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Case Study

Recurring Roof Damage from Pool Heating Coils

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Project Overview

What began as routine roof maintenance became a long-term example of how rooftop pool-heating equipment can complicate the care and performance of a coated roofing system. MBM Roofing & Coating had maintained this residential roof on a six-month maintenance schedule, giving technicians regular opportunities to monitor its condition and identify developing concerns associated with the extensive pool-heating coil system installed across portions of the roof.

Over several years, the interaction between the rooftop equipment, associated plumbing, and the roofing system created recurring maintenance challenges that required more than one intervention. Through ongoing inspections, roof repairs, and recoating, MBM worked with the homeowner to manage these conditions until a long-term decision was ultimately made to eliminate the source of the recurring problem and restore the roof as a fully accessible, unobstructed surface.

Rooftop Pool Heating System Before Removal

Project Highlights

Project Type

Residential Roof Repair & Recoating

Primary Challenge

Recurring Damage from Rooftop Pool-Heating Coils

Maintenance

Six-Month Roof Inspections

Project History

Multiple Interventions Over Several Years

Final Outcome

Pool-Heating System Permanently Removed & Roof Recoated

Project Photos

The Roof Conditions Found Around and Beneath the Pool-Heating Coils

These project photos document the conditions MBM encountered while inspecting and servicing the roof around the extensive pool-heating system. Moving sections of the coils for roof access revealed cracking, repeated contact marks, localized damage, debris accumulation, and staining in areas that were otherwise difficult to fully inspect and maintain. The photos also help show why the rooftop system created an ongoing maintenance challenge. Although the coils could be temporarily removed when roof work was needed, doing so repeatedly added another layer of complexity to inspecting, repairing, and recoating the roof.

Debris Around the Coil System

Debris Around the Coil System

Leaves and debris accumulated around the coils, making these areas harder to routinely clean and inspect.

Cracking Beneath the Coils

Cracking Beneath the Coils

Cracking was visible in areas surrounded and partially concealed by the rooftop pool-heating system.

Localized Contact Damage

Localized Contact Damage

Repeated contact with the rooftop equipment created localized damage along the coated roof surface.

Staining Around Pool Heater Plumbing

Conditions Around Pool-Heater Plumbing

Staining and moisture-related residue were visible around plumbing associated with the rooftop pool-heating system.

Repeated Contact and Wear Patterns

Repeated Wear Across the Roof

Moving portions of the coil system exposed longer contact paths and worn areas across the coating.

    The Process

    Roof Repair and Recoating After Pool Heating Coil Damage

    01 Initial Roof Coating

    Coils Removed, Roof Repaired & System Reinstalled

    During the initial coating project, MBM Roofing & Coating had to remove the extensive rooftop pool-heating coil system to properly access the roof beneath it. Once the coils were out of the way, technicians could address the roof surface and complete the required coating work.

    MBM reviewed the issues associated with the pool-heating coils with the homeowner during this work. After the necessary roof repairs and coating were completed, the coils were reinstalled and the system remained in use.

    A More Complex Roof to Service

    Because the equipment covered such a large portion of the roof, future comprehensive roof work would involve additional labor before roofing work could even begin. The system first had to be moved so technicians could reach the coated surface underneath.

    Roof surface exposed after pool-heating coils were removed for roof work
    Access Beneath the Coil System Removing the equipment exposed roof areas that otherwise remained covered by the extensive pool-heating system.
    02 Six-Month Maintenance

    MBM Continues Monitoring the Roof & Pool-Heater System

    MBM continued inspecting and maintaining the roof approximately every six months. These recurring visits allowed technicians to monitor the coated roof as well as conditions developing around the rooftop pool-heating equipment.

    The pool-heater plumbing was prone to leaking, and when leaks were found during maintenance visits, MBM made the homeowner aware of the issue. The staining visible around portions of the plumbing documented areas where water from the system had repeatedly reached the roof surface.

    Why Ongoing Monitoring Mattered

    Pool-heater problems did not necessarily wait for the next major roofing project to appear. The six-month maintenance schedule gave usbrecurring opportunities to identify problems and make the homeowner aware when attention was needed.

    Ongoing Maintenance

    What the Six-Month Inspections Revealed About How the Roof Coils Were Affecting The Roof

    01
    Changes in the Roof Surface

    Regular inspections allowed MBM to track changes in the coated roof around the extensive pool-heating system as conditions developed over time.

    02
    Leaking Pool-Heater Plumbing

    Maintenance visits revealed recurring leaks in the pool-heater plumbing. When these issues were found, MBM made the homeowner aware of them.

    03
    Evidence of Repeated Water Exposure

    Staining around portions of the plumbing showed where leaking water from the pool-heating system had repeatedly reached the roof surface.

    03 Approximately Two Years Later

    Coil Damage Requires Another Major Roof Intervention

    Over time, movement from the pool-heating system continued to affect the coated roof. Slight vibration allowed portions of the coils to repeatedly contact and cut into the surface, contributing to additional wear, cracking, and splitting beneath the equipment.

