Hilo gets more rain than almost anywhere in the country, around 130 inches a year. That changes everything about how a roof gets built. We’re Lava Roofing, a licensed Roofing contractor (CT-39063) on the east side of the Big Island for over 25 years.
This page covers our hilo roofing services. Free written estimates. Call (808) 825-6463.
Hilo Roofing Services Built For Big Island Weather
Hilo doesn’t have one season. It has wet and wetter. We get over 280 rainy days a year, and the rain comes sideways during trade-wind events. It pools on every flat surface that doesn’t drain right and feeds the mold and mildew that grow on every roof we don’t catch in time.
Drainage is the top priority on a Hilo roof. The wrong fastener spec will leak inside two years.
The hilo roofing services that last are the ones built for constant water. We pick materials and flashing details that drain clean and resist mold.
Roof Inspection Hilo
In Hilo, roof inspections catch problems that you won’t see from the ground until its already a big repair. Moss starts at the edges. Water gets under a lifted tab and sits there. The underlayment starts failing from the inside while the surface still looks okay. We’ve opened up roofs in Keaukaha and Waiakea that looked fine from the street but had decking that was soft all the way through from years of slow moisture intrusion. The rain here doesn’t give anything a break.
Our inspection covers the full surface, all flashing, every penetration, the gutters, the downspouts, and the attic space if we can access it. On the Hilo side we pay extra attention to the valleys and the ridgeline since those are the first places standing water finds a way in. We take photos and walk you through what we found. Free with any estimate request. Most single-family homes take about 45 minutes.
Roof Installation Hilo
New roof installation in Hilo means building for water, not for sun. The rain here averages around 130 inches a year and it doesn’t fall straight down. Trade winds push it sideways, under eaves, into any gap that isn’t sealed properly. We install new roofs on new construction, additions, and full tear-offs across the east side – from Papaikou down through Hilo town, out to Keaukaha, and into the lower Puna areas around Mountain View and Pahoa.
Material selection matters a lot here. Metal handles the constant rain better then any other option. It doesn’t grow moss, it sheds water fast, and it holds up without the maintenance cycle that asphalt needs in a wet climate. Every install starts with full tear-off and decking inspection. We replace any sheathing that moisture has gotten to. We install underlayment before anything else goes on, and we flash every penetration and valley before the final layer. Free written estimate. We pull Hawaii County permits when required.
Roof Repair Hilo
Roof repair in Hilo is usually one of three things – an active leak that showed up as a ceiling stain, flashing that lifted during a heavy wind-driven rain event, or moss and algae growth that’s worked its way under the surface and started causing rot. The third one is the sneaky one. By the time you see moss on the outside, it’s usually already working on the sheathing underneath on the east side of the island.
We do repairs on all roof types. Metal, asphalt shingle, composite, torch-down, tile. Whatever you have, we’ve worked on it on this side of the island. We trace leaks back to their actual source before we touch anything because water in Hilo travels far before it shows up on your ceiling. If the repair involves replacing rotted decking we tell you before we start and include it in the written scope. No diagnostic fee. Free estimate on all repair work.
Attic Venting Hilo
Attic venting in Hilo solves a different problem then it does on the dry side of the island. On the Kona side it’s about heat. Over here its about moisture. Warm humid air from the trade winds gets into your attic and when it hits a cooler surface it condenses. That moisture builds up on the underside of your decking and rafters over time. We’ve seen attics in Kaumana and Waiakea with no visible roof damage from the outside but significant mold and rot inside just from poor ventilation.
Good attic venting moves that humid air through before it can condense and sit. You need intake low at the soffits and exhaust at the ridge. The path has to be clear and sized right for the attic volume. A blocked soffit is the same as no soffit at all. In Hilo’s climate, a ventilation problem becomes a mold problem faster then it would anywhere else in the state. We check the whole system before we recommend any specific work.
Attic Venting Installation Hilo
We install attic venting systems on both existing homes and new construction throughout the Hilo area. The standard setup is continuous soffit venting at the eaves and ridge vent at the peak. This passive system runs year-round without power or moving parts and moves humid air through the attic space before it can condense on the structure. On homes where the roof pitch or design doesn’t allow a continuous ridge vent we use box vents positioned at the high points of each roof plane.
