Natatoriums and pool wings
Warm, chlorinated air pushes moisture up into the roof all winter. We look for a real vapor retarder under the insulation and check the deck for chloramine corrosion before we'll price a recover.
Vapor retarders explainedSports Facility Roofing, at a glance
Sports facility roofs in St. Louis cover big, open spans over people you can't move mid-season: gym floors, ice sheets, pools and turf. The trouble is specific to the use. Natatoriums rust steel deck from the inside, rinks sweat under a cold roof, and field houses pond between long-span joists. John Beal Roofing looks at the roof from above and below, then schedules tear-off around your event calendar. Free inspections. Call (314) 429-6000.
We work for athletic directors, parks departments, club owners and facility managers from St. Charles County to the Metro East. A rec-plex roof isn't hard because it's big. It's hard because one drip over a maple floor can cancel a tournament weekend, and a court that cups from a slow leak can cost more to fix than the roof section above it.
So we start inside. Lights up, lift out, looking at the underside of the deck for rust bloom at the joist seats and stains along the flutes. We'll take a humidity reading in the room before anyone climbs a ladder. What's happening under the roof tells us what belongs on top of it.
By Building Type
Every Venue Fails A Different Way
Ice rinks
Cold slab, humid summer air, a deck that sits at dew point. Rinks drip condensation onto the ice. More insulation above the deck and tight air sealing at the walls fix most rink "leaks."
Same physics as cold storageGyms and field houses
Long-span bar joists deflect, and water sits mid-bay where nobody planned a drain. Tapered insulation and added drains move it off before it finds a seam.
How tapered insulation worksTurf domes and metal buildings
Pre-engineered steel with exposed screws and long panel runs. Spring hail usually finds the end laps and ridge closures first.
Loose metal roof screwsRooftop units and exhaust
Big air handlers, exhaust fans and conduit runs over a gym add up to dozens of penetrations. Each curb gets a real flashing detail, never a bead of caulk.
HVAC curb leak repairPhased around the schedule
We map tear-off against league nights, tournaments and graduation rentals. We open only what we can dry in by the end of the shift.
On The Property
What The Work Looks Like On A Rec-Plex
Most of these buildings went up in phases. A 1970s gym on ballasted EPDM, a pool wing added in the '90s on modified bitumen, a newer lobby in TPO, all tied together at one parapet. We core each section, write it up on its own and price it on its own. A district or club board can fund the worst roof this year and plan the rest.
On a natatorium we won't recommend a recover until we've seen the deck. Steel that's lost real thickness to chloramine rust doesn't hold screws, and fastening a new membrane into it hides the problem for a few years. Sometimes the right call is new deck sheets, a vapor retarder and a fully adhered membrane.
Freeze-thaw is the other St. Louis headache. Ice builds at the low eaves of metal field houses and around interior drains on flat sections. Meltwater backs up under laps. Cleared drains, heat trace where it makes sense and properly sized overflow scuppers save more ceiling tile than any coating will.
During tear-off the floor below gets protected. Courts get covered, pool decks get taped off, exits stay open for staff and parents. Debris comes down by chute or crane. Never across a court.
Common Questions
Can you work while the facility stays open?
Usually, yes. We stage on one section at a time, keep entrances clear and push the noisiest tear-off to early mornings or off days. Pools and rinks sometimes need a short closure for overhead work, and we'll tell you that up front, not on day three.
Why does our ice rink drip when it isn't raining?
That's almost always condensation, not a roof leak. Humid air reaches a deck chilled by the ice and turns to water. Air sealing, more insulation above the deck and better dehumidification usually stop it. Patching the membrane won't.
Is a recover okay over our gym roof?
Sometimes. Code generally allows one recover over a single existing roof if the insulation is dry and the deck is sound. We core-sample and moisture-scan first. Wet insulation has to come off.
Who handles a hail claim on a large facility?
We document damage with photos and cores, meet your adjuster on the roof and write a scope that matches what's actually up there. Big sports roofs take a beating from spring hail along the I-70 and I-44 corridors.
What warranty comes with a new roof?
Manufacturer coverage on the materials plus our lifetime workmanship warranty. We're an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor and we've been family-run since 1947.
Free Sports Facility Roof Evaluation
Tell us about the building and your event calendar, and a dispatcher will call to schedule.