HOW TO SAFEGUARD YOUR COMMERCIAL ROOFS FROM LEAKS?

Safeguarding your assets, products, equipment, and technology is essential. As a business owner, commercial property is no less than a place of worship. Maintaining your property is as important as owning it. 

Leaking roofs are a nightmare for any building, and when it’s a commercial space, there can cost major losses. It creates an anxious ambience both for the workers and the owner as well. Finding the cause of leakage and repairing the leak is unavoidable, even if it’s expensive.

Damaging of tiles or water-resistant rooftop sheets and any other kind of roofing could be the reason for leaks. Being aware of the causes of leakage can help better in fixing. Let`s dive into the reasons behind Roof leaks.

●   POOR DESIGN 

Due to poor design, many flat commercial roofs create areas of standing water. Puddled water can add extra weight to your roof. When you consider the size of your commercial roof, it's no surprise that puddled water can put a strain on the structure. This increased pressure can damage your roof and cause it to leak.

●   INSUFFICIENT DRAINAGE

Another cause of pooling water on the roof is insufficient drainage. Standing water will seep into any cracks beneath. To avoid leaks caused by poor drainage, ensure that your roof's drains, gutters, and downpipes are all clear and functional.

●   MATERIAL DAMAGE

Your flat commercial roof has two critical components: the membrane, which serves as the roof's cover, and the flashing, which seals the perimeter of the roof. Leaks can occur if either of these components is damaged.

• MEMBRANE DAMAGE

The membrane on your roof may crack, split, or shrink over time. These changes in the membrane's integrity can cause it to leak. Because the membrane is an essential component of your commercial roof, it is critical to inspect it regularly and repair any damage that is discovered.

• FLASHING DAMAGE

The edges of the membrane are protected by flashing. It is very common for flashing to expand and contract with temperature changes, resulting in gapping and leakage. During storms, flashing can also become loose, impairing its ability to prevent water seepage. Repairing your roof's flashing can help prevent a leak from forming.

●   IMPROPER SEALING

Often little breakage in pipes is covered by waterproof tapes to avoid expenses on repairs. Leakage isn`t limited to any one thing in particular. Water penetration into your roof's membrane can occur through a variety of channels, including:

❖ Drains

❖ Pipes 

❖ Gas lines 

❖ Vents 

❖ HVAC units

It is most likely the source of the problem if these outlets are not properly sealed.

●   OLD WAGE

Your roof, like many other aspects of a building, will need to be replaced at some point. Flat roofs typically last 15–20 years before deteriorating to the point where they can no longer be repaired.

Identify your cause of leakage and work on preventing and repairing it accordingly.

The most effective way to stop a leaky roof is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. It is not always possible to avoid roof damage. 

Roof inspections are crucial to avoid a complete roof replacement because tiny leaks are sometimes undetectable to the untrained eye. Because leaks aren't always visible, here are some points to remember.

1. INSPECT ROOF REGULARLY

The key to avoiding water damage is to detect it early when a minor repair can save a major expense. Hiring a professional can help in a long time.

2. MAINTAIN GUTTERS AND DOWNSPOUTS

A key way to prevent expensive water damage is to be sure that gutters or downpipes are operating correctly. Blocked gutters and pipes can cause backlogging of water. Regular checks can help in prevention.

3. REPLACE DAMAGED AND MISSING SHINGLES

Concealing damaged items, like concealing broken water pipes with waterproof tapes will result in heavy expenses later. Replacement of any damaged, missing, or broken item then and there is the best way to prevent leakage. 

4. FOCUS ON ROOF FLASHING

Being proactive in case of your roof will prevent seeping through chimneys, vents, or other sections of your roof if you have flash installed. Installation of roofing tiles on the floor or suitable roofing sheets around water pipes, gutters can help for a longer time to avoid any leakage. 

All these measures can help in avoiding leakage if kept in mind and followed.

It may not be simple to deal with water problems, but you don't have to tackle it alone. By following the guidelines for finding the reason and prevention measures, leakage can be avoided. However, if you can't follow the guidelines properly, hiring professional help remains a good option. The solution provided by them can endure the life of the roofs. 

Leaders in lightweight roofing, ONDULINE is providing solutions for your shelter. They have been helping residences and commercial spaces with over-roofing, opaque or transparent roofs or roof lights, under-roofing, and waterproofing at an exceptional budget. They offer affordable, easy, and quick to install roofing solutions. So, instead of panicking during leakage, call Onduline experts to fix the problem.