One thing we see often in Hilo homes is insulation that was added without accounting for the soffit vents. The insulation gets pushed right up against the eave and blocks the airflow path entirely. The vents are there but they might as well not be. We find that during installation and fix it at the same time. Installation on most single-family homes takes a day. If you’re dealing with mold in the attic or wood that’s soft without an obvious roof leak, ventilation is usually part of the answer.
Attic Venting Repairs Hilo
Vent repairs on the Hilo side come up in a few common situations. Wind-driven rain gets into soffit vents that are angled the wrong way or don’t have proper baffling. Screens rot out from constant moisture exposure and critters get in. Previous roofing work covered a vent over by accident. We see all of these regularly on homes in Pepeekeo, Hakalau, and the neighborhoods along the Hamakua Coast where the wind and rain come in hard from the east.
We repair or replace damaged vent covers, re-screen where needed, and clear any blockages that have built up. If a previous roofer sealed over a vent during a repair we find it and open it back up. In Hilo’s climate a blocked attic vent isn’t just an efficiency problem – its a moisture problem that turns into a mold problem and then a structural problem. We check the whole system while we’re up there so you’re not paying for a follow-up visit next year for something we walked right past.
Gutter Cleaning Hilo
Gutters in Hilo fill faster then almost anywhere in the country. The combination of constant rainfall and tropical vegetation means leaves, seed pods, moss chunks, and organic debris accumulate year-round. When a heavy rain comes – and they come often – clogged gutters overflow immediately. That water goes over the edge of the roof, runs down the fascia, saturates the soffit, and starts rotting things out. We’ve repaired fascia boards in Hilo town that were completely gone because the gutters above them hadn’t been cleaned in a season.
We clean gutters on residential and commercial buildings across the Hilo side. We flush downspouts, clear the outlets, and check for any sections pulling away from the fascia or showing early signs of corrosion. We’ll tell you if we see anything that needs repair while we’re up there. No surprise charges. If you’re in a neighborhood with a lot of tree coverage like parts of Kaumana or the upper areas above Hilo town, cleaning twice a year is a reasonable schedule.
Gutter Installation Hilo
Gutter installation in Hilo is not the same job it is somewhere dry. You have to size for volume. When Hilo gets 3 or 4 inches of rain in a few hours – which happens multiple times a year – undersized gutters overflow within minutes. A lot of the older homes on the east side were built with gutters designed for mainland rainfall patterns. They work fine in light rain and fail completely when it actually matters. We size downspouts and gutter profiles based on your roof area and Hilo’s actual rainfall intensity, not mainland standards.
We install seamless aluminum gutters on most residential jobs. Seamless means fewer joints and fewer places for debris to catch and clog over time. For homes with heavy tree cover we offer gutter guards to reduce the cleaning frequency. We also pay close attention to the downspout outlet locations – you want water directed away from the foundation, and on Hilo’s terrain that often means extending the discharge away from the slope. Free estimate with a layout plan before we start.
Gutter Repairs Hilo
The most common gutter repair calls we get in Hilo are sagging sections from the weight of water and debris, joints leaking where sections meet, and downspouts that have pulled loose or gotten packed solid inside. The constant wet cycle accelerates corrosion on older aluminum gutters and eats through fasteners faster then you’d expect. We tell you honestly if a section is worth repairing or if it makes more sense to replace that run and be done with it.
Wind-driven rain events can also pull entire gutter runs loose if the hangers were spaced too far apart or had started to fail. We carry material to match most common gutter profiles and can usually make repairs that blend in without standing out against your existing system. Quick turnaround on most repair calls. Send us a photo if you can see the problem from the ground and we can usually give you a rough number before scheduling the visit.
