Pitch pan leaks on a commercial roof in Winchester, KY are one of the most predictable failures we find on a detail survey — a metal pocket filled with sealant around an irregular penetration, sitting there since the last roof work, quietly drying out until it fails.
Why Do Pitch Pans Leak on a Commercial Roof in Winchester, KY?
The sealant fill inside a pitch pan shrinks and cracks over time, and once it turns concave instead of domed it traps water and leaks.
A properly installed pitch pan is filled so the top is domed, shedding water off the sides. As the sealant ages it shrinks and pulls away from the metal walls and the penetration itself, and the surface goes from domed to concave — at that point it holds water instead of shedding it, and every freeze-thaw cycle or hot afternoon works the crack wider. Per NRCA’s Professional Roofing, the association has discouraged pitch pans for roughly two decades in favor of properly flashed curbs and boots wherever that is practical, precisely because the sealant is a wear item on a roof that is supposed to be a low-maintenance system. Our curb, penetration and flashing repair page lists pitch pans as the single most frequently forgotten item on a maintenance visit, and it shows.
Should You Replace a Pitch Pan Instead of Just Refilling It?
Refilling the sealant buys a season or two; replacing the pan with a proper curb or boot detail is the permanent, NRCA-recommended fix.
Topping up a failed pitch pan’s fill is genuine maintenance and worth doing between larger repairs, but it does not stop the cycle — the same pocket will crack again on roughly the same timeline. A spot repair that removes the old fill, corrects the geometry, and reseals or replaces the pan with a boot or curb typically runs $300–$1,500, the same range as other isolated detail repairs, or becomes part of a larger $1,500–$7,500+ scope if it turns up alongside other failed details during a survey — which is common, since pitch pans usually get neglected as a group. Regular checks as part of a preventive maintenance program catch the crack before it becomes an active leak, which is the cheaper half of this problem to manage.
How often should pitch pans be checked?
At every maintenance visit — they are the most commonly forgotten detail on a commercial roof, and checking them costs almost nothing compared to a leak.
Can I just add more sealant on top of a cracked pitch pan?
Short term, yes, and it counts as maintenance. But it is not a repair — the old fill has to come out and be redone properly for the fix to actually last.
Are pitch pans still used on new commercial roofs?
Rarely by choice. NRCA has discouraged them for roughly 20 years in favor of properly flashed curbs and boots; existing pans on an older roof still need managing until replaced.
Have a pitch pan you’re not sure is still sealing? Get a free estimate or call or text (859) 310-1209. Operated by Central Roof Repair.
Related: Curb, Penetration & Flashing Repair | Preventive Maintenance Program | Roof Repair Labor Cost
Source: NRCA, Professional Roofing: Manual Elements.
Last updated: September 15, 2026