Metal roofs rarely fail suddenly — they telegraph their problems for months or years first. Here are the seven signs we look for when inspecting a Northern Rivers metal roof, and what each one means.
1. Rust stains around screw heads
Brown or orange rings around screw heads mean the washer has perished and the screw is rusting. This is the single most common sign on a coastal roof, and it means water is getting past that fixing.
2. Screws backing out or spinning loose
If you can see screw heads sitting proud of the sheet, or a screw spins when you'd expect it to grip, the thread has stripped or the washer has swollen and pushed it out. Either way, it's no longer sealing.
3. Leaks only in wind-driven rain
Normal rain runs off a roof. Wind-driven rain travels sideways and uphill, pushing past failed washers that hold up in calm conditions. If your roof only leaks when it's windy and rainy, suspect the screws.
4. Roof sheets rattling in wind
Loose fixings let sheets vibrate and rattle in strong wind. Aside from the noise, the movement wears the remaining washers faster and can eventually lift a sheet in a storm.
5. Cracked or perished washers visible
On the roof edge or under an eave, you can sometimes see the rubber washer under a screw — if it's cracked, hardened or missing chunks, it's done. Where one's visible and failed, assume the rest are similar age.
6. Brown streaks running down from fixings
Rust-coloured streaks below screw lines are dissolved iron washing off rusting screws. It's a cosmetic clue that the fixings are corroding from the inside.
7. The roof is 12+ years old and near the coast
Even with no visible signs, a coastal metal roof past 12 years is due for an inspection. Catching failing fixings before the first leak is far cheaper than repairing water damage afterwards.
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We're local to Lennox Head and cover the whole Northern Rivers. Every job is photo-documented and warranted.
Coastal Roofing Repairs
Local Northern Rivers roofers · 28 years on the tools · insured
Written by the Coastal Roofing Repairs team, 28 years roofing on the NSW North Coast. We work on coastal metal and tile roofs every day — these guides come straight from what we see on the tools, not a marketing desk.
