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Commercial roof leaks spell misfortune for businesses unlucky enough to face them. When ignored, roof leaks can lead to expensive damage, reduce productivity, and impact employees’ health and safety. Fortunately, knowing what causes commercial roof leaks and how to deal with them can prevent additional repair costs and protect your business from water damage.
Continue reading to learn more about commercial roof leaks and how to deal with them. The following article touches on these topics:
- Signs of a commercial roof leak
- Common causes of commercial roof leaks
- What to do when your commercial roof leaks?
- How can the experts at Rainville-Carlson help?
Signs of a Commercial Roof Leak
Before you can fix a commercial roof leak, you first need to recognize that one has occurred. Some very distinct signals could indicate your roof has sprung a leak, including the following:
- Dripping and Puddles: A dripping ceiling is the clearest sign of a problem with your roof. Leaks can seep through a roof and work their way through to the top floor, dripping onto devices, furniture, and more. Dripping can form puddles that create slipping hazards or soak into carpeting.
- Mold: Mold directly results from accumulated moisture likely caused by a roof leak. Excess water and bacteria from leaks can cause mold to form in humid environments, which you may notice in corners, along the ceiling, or near the baseline of walls where water has run off.
- Foul Odor: Even if you don’t notice physical signs of mold, you may be able to smell it. Mold and mildew caused by roof leaks have strong odors you can’t miss. Pooled water can also exert a pungent and musty smell that indicates a leak has formed.
- Discoloration and Sagging: Leaks can cause sagging and discoloration of your ceiling where the water accumulates. Discoloration can create browning or yellowing, and sagging indicates that pooled water could burst through at any moment.
Common Causes of Commercial Roof Leaks
Damaged Membrane and Flashing
Damaged flashing and membranes are both leading causes of commercial roof leaks. Cracks, holes, melting, and peeling all negatively impact the level of protection that commercial roofs provide. Whether due to a storm, animals, or old age, compromised roofing materials need to be repaired to prevent further damage from leaks.
Improper Installation
An improperly installed commercial roof is bound to suffer a few leaks. Poor sealing causes water to seep through seams and joints, especially regarding open penetrations like HVAC units and chimneys. A poorly installed roof can also lead to shifting and sagging, creating additional entry points for water to work through.
Harsh Storms
Even a well-maintained commercial roof can fall victim to storm damage. Harsh storms can cause leaks via lightning damage, strong winds, heavy rain, snow, and pelting hail. Extreme roof temperatures can also cause cracking, melting, and curling under the right conditions. The impact of storms can cause leaks and severe water damage to your property if not repaired quickly.
Clogged Gutters
Drainage systems clogged with debris like leaves, twigs, or snow are useless against incoming rain. When drainage systems cannot properly collect and divert water, it collects and pools while spilling over the edge. Resting water can damage commercial roofs and eventually work its way through, causing leaks.
Lack of Routine Maintenance
While roof maintenance is essential for preserving commercial roofs, many business owners neglect to schedule it. Forgoing routine maintenance can cause emerging complications to worsen and form unnecessary leaks. The longer repairs are pushed off, the larger the affected areas can become—and with it, more significant damage.
Old Age
Sometimes leaks occur simply due to the age of a roof. Even with routine roofing repairs, a replacement is inevitable. Over time, your roof’s integrity can falter and spring leaks through no fault of your own, but it is a repair that patches cannot fix, and you may need to schedule a roof replacement to resolve the problem.
Fluctuating temperatures can severely impact your commercial roof, especially during the summer and winter months. Learn how to protect your roof from extreme temperatures here.
What to Do When You Find a Roof Leak
If you find a roof leak, don’t panic. Following a series of simple steps can contain the leak and prevent it from causing additional damage.
- Minimize interior damage by containing the leak with a bucket and clearing the affected area of any items or furniture.
- Identify the leak and record its entry point for insurance and repair purposes.
- Inspect the entry point for additional problems that may be occurring, such as mold, sagging, or staining.
- Contact a service provider specializing in emergency roof leak repairs and schedule a meeting.
- Call your insurance company and inform them of the situation to cover any losses or damages.
After dealing with the immediate effects of a commercial roof leak and contacting both a roofing contractor and your insurance provider, all you need to do is wait for the estimate. A trusted commercial roofing contractor can give you a detailed damage assessment and schedule a time to conduct needed repairs. If you need a roofing contractor you can rely on, consider Rainville-Carlson.
Protect Your Commercial Roof With Rainville-Carlson
As a trusted and established commercial roofing contractor in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Eastern Dakotas, Rainville-Carlson can assist you with all your roofing needs. If you have a leaky roof, we’ll find the cause and determine what actions are needed to restore your commercial building to its proper glory, whether that means a patching service or a total reroofing.
We aim to provide our clients with the highest quality products and service solutions that help them thrive. Our core roofing services focus on installing, maintaining, and restoring commercial roofs, including:
- Detailed walkthrough inspections
- Commercial roof installation
- Emergency roof leak repairs
- Roof maintenance
- Leak detection
- Installation of various roofing systems
- Wall waterproofing
- And more
Got a leak that needs fixing? Contact us today to schedule an inspection, and our industry experts will get you taken care of.
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