One of the most costly repairs for a commercial building owner to face is having to repair and sometimes replace their own roof systems as well as other structural entities due to a leaky roof. It is important to regularly check your roof for evidence of leaks or water entry to minimize your chances for costly repairs later. Brown spots, developing on ceilings, paint cracking or wallpaper bubbling and falling off in your home or place of business are all good indications you may have a leak in your roof. Many times leaking roofs can be corrected with a simple fix.
Once you have confirmed you indeed have a leak in your roof, immediate action is needed to minimize any further damage to the rest of your structure. Placing a string near the stream of water into a bucket is a good start if it happens to be leaking at a slower steady rate. This is good only to minimize on any further damage to other elements of the building.
Drilling a hole is a much better option than the string if your leak is much more serious. Usually downed limbs or strong winds during storms cause this type of damage. Cutting the hole allows the water to pass through freely preventing the ceiling from becoming saturate with water greatly reducing the danger of a collapse.
When you are ready to fix your leaking roof, take measurements from inside to give you an idea where you should look. Using binoculars or a ladder, look for places where there may be obvious signs of a damaged roof. You want to make sure to follow common sense safety precautions anytime you work or inspect your roof.
Debris, such as leaves and other materials that could be impeding the downward motion required to avert any water away from a roof, should be removed. Snow and ice dams could cause water to back up under roofing materials as well. If able to safely reach these ice dams they should be removed.
Look for corrosion on metal flashing, whether it being in a valley or connecting to the chimney, this can be patched but the only long-term solution is to replace it. Pay close attention to any spots that may be covered in black flashing when you're looking for leaks. This usually indicates that there were vulnerable leak repairs and the problem could have been due for a more permanent fix. Attachment points for satellite dishes, antennas and other objects are also common places for water to leak into your roof.
A roof leak is more than just annoying. It can lead to severe water damage and even threaten the structural integrity of a building. The best thing to do the second you find a leak is to contact a skilled professional. Expert commercial roofing contractors have the tools and knowledge needed to fix the leak quickly and effectively. Your roof is not something to try and save money on and if only masked and not fixed correctly just will lead to more money thrown away in the long run.
