From Shingles to Rubber

Few things can compromise your commercial building's structural integrity faster than water. When the walls, ceiling, or foundation absorb moisture over an extended period, they weaken and can easily cave in. That's why you should commission routine commercial establishment inspections to find out if there is water leakage anywhere that's slowly weakening your commercial building under your nose. One place you shouldn't forget to inspect is your commercial roofing system because roofing leaks are one of the sneakiest causes of water damage in a commercial establishment. Since it's at the highest point of your building, your roofing system can let water penetrate into your business establishment for a long time before the active roof leaks are identified. This article will enlighten you on possible causes of roof leaks and how commercial roofers can intercept them.

Membrane Damage

Membrane roofing is popular with commercial establishments because it establishes a watertight covering that guarantees rainwater won't penetrate the roofing system. However, the thermoplastic or synthetic rubber sealing can get damaged due to constant exposure to the elements. And when this happens, the interior of your building is no longer protected from water damage. The damages will manifest as cracking or splitting, which can be fixed by melting and resealing. You might also notice blistering, which occurs if air gets trapped between the roofing layers during installation. In this case, the roof membrane application needs to be redone. Otherwise, the air in the blisters will expand and contract due to temperature fluctuations and eventually result in membrane punctures. The surefire way to ensure your roof membrane doesn't blister in the first place is to leave roof installation to professional commercial roofers who will get the job done right.

Plant Growth

If you have an old roofing system, it's possible that plants have been growing on the rooftop. This appears to be a harmless phenomenon, but in reality, the more the plant roots penetrate your shingles, the weaker your roofing system becomes. The plants will damage your shingles' top protecting layer, which prevents them from getting soaked when it rains. Over time, the shingles will start dripping into your indoor spaces because they will have absorbed excess water. Therefore, you should schedule routine roofing maintenance and have your commercial roofer clear out any plant growth on your shingles before their roots cause damage.

Ponding Water

If your commercial establishment has a flat roofing system, your rooftop might be insufficiently draining water after it rains. What results is a phenomenon called ponding water, which is basically pools of water at the edge of your commercial roofing system. Over time, this water can start leaking into the roofing system and further down into your indoor spaces. An excellent solution to this is hiring a seasoned roofer to slope your rooftop to ensure all the water drains off it.

Now that you know the causes of roofing leaks, this is your cue to liaise with commercial roofers for routine inspections and tune-ups.