Chicago's Commercial Roof Repair Crew Since 1984

Windward Roofing & Construction was founded in Chicago, and our headquarters at 919 S Sacramento Blvd on the West Side is still where our service crews roll out from every morning. For 42 years we've repaired commercial and industrial roofs in every part of this city, and being based here is the whole point: when a property manager in the Loop or a plant manager on the South Side calls about a leak, we're not driving in from another state. We know Chicago's buildings, we know its weather, and we know its building department. This is a family-owned business with the Kuhn name on it, so the work gets done the way we'd want it done on our own roof.

A leaking commercial roof is never just a roof problem. It's wet inventory, disrupted operations, ruined ceilings, slip hazards, and the kind of mold issue that turns into a compliance headache. The faster the leak is found and stopped, the smaller that bill gets. That's why our service department is built around fast, accurate diagnosis rather than guesswork.

Why Commercial Roofs Fail in Chicago

Few cities are harder on a flat roof than Chicago. The repairs we make here trace back to the same handful of local stresses, over and over:

  • Freeze-thaw cycling. Water works its way into a seam or a hairline crack, freezes overnight, expands, and pries the opening wider. Repeat that a few dozen times each winter and a minor flaw becomes an active leak.
  • Ice damming and snow load. Lake-effect snow piles up and refreezes behind parapet walls, at drains, and along low spots, forcing meltwater back under the membrane where it has no business going.
  • Wind off Lake Michigan. Gusts funneling between downtown buildings and across open industrial lots put serious uplift on edge metal and flashings. Once a flashing lifts, the next storm drives water straight in.
  • Thermal shock. A 150-degree summer roof surface hit by a sudden lake storm contracts fast, and that constant expand-and-contract fatigues seams and fasteners over time.
  • Ponding water. Roofs that don't drain within 48 hours degrade faster, carry extra structural load, and in our climate freeze solid, which makes everything above worse.

The Chicago Buildings We Repair

Our crews have worked roofs in every corner of the city, and each kind of building brings its own repair challenges:

  • The Loop, River North, and Streeterville high-rises and hotels, where setback roofs, terraces, and mechanical penthouses make detail work and access the real job.
  • The South Side and Clearing industrial corridors, from Bridgeport and Back of the Yards out toward Midway, where large flat membrane roofs on manufacturing and food-processing plants take a beating.
  • West Loop and Fulton Market, where adaptive-reuse and cold-storage conversions often hide old, patched-over roof assemblies that need honest assessment.
  • O'Hare and Rosemont warehouses, logistics hubs, and airport-adjacent properties with acres of roof and zero tolerance for downtime.

Commercial Roof Repairs We Handle in Chicago

Whatever membrane is on your building, we trace the leak to its source and repair it with materials compatible with the existing system rather than just sealing the spot where water shows up inside.

Leak Repair

Water travels sideways through insulation and along deck flutes before it drips inside, so the interior stain almost never sits directly under the actual roof opening. Our technicians investigate the roof systematically, use infrared moisture scanning where needed, and fix the true entry point. For TPO and PVC we heat-weld a patch; for EPDM we use manufacturer-specified adhesive and seam tape; for modified bitumen and built-up we restore the layers properly.

Flashing and Parapet Repair

Flashings at parapet walls, equipment curbs, drains, and pipe penetrations are the most failure-prone parts of any Chicago roof, and wind uplift off the lake is hard on them. We re-secure, re-flash, and re-seal these transitions so they hold.

Ice and Ponding Damage

We clear and add drains and scuppers, install tapered insulation or crickets to move water off the roof, and correct the low spots where ice forms, so the same problem doesn't come back next winter.

Storm and Wind Damage

After a Chicago storm we assess wind-lifted membrane, displaced edge metal, and hail bruising, document it for your insurance carrier, and restore the waterproofing integrity of the roof.

Emergency Roof Repair in Chicago

When your roof lets go at 2am, you need someone to pick up the phone. Our 24/7 emergency line is answered around the clock, and because we're based on the West Side we can get a crew to most Chicago buildings fast to stop active water intrusion with temporary weatherproofing before it does more damage. The permanent repair gets scheduled as the follow-up. If you're dealing with an active leak right now, see our emergency roof repair in Chicago page or call (844) 880-8844.

Chicago Permits and Building Code

Chicago runs its own building code through the Department of Buildings rather than adopting the International Building Code as-is, with its own provisions for fire resistance, wind load, and energy performance. Many like-for-like repairs don't require a permit, but larger scope work does, and we know where that line falls. When a permit is needed, we pull it, coordinate the inspection, and keep the project compliant from day one.

Repair or Replace?

We'll tell you straight. Repair is the right call when the damage is localized, the membrane and insulation are otherwise sound, and the roof has real service life left. When leaks keep coming back across the roof, when more than a quarter of the insulation is wet, or when the system has simply aged out, repairs become money down a hole and a roof replacement in Chicago is the better investment. Either way you get an honest assessment, not a sales pitch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our headquarters is at 919 S Sacramento Blvd on Chicago's West Side, so we dispatch service crews quickly across the city and inner suburbs. For active leaks that threaten contents or operations, we provide same-day or next-day response, and our 24/7 emergency line is answered around the clock at (844) 880-8844.

When a repair requires a permit, we handle it. Chicago maintains its own building code through the Department of Buildings rather than adopting the International Building Code without changes, and many like-for-like repairs don't need a permit while larger scope work does. We know where that line falls and manage the permitting and inspections so the work stays compliant.

Yes. Chicago winters are exactly when many leaks show up, so our crews are trained in cold-weather repair methods and carry materials rated for low-temperature application. For active winter leaks we stop the water intrusion immediately with temporary weatherproofing, then schedule the permanent repair once conditions allow proper material curing.

In Chicago the usual culprits are freeze-thaw cycles splitting open membrane seams, ice damming behind parapet walls and at drains, wind uplift off Lake Michigan tearing flashings loose, and ponding water that never drains and then freezes. Age and foot traffic from rooftop equipment service do the rest. We trace the leak to its true source rather than just patching the spot where water shows up inside.

Yes. We repair TPO, EPDM, PVC, built-up, modified bitumen, metal, SPF spray foam, and coating systems. Our service vehicles are stocked with materials for multiple system types so most repairs are completed in a single visit, whatever membrane is on your Chicago building.