Signs and Causes of Commercial Roof Leaks – Brand New Roof Leaking profusely from a commercial property is certainly not a very pleasing sight. Moreover, there are just so many things you have to do at your commercial property to remedy the problem. And, there definitely are too many sophisticated tools and machinery that lie within there that make everything possible easier for you. What more if it rains heavily and the roof leaks every time?
Roof leaks are common and most of the time, they are caused by poor maintenance of the roof. Common causes include shingle replacement, improper sealing of gaskets, damaged flashing, and improper construction of the building envelope. Aside from these, roof leaks can also be caused by ice accumulation and condensation. In addition, roof leaks can be due to a variety of weather conditions and other factors. But whatever the cause of the leak, if the damage is severe and the leak is left untreated, then there is a high chance of structural damage to the building.
There are many reasons why commercial roof leaks occur. Some of the common causes of these leaks are: incomplete installation of roofing systems such as flashing; poor maintenance of the roof structure; faulty roofing materials such as shingles, tiles, and roofing nails; metal flashing; roof decay, and improper attaching of venting and air-conditioning equipment. Now that you have the causes of roof leaks, you may now be able to identify the right ways to deal with them. But before you get to that stage, you should remember that prevention is always better than cure. So, in this article, I will share with you some of the practical solutions to prevent roof leaks.
Preventing roof leaks requires proper installation of the roof sealant and other materials used on the building. This can prevent moisture from seeping into the interior of the building and the ceiling above. It also stops the water from leaking onto the dry walls and ceilings. For a flat roof, you can install gutter guards to prevent water from flowing off from the roof. These devices are installed at the gutter opening, around the edge of the roof, or at the base of the wall.
When installing flashing around vents and chimneys, make sure that you use the correct size of flashing. Flashing is generally a sheet of flexible metal, but there are commercial roofing systems that use a fiberglass flashing or aluminum flashing. Make sure that the material you choose is fire resistant and waterproof. In addition, your commercial roofing system contractor may suggest the use of a vapor guard, a type of plastic membrane that will help stop vapor from entering the flashing and causing damage to the interior of the building.
Proper insulation in all roof leaks must be in place. Insulation should be as tight as possible without over stuffing and overlapping. This prevents hot air from penetrating the interior of the building and condensation from building up between the metal and the insulation. Overstuffing can cause heat buildup that will cause the moisture to form ice and cause roof leaks. Overlapping will also cause moisture to form in the flashing, which will also contribute to roof leaks.
Some types of commercial roof leaks will not be affected by the different methods of fixing them, such as those that occur after a roof has already collapsed or been damaged by severe weather conditions. If these types of leaks are left untreated, they could lead to catastrophic damage to the building’s interior. To prevent leaks in this situation, your commercial roofing contractor can check for damaged flashings and replace them with new flashings that are free of rust, galvanized, or painted. This will prevent leaks that could lead to flashings collapsing or structural failure of the building.
These are just some of the more common causes of leaky roofs. If you feel that your roof is leaking, there is no need to call in a professional roofing contractor to inspect it and try to fix it. There is plenty of simple DIY’s that can be done yourself to save money. Just by taking the time to inspect the things that shouldn’t be done and doing the ones that are, you can save yourself hundreds of dollars. You don’t want to spend all of that money unless you really need to.