Roof Damage Repair Hilo
Roof damage in Hilo comes from a few specific sources we deal with regularly. Wind-driven rain during trade-wind events gets under flashing and lifts tabs that were fine before. Heavy rainfall causes accelerated moss and algae growth that works its way under the surface over a season or two. And sometimes big tropical rain events bring enough sustained wind to cause physical damage to the surface material – lifted shingles, cracked tiles, dented metal. Down in the Puna area, lava zone properties have their own unique set of challenges with acid rain from volcanic activity affecting roofing materials faster then elsewhere.
We handle insurance claims on Hilo side roof damage. We photograph everything before touching it, write a scope of work, and submit documentation in the format most carriers accept. If you already have an adjuster estimate and want a second opinion from someone who knows east side construction costs and material pricing, we’ll review it with you. No charge for that. Call us after any storm event before you file anything.
Roof Repair for Storm & Wind Damage Hilo
Storm and wind damage repair in Hilo is different then it is on the dry side because the damage compounds fast. A lifted flashing that might sit for weeks without causing trouble on the Kona side will be leaking within the first rain after the storm here – and rain comes quick. We prioritize emergency calls to get tarps down and stop water intrusion before we do the permanent repair. The tarping matters because interior damage from unchecked water in Hilo’s climate goes from staining to mold in days.
We document all damage with date-stamped photos before any work starts. We write a detailed scope and provide paperwork in the format most insurance carriers want. We’ve worked enough storm damage on the east side to know what adjusters look for and how to write a scope that gets you a fair settlement. If your carrier is slow or pushing back on the scope, we’ve been through that process and can help you move it forward. Storm damage repairs on metal, asphalt, tile, torch-down, and composite – all covered.
Skylight Installation Hilo
Skylights in Hilo homes make a real difference. The cloud cover and tree shade on the east side means natural light is actually at a premium in a lot of neighborhoods, and a well-placed skylight in a kitchen or main living area changes how a space feels. The challenge here is waterproofing. A skylight that works fine in a dry climate will fail in Hilo because the volume and frequency of rain exposes any weakness in the installation fast. We’ve repaired a lot of skylights on this side that were installed without proper counter-flashing or with the wrong flashing kit for the roof pitch.
We install fixed skylights, vented skylights, and solar tube light kits. We use the manufacturer’s flashing kit for every install, not improvised step flashing that someone adapted from what was on the truck. The pan, step flashing, and counter-flashing all need to be properly integrated with your specific roofing material. A skylight on the Hilo side that’s installed right will hold through years of heavy rain. One that’s installed wrong will show you the problem within the first wet season. We’d rather do it right the first time.
Skylight Repair Hilo
Skylight repairs on the Hilo side are almost always one of three things. The frame flashing has lifted or corroded – Hilo’s constant moisture cycle eats through inferior fasteners and causes metal flashing to work loose faster then it would in a dry climate. The curb seal has failed and water is tracking in around the perimeter of the frame. Or in older homes, the acrylic dome has cracked or fogged up from UV and is no longer keeping water out. All three of these are common and all three can be fixed without full replacement if they’re caught early enough.
We figure out which problem you have before we quote anything. A re-seal and reflash on an otherwise solid unit is a fraction of the cost of full replacement. But if the curb is rotted or the decking around the curb has been wet long enough to go soft, we tell you that upfront before we start cutting anything open. We stock common dome sizes and can usually close up a repair in a single visit. Don’t wait on a skylight leak in Hilo – moisture problems here get expensive fast.
Roof Replacement Hilo
Full roof replacement in Hilo becomes the right call sooner then homeowners expect because the wet climate shortens material lifespan across the board. Asphalt that holds up 25 years in a dry climate might be done in 15 on the Hilo side. The moss cycle alone – growing, retaining moisture, expanding and contracting with temperature changes – works on shingles in ways that UV never could. When we see granules gone, tabs curling, and leaks coming back in multiple spots, repairs have stopped making financial sense.
We do full tear-offs, not overs. A second layer of shingles over existing roofing traps moisture, adds weight, and hides whatever was failing in the first layer. When we tear off we inspect every square foot of decking and replace anything soft before the new system goes down. We install metal on most Hilo replacements because it’s genuinely the best option for the climate – it sheds rain fast, doesn’t support moss growth, and outlasts everything else here. Asphalt and composite are available for homeowners who prefer them. Free estimate with material options and written scope.