    Within roughly two years, significant roof work was required again. As with the earlier project, the coils had to be removed so MBM could expose the affected areas, determine the extent of the damage, and complete the necessary repairs.

    Two Major Roof Interventions in About Two Years

    The frequency became an important part of the homeowner’s decision. The roof had already required substantial work again because of conditions associated with the pool-heating system.

    Roof damage exposed after rooftop pool-heating coils were removed
    Damage Revealed Beneath the Coils With the equipment moved, cracking, splitting, contact wear, and other affected areas became visible for evaluation and repair.
    04 The Homeowner’s Decision

    Repeated Roof Damage Leads to Permanent Coil Removal

    After requiring major roof work twice within approximately two years, the homeowner decided that continuing to reinstall the pool-heating system no longer made sense. The coils were contributing to recurring physical damage through vibration and repeated contact, while the associated plumbing also created ongoing leak concerns.

    Keeping the system would also mean continuing to pay for the extensive coils to be removed and reinstalled whenever comprehensive repairs or a future recoat were needed. The homeowner instead chose to eliminate the system altogether. The pool-heater pipes were cut and capped, the coils were permanently removed, and they were not returned to the roof.

    Why Permanent Removal

    The Coils Increased Roof Maintenance Costs in Multiple Ways

    The expense was not limited to repairing the roof damage itself. Keeping the pool-heating system created several recurring costs and maintenance challenges.

    01
    Recurring Roof Damage

    Vibration and repeated contact could cut into the coated roof, contributing to cracking, splitting, and additional repairs.

    02
    Ongoing Water Concerns

    Leaks from the pool-heater plumbing repeatedly introduced water onto the roof and required continued monitoring.

    03
    Added Recoat Expense

    Future recoating meant paying to remove the extensive system, complete the roofing work, and then reinstall the equipment.

    Not an Isolated Decision

    MBM has worked with approximately seven other clients with similar rooftop pool-heating systems who ultimately chose permanent removal because the recurring damage and cost of removing and reinstalling the equipment made continued use increasingly expensive.

    05 Final Roof Restoration

    Roof Repaired, Prepared & Recoated

    Once the final equipment removal was complete, MBM’s focus shifted to restoring the roofing system. Damaged and previously covered areas were repaired, the surface was prepared, and the roof received a new white protective coating.

    The completed project left a continuous coated roof surface with clear visibility across areas that had previously been covered by the pool-heating equipment.

    Improved Access for Future Roof Care

    01

    Six-month inspections can now include direct visual access across the previously covered roof surface.

    02

    Routine cleaning is easier without coils and plumbing covering large portions of the roof.

    03

    Future repair and recoating work can begin without first removing an extensive rooftop pool-heating system.

    Finished white roof after restoration
    Final White-Coated Roof The restored roof is now a clear, continuous coated surface ready for ongoing inspection and maintenance.

    Cause of Damage

    Understanding How Pool Heating Coils Can Damage a Roof

    Vibration & Repeated Contact

    Slight vibration caused the coils to wear against the coated roof surface, leaving cuts and cracking beneath the system.

    Leaking Pool-Heater Plumbing

    When leaks developed in the rooftop plumbing, water could continue running across the roof until the issue was identified.

    Hidden Damage & Limited Access

    The coils covered large areas of the roof, making underlying damage harder to inspect, access, and properly repair.

    Debris Accumulation & Prolonged Moisture

    Leaves and debris collected beneath the coils, trapping moisture and making routine roof maintenance more difficult.

    Rooftop pool heating coils

    Final Results

    The Roof Was Restored Roof With Better Access for Long-Term Maintenance

    The final restoration addressed both the immediate roof damage and the long-term maintenance problem created by the rooftop pool-heating system. With the coils permanently removed, MBM was able to repair previously affected areas, prepare the roof surface, and apply a new white protective coating across an unobstructed roof.

    Roof Damage Repaired

    Cracked, worn, and previously covered areas were addressed before the new coating was applied.

    System Removed

    The pool-heating system was removed, and the associated pipes were cut and capped.

    Full Roof Access Restored

    MBM can now directly inspect areas that were previously concealed beneath the extensive coil system.

    Future Roof Work Simplified

    Future repairs and recoating no longer require removing and reinstalling the rooftop pool-heating equipment.

    Take Away

    What This Project Shows About Rooftop Equipment and Coated Roofs

    Rooftop equipment does not have to fail completely to create problems for the roofing system beneath it. Equipment that moves, leaks, traps debris, or limits access can gradually affect a coated roof while also making developing damage more difficult to see.

    This project also demonstrates why regular roof inspections matter when large systems are installed across the roof surface. MBM’s six-month maintenance schedule allowed technicians to monitor changing conditions, identify recurring plumbing leaks, and keep the homeowner informed as the situation developed.

    For this homeowner, the long-term solution ultimately involved removing the pool-heating system entirely. Other properties may require a different approach, but the important first step is understanding how the rooftop equipment and the roofing system are interacting before deciding whether repair, restoration, equipment modification, or another solution makes the most sense.

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