Your flat roof survived another Iowa winter, but is it ready for the springtime showers and the summertime downpours? Just because your roof hasn’t shown apparent signs of damage, it doesn’t mean that it’s prepared to take on another season without some attention first. Even with a durable flat roof, there are a number of factors that could leave your roof vulnerable to water damage from the pending rainy weather. Here’s what you should check to prepare your commercial flat roof for rain and why it’s important in protecting the value of your building.
Your Flat Roof Maintenance Checklist
Without knowing what specifically you should check, it’s easy to give your roof a glance then forget about it. It’s important, though, to give your roof ongoing maintenance and inspections, because being proactive is easier and less expensive than it is to make unexpected, costly repairs that could impede on your business. You can use this checklist as a starting point to make sure your roofing system is good to go after the winter months.
Clear Your Gutters
Arguably the most important consideration to prevent water damage to your roof is making sure rain can properly divert off onto the ground. While you should have cleared leaves and fall debris from your gutters before winter started, you should definitely make sure to do that now before the rainy seasons. Even if you did clear your gutters in the fall, you should still check and clear them for debris such as pine needles or twigs.
Check for Debris
In addition to debris that can be clogging your gutters, there might also be debris on top of your roof that could cause damage. Making sure to use specified walkways, get on top of your roof and check for any sort of remnants that could be blocking the water flow. Remove any debris if you’re able to, or call a roofing expert to come clear your roof.
Inspect Pipe & Vent Flashing
Flashing is crucial in preventing any water from seeping through the gaps between your roof and any roofing structures, such as pipes and vents. If your roof has skylights or chimneys, these should also have flashing around them, so you should check them, too. The sealant used for flashing can sometimes become dry and lose its elasticity, expanding and contracting with the weather changes, leaving openings for water to leak through. As you’re checking the flashing, make sure it’s snug against the roof and doesn’t look warped or cracked. If it does appear to be defective, hire a roofing contractor to repair the flashing as soon as possible.
Monitor Your Flat Roof Surface
While you should have already checked your roof for any debris or blockage, it’s also important to check the surface itself. You should inspect the roof membrane for any damage, such as scratches or cracks, along with any deterioration or discoloration. Even if the damage doesn’t look serious, you’ll help extend the roof’s lifespan by making smaller repairs before they become larger issues.
What Could Happen if You Don’t Prepare Your Roof
If you don’t want to spend the time or energy it takes to check your roof, you might wonder, “What’s the worst that could happen?” As a business owner, you have a lot of other concerns to worry about, and your roof might be at the bottom of the list as long as everything seems OK. Any trustworthy roofing company wants what’s best for your business and knows that preventative care is critical. To help keep you informed, here are some things that could happen if preventative action isn’t taken and leads to water damage.
Water damage could cause mold.
If there is a leak in your roof, either from a crack in the membrane or a gap in the flashing, water can leak in and absorb into the structure of your building, causing mold. Mold in your commercial building poses health concerns, as it generally causes stuffy or runny noses, coughing, wheezing, sore throats, and other allergy symptoms. Extended exposure could even lead to more serious concerns, such as asthma or severe allergic reactions. To prevent health concerns for your employees or customers, it’s vital to keep mold out of your commercial building.
Your insurance company could blame you.
With most policies, your insurance company will help you cover the cost of general roof repairs. However, if you put off roof inspections and repairs and these simple fixes lead to larger issues, they may blame you for negligence. It’s best to report damages right away so they can be resolved and you can rest assured that your insurance company will help cover the costs.
It could shorten the life of your roof.
While the average commercial roof lasts 10-15 years or more, this lifespan could be cut short if the roof is not properly maintained, including preparing it for each season. Instead of simple repairs, you may instead have to replace your entire roof, which would be more expensive and you’d be spending more money in the long run.
It could affect your business operations.
Water damage could affect your business in a multitude of ways. Whether your commercial building is used for an office, retail merchandise, or machinery, water damage to your business assets would greatly affect your operations. Receiving regular inspections and maintenance to prepare for different types of weather, such as rain, will help you keep business as usual.
Get in Touch With a Reputable Commercial Flat Roof Contractor
To make sure your roof is ready for the rain, you need a reliable commercial roofing contractor for a professional inspection of your roof and to perform maintenance as needed. The Duerson Corporation has been installing, maintaining, and repairing roofs since 1986. We’re a family-run business that puts our customers first. You can confidently choose Duerson knowing we’ll provide quality service and products to help keep your business running as it should. If you need a commercial roofing contractor you can trust, contact us.