Roof Leak Repair Hilo
Roof leak repair in Hilo requires patience on the diagnostic side. Water here doesn’t just drip straight down from the entry point. It runs along rafters, follows the slope of the vapor barrier, travels behind insulation, and can show up on your ceiling 10 or 12 feet from where it actually came in. We’ve traced leaks in Waiakea homes back to flashing failures at a chimney on the opposite side of the roof from the stain. Working backward from where the water is showing to where it’s actually entering takes time, but it’s the only way to make a repair that holds.
We handle emergency leak calls on the east side. Active water intrusion during or after a rain event gets a tarp first to stop the damage, then we schedule the permanent repair. The tarp matters because in Hilo’s climate, once water gets into your ceiling assembly the mold clock starts fast. No diagnostic fee for finding the leak. We charge for the tarp service. We don’t charge just to come out and look at a repair.
Roof Waterproofing Hilo
Roof waterproofing in Hilo isn’t a nice-to-have, its a requirement for any flat or low-slope roof. The rain volume on the east side is simply too high for a flat roof to survive without a dedicated membrane system. Standing water, constant UV cycling (even on overcast days), and the biological growth that thrives in damp conditions all attack an unprotected flat roof deck fast. We work with torch-down modified bitumen, TPO single-ply membrane, and fluid-applied waterproofing systems. The right choice depends on your substrate, the slope, and whether the roof gets foot traffic or has equipment mounted on it.
We also waterproof covered lanais, decks over living space, and parapet walls where water pools against the cap flashing. Hilo’s building stock has a lot of flat-roof sections on residential homes, not just commercial buildings – especially on older homes in Hilo town and the Bayfront neighborhoods. We’ve extended the life of roofs that were a few years from failure by 15 years or more with the right waterproofing restore. Inspection is free. We’ll tell you honestly whether a recoat will work or if the membrane needs to come off and be redone.
Roof Coating Hilo
Roof coating on the Hilo side does something different then it does on the dry west side. On the Kona side it’s mainly about reflecting heat. Over here the bigger job is sealing the surface against constant moisture intrusion and slowing down the biological growth cycle. Elastomeric coatings applied to metal roofs create a seamless membrane over the seams and fasteners – which are exactly where leaks start on older metal systems. A properly applied coating can add 10 to 15 years to a metal roof that has surface corrosion but still has structural integrity.
We apply coatings to metal roofs, torch-down, TPO, and built-up roofing. Surface prep is the whole job. We pressure wash, treat any existing moss or algae, let the surface dry, and treat any open seams before the coating goes down. Two coats minimum. The seams and penetrations get extra material since that’s where any coating system starts to fail first. Most coatings we use carry a 10-year performance warranty when applied to spec. Coating is significantly cheaper then replacement and it buys real years on a roof that’s structurally sound but showing its age.
Residential Roof Replacement Hilo
We do residential roof replacements throughout the Hilo area – Hilo town, Waiakea, Keaukaha, Kaumana, Puna, Mountain View, Pahoa, Laupahoehoe, Pepeekeo, Hakalau, and the neighborhoods along the Hamakua Coast. The range of homes on the east side is wide. Small plantation-era houses in lower Hilo. New construction on larger lots up in Kaumana. Puna lots in the lava zones where the ground coverage affects drainage and wind exposure. Each situation is a little different and we treat it that way.
Metal standing seam is our most common residential replacement choice on the east side because it genuinely performs better here then any alternative. It sheds rain fast, requires less maintenance, and lasts two to three times longer then asphalt in a wet climate. We also install corrugated metal, architectural shingles, and composite for homeowners who have specific material preferences. We handle the permit, tear-off, disposal, and installation. Any fascia or soffit damage found during tear-off gets addressed at the same time. Free written estimate with specific material pricing.
Commercial Roof Replacement Hilo
Commercial roof replacement on the Hilo side covers a range of building types with different needs. Retail and office buildings in Hilo town and around Kanoelehua Avenue. Industrial buildings in the commercial areas near the port. Agricultural operations further out toward Puna and the Hamakua Coast. Large flat roofs in high-rainfall environments require more aggressive waterproofing systems then the same building would need anywhere else in the state. We scope commercial projects to account for drain location, roof traffic, penetrations for HVAC equipment, and parapet wall details that become problem areas in constant-rain environments.
