Business and commercial property owners can’t afford their roofs to leak. Water damage compromises a building’s infrastructure, inventory, and worker safety. Repairs and renovations create downtime and hassle for everyone involved. Knowing what causes roof leaks in commercial structures is essential so you can find them, repair them, or even prevent them.
Common Causes of Commercial Roof Leaks
Dozens of external forces are wearing down your commercial or industrial roof. Inclement weather, faulty equipment, and other factors are prime sources of roof leaks. Old age is another variable. The older a roof gets, the worse it will be at preventing future leaking.
Knowing your roof’s material or roofing system is essential to understanding its strengths and weaknesses best. Metal roofing behaves differently compared to liquid membrane systems. Professional contractors know the ins and outs of commercial roofs, making them experts with various roofing materials and designs.
Here are three common causes of commercial roof leaks and how they can occur.
Roof Drainage Problems
Structural damage is often the cause of roof leaks—holes, cracks, gaps, and external penetrations. Heavy rains, thunderstorms, and severe weather are some of the leading external causes of roof leaks. Inclement weather can cause trees to fall onto your roof, water to pool, or snow and ice to dam up drainage systems.
Fluctuating temperatures can cause flat roofs, single-ply, and membrane systems to experience thermal shock. Thermal shock causes roofing material to stretch and shrink, causing cracks, bumps, and deterioration. These blemishes can worsen if water is allowed to infiltrate or freeze inside them.
HVAC systems and other external to internal systems can also be the culprits of unwanted leaking. Water can find a way into your building from stripped flashing caused by strong winds and other external forces. Keeping your commercial roof airtight and properly maintained is the best way to prevent roof leaks.
Structural Damage
Standing water is a leading cause of leaking and water damage. Rain and precipitation can pool on your commercial roof if its roof drainage systems are faulty or clogged, especially on flat roofs.
Drainage systems are essential because they direct excess water flow off the roof, preventing external and internal water damage. Saturated roofs can be expensive to repair or replace. It’s crucial to regularly inspect your commercial space’s drainage system to ensure it’s working correctly.
Sitting debris, tree branches, and bits of rock can be the culprit for broken drainage systems. Keeping your roof and drainage systems clear of obstructions helps prevent backups of water that result in water penetrating your building.
Improper Maintenance
Structural damage is often the cause of roof leaks—holes, cracks, gaps, and external penetrations. Heavy rains, thunderstorms, and severe weather are some of the leading external causes of roof leaks. Inclement weather can cause trees to fall onto your roof, water to pool, or snow and ice to dam up drainage systems.
Fluctuating temperatures can cause flat roofs, single-ply, and membrane systems to experience thermal shock. Thermal shock causes roofing material to stretch and shrink, causing cracks, bumps, and deterioration. These blemishes can worsen if water is allowed to infiltrate or freeze inside them.
HVAC systems and other external to internal systems can also be the culprits of unwanted leaking. Water can find a way into your building from stripped flashing caused by strong winds and other external forces. Keeping your commercial roof airtight and properly maintained is the best way to prevent roof leaks.
How Preventative Roof Maintenance Works
Preventative roof maintenance is one of the best ways to prevent water damage and roof leaks. Roof maintenance involves regular inspections from a licensed contractor to inspect your commercial roof, locate potential problems or repairs, and fix them before they can turn into more severe damage.
Roof Inspection
Conducting a proper roof inspection is the first step in preventative maintenance. A contractor will walk your commercial or flat roof, checking for structural damage, including water damage, soft spots, stripped flashing, and roof surface damage. The contractor will then inspect your building’s ceiling to check your roof’s interior integrity.
Cleaning and Repairs
After a thorough inspection, the roofing technician will start to clean and repair your roof. Single-ply, membrane, and flat roofs must be power washed and cleaned of debris to prevent standing water—typically every six months. Once clean, they’ll repair penetrations, replace insulation, and restore exterior roofing materials to their former state.
Regular Maintenance Scheduling
After the contractor has inspected, cleaned, and repaired your roof, they’ll schedule another roof maintenance checkup. Maintaining a healthy roof requires regular work, typically two servicings a year. You’ll know when the roofing contractor will return to service your roof, taking the stress off your shoulders. A roof maintenance plan can document inspection dates and repairs for future needs. Keeping track of roof maintenance is helpful for insurance and real estate purposes.
Choose Roofcorp for Commercial Roof Leak Repair
ROOFCORP is a leading west coast commercial roofing company. We make it our mission to install, repair, and maintain commercial properties in California, Oregon, and Washington.
We’ll happily repair any leaking commercial and industrial flat roofing system. We pride ourselves on our certified team of technicians and contractors dedicated to roof repair and leak detection.
We can install a commercial or flat roof on your building if you don’t have one. At ROOFCORP, we want every dollar invested into your roof to matter. Contact us today for quality commercial roof services. Installment, repair, and maintenance: we do it all.
