HOW DID YOUR ROOF HANDLE THE WINTER WEATHER AND WET SPRING?
Yearly maintenance and regular inspection of your commercial roofing system allows fixing minor damages and prevents you from facing major roof-related damages that may occur. After months of winter weather and heavy spring rain, this is the perfect time to investigate.
Here are a few things to do when giving your roof a thorough assessment:
- Check your gutters. Initially remove water blockages like detached branches, fallen leaves, muds, etc. Subsequently, check for any damages in the gutter and downspouts because extreme weather conditions like snow storm and heavy ice may cause severe damage on it. An improperly functioning gutter doesn’t just hurt a facility’s curbside appeal because it can actually cause water damage to other parts of the building.
- Inspect your roofing for damage. Freeze-thaw cycles can wreak havoc on your roofing materials. A commercial facilities manager should look for membrane tearing or separation. On a flat business roof, these issues can cause water to infiltrate the underlayment, eventually leaking into the facility.
- Clean your roof. Chances are the winter introduced unwanted debris to your rooftop. Remove any branches, leaves, rocks, or other debris. Have your maintenance team give the roof a good sweep-down.
- Check all penetrations on your roof for damage. Flashing along pipes, skylights, HVAC units, and chimneys can easily become damaged due to the freeze-thaw cycle. Check seals, caulking, and gaskets for damage as well — these are other entry points for water into your facility and can be the cause of major commercial roof leaks.
- Take a look on the inside. If water has infiltrated your building, it will leave evidence. You may have stains on your ceiling, visible rust, and wet decking or insulation. Inspect your attic for evidence of animal activity (critters prefer your warm roof to the frigid outdoors). Finally, look very carefully for any evidence of mold, which thrives in moist environments. If you see evidence of mold, call an expert immediately — it can be very hazardous to your building and health.
If you are concerned that your building may have a leak or is otherwise in need of roof restoration or replacement, give us a call! We’d be happy to come out and take a look for you, and as always, our evaluations are completely free to you.