We install TPO, EPDM, modified bitumen, and metal systems on commercial roofs. For Hilo’s rainfall rates, we pay extra attention to drain sizing and placement – undersized drains are the single most common cause of flat roof failure on the east side. We provide a written proposal with material specs, project timeline, and warranty details. We’re fully licensed and carry commercial liability coverage required for Hawaii County commercial permits. Scheduling is done around your operations where possible.
Solar Roofing Hilo
Solar roofing on the Hilo side is viable but it takes an honest conversation about expectations first. Hilo averages significantly more cloud cover than the Kona side, and solar production is lower as a result. That said, Hawaii’s electricity rates are among the highest in the country, so even with reduced production the economics can still work – especially for homes that use a lot of daytime power and can offset peak-rate usage. We install integrated solar roofing systems where the solar is built into the roofing material rather then racked separately on top.
We handle the full install from structural assessment through HECO interconnect coordination. We check the rafter spacing, decking condition, and roof orientation before any equipment goes up – south and west-facing planes produce more on the east side because they catch afternoon sun when clouds sometimes break. We coordinate the electrical work with our licensed electrical partner and handle all roofing integration. If you’re planning a full roof replacement anyway, combining both into one project saves money and simplifies the whole process.
Solar Panel Installation Hilo
Solar panel installation on roofs is part of the roofing scope, not the electrical scope. The penetrations, mounting hardware, and waterproofing are a roofing responsibility – and when the roofing contractor handles that part the roof warranty stays intact. We assess every roof before any mounting hardware goes in. Checking decking condition, rafter spacing, existing penetrations, and the overall structural load. A roof in Hilo that’s showing moisture damage under the surface shouldn’t have panels bolted to it until the roof issue is resolved. We tell you that if we find it rather then just putting the equipment up and moving on.
We install rack-mounting systems and all associated flashings for standard panel arrays across the Hilo and east side area. We work with your solar electrical contractor on the wiring and inverter side, or we can refer you to someone we’ve worked with before on this side of the island. Keeping the roofing and electrical scopes separate with the right contractors for each keeps both warranties clean and makes inspections go smoothly. Free roof assessment before any commitment on the solar side.
25+ years on the islands.
Licensed (CT-39063). Insured. Local crews. Free written estimates everywhere from Hilo Bay to the Hamakua Coast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Hilo roof keep growing mold or moss?
It’s the wet climate plus shade. Moss and mold need moisture and low light to thrive, and Hilo gives them both. The fix is a roof material that doesn’t hold moisture (metal sheds it fast), proper attic ventilation, and tree-trimming to let sunlight reach the roof.
How does my lava zone affect my Hilo home insurance and roofing?
Properties in Lava Zones 1 and 2 are difficult to insure and replacement-cost coverage is limited. We talk through your zone before recommending materials. A high-end composite roof in Zone 1 may not be the right financial choice if the insurance won’t cover replacement.
My gutters overflow in heavy Hilo rain. Can you help?
Yes. Most Hilo homes were built with mainland-spec gutter sizes that can’t handle 130 inches a year of rain. We upsize to 6-inch K-style or larger and add downspouts so the water actually leaves the property.
Do you handle the tsunami evacuation zone rules for shoreline Hilo work?
Yes. We work with Hilo Bay and Hamakua Coast properties in the inundation zones. Those rules affect framing, materials, and structure height. We pull the right permits and meet the spec.
My roof is being shaded out by tropical trees. What do I do?
Trim, then think about a metal roof. Heavy shade keeps a roof wet, and a wet roof grows moss and rots faster. Asphalt under heavy canopy can fail in 10 years instead of 20. Metal handles the shade-and-moisture combo much better.
Are you licensed, insured, and bonded?
Yes to all three. Hawaii contractors license CT-39063. General liability and workers comp insured. Bonded for projects that need it.
