarely enters where it drips. A methodical, attic-up inspection with thermal imaging locates the true entry point — then we repair the cause and document it, instead of smearing caulk over a stain.
How we find and kill a leak.
Rapid response & tarping
For an active leak we move fast — tarping and interior protection to stop the damage now, before the methodical diagnosis begins. Call and Mike answers the phone himself.
Thermal-imaging source trace
A free inspection with attic thermal imaging follows the water to its true entry point — not the stain. We map exactly where it's getting in and what failed, even when the path travels feet across the deck.
Repair the cause
We rebuild the failed flashing, valley, boot, or underlayment section to current Florida code — addressing the actual entry point so the leak is gone, not re-sealed. Honest repair-vs-replace call if the damage is genuinely widespread.
Document & warranty
Full photo documentation of the source, the repair, and the moisture findings — useful for insurance and future planning — backed by a 2-year workmanship warranty.
What leak repair actually costs in Palm Beach County.
Real ranges — the source repair, not a roof you don't need.
$400 – $2,500
A cracked tile, a split pipe boot, a re-sealed penetration, or a single flashing joint — the localized fixes that resolve the large majority of the leaks we inspect.
$2,500 – $9,000
A corroded valley, a multi-point flashing rebuild, or a failed underlayment section — still a targeted repair that's a fraction of a $15,000–$75,000+ replacement.
Ignoring a leak lets it rot the decking into a five-figure repair — and Florida insurers increasingly weigh roof age and condition at renewal. A documented repair, with an optional 5-Year Roof Certification, is often what keeps coverage in force under Florida's Roof Age Law (§627.7011).
Real homes. Real documentation.
Short walkthroughs from real Palm Beach County projects — what Mike found, what he documented, and the work that followed. Outcomes vary by roof; nothing here is a guarantee of any insurance result.
WatchThe Drummond Roof
An insurance review prompted a closer look. Documentation of the tile system's actual condition may help the homeowner make an informed decision — repair, rebuild, or replacement.
WatchThe Amber Roof
Full condition documentation of an older tile roof. Thorough records of repairability and remaining useful life may be useful for insurance and future planning.
WatchThe Wellington Rebuild
A section rebuild that preserved most of the existing roof — replacing the failed underlayment, valley metal, and damaged tile instead of a full tear-off.
Leak detectives since 1974 — not a tear-off sales team.
Finding leaks since 1974
Tens of thousands of South Florida leaks traced and repaired over 50+ years. We know where Palm Beach County roofs leak, and how to find the source other contractors miss.
Thermal imaging, not guesswork
We follow the water with attic thermal imaging to its true entry point — so we repair the cause once, instead of chasing the stain with caulk and hoping.
Repair-first, honestly
The large majority of leaks are a localized repair, and we fix them as one — saving you a replacement you don't need. When the roof genuinely is done, we tell you plainly.
Licensed, insured & proven
Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1331721 (license active since 2018; family roofing roots since 1974), BBB A+, BuildZoom 107 / Top 6%, 5.0 stars across 500+ Google reviews, and a 2-year workmanship warranty — double the standard.
A leak often points to a larger system issue — explore tile repair, roof rebuilds, a free inspection, or a 5-Year Certification.
Palm Beach County leak questions, answered.
How do you find where a roof is actually leaking?
How much does roof leak repair cost in Palm Beach County?
Can a roof leak be repaired, or do I need a new roof?
Why does my roof only leak during heavy or wind-driven rain?
Will insurance cover roof leak repair in Florida?
Have a leak? Let's find the source.
Tell us what you're seeing — a stain, a drip, a storm — and we'll come trace it: thermal imaging, an honest repair-vs-replace assessment, and zero pressure. Family-owned in Palm Beach County since 1974.
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