When was the last time the roof of your building was inspected? If it’s been awhile, the roof could have problems lurking that need immediate attention. Some roof problems cause obvious signs such as leaks, while some produce subtle signs which are only detectable on the surface. In either case, leaving the issues unaddressed can cost you a small fortune when you finally repair them. If the roof on your building has the problems listed below, an organization that focuses on commercial roofing should repair them quickly:
Buckled Panels
Roof panels buckle due to weather damage and poor installation. Whatever the cause, the buckling allows wind to blow underneath the panels, making them loose. Because the problem worsens, the panels start to fall off, often coming off in large sections whenever a storm hits. Buckled panels are probably one of the most commonly fixed problems by companies that perform roof repair.
Expanded screw holes are another problem for panel roofs. Over time, wind and fluctuating temperatures cause the screw holes in panels to widen around the screws that hold the panels in place. This creates an area where water can leak within the panels and soak the roof deck. After the deck becomes saturated, the thing is costly to fix.
Blistering
Improper heating procedures and dry lapping cause hot bituminous roof systems to blister. Although small blisters seldom pose an issue, large ones can rupture and allow water to seep beneath the bitumen. After the blisters form, warm weather typically makes them worse. As a result of humid subtropical climate in some regions of the country, commercial roofing frequently experiences blistering.
Ponding Water
Blocked drains and improper sloping can cause water to gather in small ponds on a roof. Repairing a blocked drain is easy, but fixing a sloping problem is more technical. Often, installing a taper insulation system to establish a new slope is the better solution. Through the rainy season, resolving ponding water is one of the most common types of roof repair.
Loose Flashing
Flashing prevents water from seeping in the crevice where in fact the roof abuts to protrusions such as for example chimneys and vents. As time passes, most flashing must be resealed. If it’s not, leaks may cause serious damage the deck and building interior. Most flashing problems are corrected during scheduled maintenance.
Missing Mortar
Chimneys and high parts of brick walls that have sections of missing mortar may cause leaks. These leaks are often mistaken for leaks in the roof membrane, but an intensive inspection by a company that specializes in commercial roofing will reveal the true problem. Most parts of missing mortar could be repaired with basic tuck pointing procedures.
Conclusion
The problems above are a few of the most common reasons for roof repair. If they are corrected early, most problems are cheap to fix, but not addressing them until they cause serious problems may necessitate roof replacement. Having a scheduled maintenance agreement with a roofing company is the better solution to ensure problems are detected early.