Find the Water. Measure It. Dry It Out. Restore It.
A commercial roof moisture survey for Montana building owners, property managers, and school districts. We find the water, measure how much is trapped, and — when the deck and roof are good candidates — dry it out and restore it with an American WeatherStar system that can qualify for a manufacturer warranty, subject to WeatherStar's inspection and approval.
Prefer email? [email protected] · Mon–Fri 8 AM–5 PM MT
The moisture scan is a paid, stand-alone service. We quote it based on roof size and access. It is separate from our free first roof inspection.
A stain on a ceiling does not tell you how much of the roof is wet, or whether the insulation under the membrane is still dry. A moisture survey does. The path is: find the water, measure it, dry it out, restore the roof you have — and, once it is dry and restored with an American WeatherStar system, it can qualify for a WeatherStar manufacturer warranty, subject to WeatherStar's inspection and approval. If the roof is not a candidate, we'll tell you, and repair or replacement may be the honest call.
From scan to a clear picture of the roof
First we find the water and measure it. Then, when the roof is a candidate, we dry it out, restore it, and — when it qualifies — pursue a WeatherStar manufacturer warranty.
Find the water
We start with an infrared (thermal) survey of the roof, flown in the evening after a sunny day, when wet areas typically show up as temperature differences. Ordinary aerial or satellite photos cannot do this.
See exactly how much
We go onto the roof and verify suspect areas with moisture meter readings and, where needed, core samples. Guesswork stops here.
Get a moisture map
You receive a moisture map on an aerial image of your roof, with wet areas marked, an estimate of wet square footage, photos, and a restore, repair, or replace recommendation.
What you receive
- A moisture map on an aerial image of your roof, with wet areas marked.
- Estimated wet square footage so you can budget with real numbers, not a guess.
- Photos of the roof and of the areas we verified.
- A written recommendation: restore, repair, or replace — and, when the roof is a candidate, a plan to dry it out first.
Found water? We dry it out
Finding the water is only the first step. When the deck and roof are good candidates, we offer ways to dry the roof out so it can be restored and sealed, instead of torn off.
- Replace only what's wet. Saturated insulation and roofing in the wet sections can be removed and replaced, leaving dry sections in place.
- Let trapped moisture escape. Drying and venting approaches can be used so moisture can leave the roof before it is restored and sealed.
- Then restore, repair, or replace. You get a clear plan for the roof you actually have. When restoration is the path, we restore it with an American WeatherStar system. After the work, you can enroll the roof in the Revive Roof Care Plan.
Not all roofs are candidates for drying and restoration, but many are. The scan tells you which one you have. If the deck is damaged or the wet area is too widespread, we will tell you plainly, and replacement may be the honest recommendation.
Once the roof is dry and restored with an American WeatherStar system, it can qualify for a WeatherStar manufacturer warranty, subject to WeatherStar's inspection and approval. Not every roof qualifies.
Why the amount of water in the roof matters
Wet insulation loses its ability to insulate, adds weight to the deck, and can let water keep moving through the roof. Over time it can damage the deck itself. A leak you can see is often only part of the wet area you cannot see.
That is why a moisture survey comes before a coating or restoration. Restoration works when wet insulation is found and dealt with. If you coat over a wet roof, the problem stays underneath. If you find the wet sections and dry the roof out — when the deck and roof are good candidates — you can often restore the roof you have instead of paying for a full tear-off. If the survey shows the roof is past that point, we'll say so, and we can talk about a new TPO or PVC membrane. For more on that choice, see our guide to roof coating vs. replacement.
When a moisture survey is worth doing
- Before a coating. Confirm the roof is dry enough to restore, or see what has to be dried or replaced first.
- When you are budgeting. Estimated wet square footage helps you plan repair, restoration, or replacement with a real number.
- Before you buy a building. Know how much saturation is in the roof before you close.
- For school and campus plans. A mapped condition file helps boards and facility managers plan capital work and grant requests.
- As a baseline for maintenance. A survey gives the Revive Roof Care Plan a clear starting picture of the roof you already have.
What a survey cannot do
Infrared needs the right weather, and it does not work equally well on every roof. Ballasted roofs and some roof types limit what the survey can see. We do not claim that a photo taken from the air or from a satellite can find moisture on its own. Suspect areas are always verified on the roof. If conditions or the roof type are a poor fit for infrared, we will tell you and rely on on-roof testing.
We survey commercial roofs for owners, property managers, and school districts in Missoula, Kalispell and the Flathead, and across Montana, and we can discuss larger buildings in our wider service area.
Request a roof moisture scan
Tell us about the building and we'll follow up with a quote. The moisture scan is a paid, stand-alone service, quoted based on roof size and access.
- Call406-210-3168
- Email[email protected]
- HoursMon–Fri 8 AM–5 PM MT
Request a roof moisture scan
Or call 406-210-3168 · Mon–Fri 8 AM–5 PM MT
Roof moisture survey FAQ
What is a commercial roof moisture survey?
It takes the guesswork out of how much water is trapped in the roof — not just where a stain shows up on a ceiling. We start with an infrared (thermal) survey to flag suspect wet areas, then verify those spots on the roof with a moisture meter and, where needed, a core sample. You receive a moisture map on an aerial image of your roof, an estimate of wet square footage, photos, and a clear restore, repair, or replace recommendation.
How does the infrared survey work, and what are its limits?
Wet insulation holds heat differently than dry insulation. After a sunny day, we fly an infrared survey in the evening, when those temperature differences show up most clearly, and mark suspect areas. The survey needs the right weather — typically a sunny day, then a clear evening, with a dry roof surface. Some roof types, and roofs covered with stone ballast, limit what infrared can see. The survey flags suspects; it does not, by itself, prove a roof is wet. We confirm those areas on the roof. If a survey isn't a good fit, we'll tell you and use on-roof testing instead.
Can aerial or satellite photos alone find moisture in a roof?
No. Ordinary aerial or satellite photos cannot measure moisture in a roof. An infrared survey can point to areas that may be wet. Those areas still have to be checked on the roof with a moisture meter and, when needed, a core sample.
Is there a charge for the moisture scan?
Yes. The moisture scan is a paid, stand-alone service. We quote it based on roof size and access. It is separate from our free first roof inspection, which is a visual condition check and is not a moisture survey.
Can a wet roof be dried instead of replaced?
Not all roofs are candidates, but many are. When the deck and roof are good candidates, we can remove and replace saturated sections where needed, and use drying or venting approaches that let trapped moisture escape before the roof is restored and sealed. Not every wet roof can be dried out and restored — the scan tells you which one you have. If the deck is damaged or the wet area is too widespread, we'll tell you plainly, and replacement may be the honest recommendation.
Can a dried-out roof be warrantied?
Once the roof is dry and restored with an American WeatherStar system, it can qualify for a WeatherStar manufacturer warranty, subject to WeatherStar's inspection and approval. Not every roof qualifies. WeatherStar inspects the finished roof and decides.
When should I request a moisture survey?
Before you invest in a coating, when you are budgeting for repairs or a new roof, before you buy a commercial building, and when a school or campus is planning capital work or a grant. A survey also makes a useful baseline for the Revive Roof Care Plan.
Find the water. Measure it. Dry it out. Restore it.
A paid, stand-alone moisture scan, quoted from roof size and access. We map how much of the roof is wet, and when the deck and roof are good candidates, we dry it out and restore it with an American WeatherStar system that can qualify for a manufacturer warranty, subject to WeatherStar's inspection and approval.