Most building owners and property managers with commercial roofs with a minimal incline in temperate climates often have recurring roof problems.
The most apparent roof-related issues are roof leaks. Roof leaks don’t automatically signify complete roof system collapse. They indicate that there’s a failure point inside the system. The leak has to be fixed before extensive damage occurs. For example, a split in a roof membrane can lead to instant failure to the building’s construction and its contents. Other issues may include flashing loss, roof detachment from high winds, or mechanical damage from someone on the roof.
View Your Roof as a Complete System
It is important to be aware that when one element of a roof system fails, the remaining parts of the system will eventually fail also.
To discover whether the roof system has failed, you should get the entire roof inspected. Be sure that your commercial roofing company investigates the:
- Structural deck (substrate).
- Insulation.
- Membrane.
- Surfacing.
- Flashings.
- Metal terminations.
Things to Look For
During this roof examination, we are looking for roof flaws which will harm the safety and lifespan of the roof and your building. These flaws may include openings, holes, or splits in the membrane or other parts of the roof. We also will look for any debris that can be harmful to the roofing system.
While qualified roofing professionals like our team must do complicated repairs and a few maintenance items, you, as the proprietor or building maintenance supervisor, can help maintain the roof by doing routine housekeeping duties, like cleaning all debris off the roof area.
Issues with Roof Membranes
The roof membrane may also be jeopardized, possibly causing roof leaks and other issues. The contractor or maintenance manager should ensure the roof system was implemented properly by a certified, qualified roofing contractor. But even when the roof system is applied correctly, the roof membrane can fail because of the following conditions:
Blisters, ridges, or bare areas from the roofing membrane can undermine the roofing system’s performance. Cracks from the membrane can frequently happen as a result, allowing moisture to pool in the center of the roof.
Pooling places or excess wear in certain regions may result in structural damage to the roofing system and escapes.
Punctures in the membrane allow for moisture to seep into the roof. Frequent causes of holes can include dropped tools, hail, or mechanical abuse.
While a few roof-related issues are readily fixed, others might call for expert repair from our roofing team. If the problems result from a faulty program or material failure, then the contractor or maintenance manager should contact the roofing contractor that completed the initial work.
You might also need an expert roofing consultant to inspect your roof for an impartial opinion of your roofing system’s possible issues.
A small routine review and upkeep of a building’s roof can help eliminate big expensive problems.