Swamp coolers are the number-one leak source on NM roofs. Platform rot, pan corrosion, water-line pinholes, and failed curb flashing quietly destroy sheathing for years before a ceiling stain appears. I audit all five failure points and score sheathing rot before it drops through the drywall.
Platform framing and sheathing rot probe
Pan corrosion and rust-through scoring
Water-line and float-valve leak trace
Curb flashing and roof penetration audit
Cap-and-abandon scope option for refrigerated-air conversions
Written scope covering repair, rebuild, or removal paths
Full swamp cooler audit on-roof. Platform framing and OSB sheathing rot probe (moisture meter + awl test). Pan corrosion and rust-through mapping. Water-line, float-valve, and drain leak trace. Curb flashing and roof penetration integrity check. Ducted downshot and register bay inspection where accessible from attic. Written scope: repair, rebuild, or cap-and-abandon paths with cost bands.
NM homeowners with active swamp coolers wanting seasonal peace of mind. Homeowners hearing scratching, dripping, or seeing ceiling stains near the cooler. Buyers under contract on homes with roof-mounted swamp coolers. Owners planning refrigerated-air conversion and needing a cap-off scope. Property managers with rental properties on evaporative cooling.
Verbal Walk — $149 Standard Swamp Cooler + Roof Report — $349 Detailed w/ Sheathing Rot Probe + Attic Trace — $549 Cap-and-Abandon Scope Report — $749+ Most swamp cooler inspections are $349–$549. Catching platform rot in the sheathing stage saves $3,000–$6,000 versus catching it in the ceiling stage.
Swamp coolers are the single biggest leak source on NM roofs. The platform, the water line, the drain, the pan, and the flashing around the curb are five separate failure points that most roof inspections skim past. I audit each one and score sheathing rot underneath before it drops through the ceiling.
Yes. A working cooler can be quietly rotting the sheathing under its platform for 5+ years before any interior sign appears. By the time you see a ceiling stain, the OSB is usually gone and you're paying for a partial reroof. Catching it in the platform stage is a $400 repair; catching it in the ceiling stage is $4,000+.
Sometimes. My report includes a cap-and-abandon scope option: full removal, sheathing replacement if needed, new decking, and shingle or tile patch-in. If your cooler is on its last legs and refrigerated air is on the roadmap, capping now often costs less than one more platform rebuild.
Signed 2/3/5-year cert for lenders & insurers.
FLIR moisture scan + core verification.
Vigas, canales, parapet caps — NM specialty.
Manufacturer + workmanship defect audit.
I've watched too many neighbors sign contracts they didn't understand for roofs they didn't need. That stops with a written report they own.