Why is my Commercial Roof Leaking?

3/18/2022 (Permalink)

There are many signs to look for if you suspect your roof is leaking.

The roof on a typical commercial building is typically flat, but quite effective at keeping your office dry and your business running. Regular roof maintenance can help prevent leaks or damage before they happen, however unexpected and sudden problems can and do arise all the time. Whether it is from installation mistakes, a storm, to simply materials degrading over time, you should make sure to know what to do should a leak happen to keep your business up and running.

Although the chances of a roof leak increase as time goes on, even a new roof can have problems. This can happen due to faulty installation, inadequate sealing, insufficient grading, and more. Keep in mind if the roof is relatively new property owners may be able to get it fixed/replaced under warranty. However, it is not always as simple as repairing the roof, if the problems were only noticed due to a leak then there would most likely need to be water restoration completed inside of the building as well. In that case, a professional remediation company would need to be called in to get your business back in working order.

Things to look for:

Moisture Stains -

Walls and ceiling tiles will quickly show discoloration when exposed to water.

Bubbling paint -

Moisture that seeps in between a wall and paint will cause bubbling or blistering in some paints.

Mold and Odor - 

Moisture in any environment can quickly cause mold growth which can lead to both visual signs and odors.

Water Puddles -

Finding unexpected puddles of water where they shouldn't be is never a good sign, and is likely from a leaky roof.

How to find the leak?

Quickly identifying and minimizing the source of a leak can help to keep damage from getting worse and therefore keep costs down. Remember when looking for the source, it may not always be directly above the dripping itself. Water can pool in areas on even a sloped roof and penetrate into the building. Some things to check, and/or look for are; seams, previous damage/patches, leaves and debris, gutters, and protrusions. There may be times when professionals should be called, we have tools that are able to moisture map and see signs of water that are invisible to the naked eye. 

If you find yourself facing a water problem at your place of business call SERVPRO of Downey for your disaster recovery needs. From Fire and  Water Damage to sanitization, we are there to assist you. Call us at: (562) 392-3007