What To Do When You Need Emergency Flat Roof Repairs

Being a building manager is a little like being an interrogator: everything’s a question. Can hail damage a flat roof? What’s ponding? What’s the opposite of “nonchalant?” Well, maybe not the last one, but commercial flat roofs do create a lot of questions. One of the most important questions: Why is my flat roof leaking?

 

Three Causes of Flat Roof Leaks

1. Ponding Water

Ponding water on any low-slope or flat roof (and this can mean every type of large building — school, church, hotel, synagogue, industrial building, temple, warehouse, mall, library — which has even just a portion of its roof at a slope below 3-in-12) is probably the leading cause of water leaks.

Ponding is water which does not drain off or dry up within 48 hours of falling. Ponding water can be caused by several things:

  • Clogged internal drains
  • Debris in scuppers around the building parapet
  • Low spots where insulation has been compressed
  • Rooted vegetation (grasses, sedges, even bushes and small trees)
  • Faults in the roof deck

Ponding is addressed by identifying the problem, removing the issue, and then repairing the roofing material. This may involve peeling back the membrane or finished surface to get to the insulation. It may involve work on the roof deck itself, within the building.

An obvious first place your local, friendly roofer will look is at drainage. Jammed strainers on internal drains can cause water to back up. Organic matter blocking scuppers must be cleared. Drains and downspouts have to run free.

More involved are repairs to remedy slope issues. This can mean reshaping or replacing insulation for proper slope.

2. Membrane Problems

Membrane or the top layer of a built-up roof can cause water to infiltrate. Open seams, punctured single-ply membrane, or aging surfacing materials must be diagnosed for water leaks to stop.

An important aspect of repairing a low-slope roof is matching the repair material to the existing surface. This is perhaps a leading cause of recurring leaks: the materials do not match or the method of adhesion is wrong for the materials. Initially, the repair holds, but if a cold adhesive was used when a heat seal was needed, the seam will fail.

3. Environment and Weather

The weather in Ohio is … interesting and varied. Heavy rains? Check. Harsh sunlight? Check. High winds? Sure! Hail? Routinely.

Your low-slope roof must endure everything Ohio weather has to throw at it, from summer thunderstorms to damaging ice and snow storms.

You can do nothing to stop the incessant weather issues, but you can prepare your roof to hold strong against them. Having your local, reliable roofer perform annual or semiannual inspections is a good place to start.

With your commercial roofer’s help, a little leak can get stopped immediately. A small open seam can be closed and sealed. Hail damage can cause dimpling, crazing, cracking, and other breeches which lead to water leaks. Routine repairs and maintenance can put a stop to the damage.

Three Reasons for Emergency Flat Roof Repair

1. Save your Roof, Save your Building

Emergency flat-roof repairs are calls to your helpful, local commercial roofer when prompt action cannot wait. This can be because of storm damage, new water leaks, wind uplift and tear-off, or human-made problems (think third-party vendors and their misplaced work boots or dropped tools on your roof).

Your commercial roof protects every other part of your business beneath it. When you get emergency roof repairs, you save not only the roof, but the building, its contents, your inventory, and your equipment.

2. Protect Your Investment

Perhaps your low-slope roof is a warehouse. You may think you are saving a bundle by deferring roof maintenance, but leaving roof leaks unattended does not make them go away.

A small roof leak always gets larger, and soon your merchandise in the warehouse is damaged. Your insurance company may not pay if they discover you neglected the roof.

Protect your investment by preserving your roof, even if you need to spend a bit more on a service call for emergency flat roof repair.

3. Keep Your Customers

Nobody — employees, clients, members, or customers — welcomes the horrid smell of mold and mildew. Nobody wants to be confronted with musty, stale odors and heavy humidity when they step into your building.

Maintain the health of not only your building but the people within. Maintain the health of your roof. Take quick, decisive action when water leaks threaten to bring on chronic damage and long-term health effects from rising humidity, mold or mildew growth, and foul odors. Only an experienced, trusted commercial roofer should be called for emergency flat roof repair. The work must be done quickly, safely, and correctly the first time. Contact us at Damschroder Roofing to learn more about our maintenance programs and emergency roof repair.

Looking for roofers for your commercial and industrial building project?  Call Action Roof Service on

Family Family- As a family of co-workers, we treat each other and our customers like family. Family is at the core of who we are.
“Family isn’t an important thing. It’s everything.” Michael J. Fox
Accountability Accountability We do the right thing, the right way-every time.
“It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.” (moliere)
Customer Relationships Customer Relationships- We build long lasting relationships with our customers by listening and delivering peace of mind through exceptional service.
“Realize that everything connects to everything else.” Leonardo Da Vinci
Striving for perfection Striving for perfection - We provide outstanding products and unsurpassed service that, together, deliver premium value to our customers.
“There’s no such thing as Perfection. But, in striving for perfection, we can achieve excellence.” Vince Lombardi
Innovative Thinking Innovative Thinking - We use our proven process to come up with new ideas and solutions for our customers and their unique situations. “Innovation is change that unlocks new value.” Jamie Notter
Grit Grit - Passion, perseverance and persistence to get the job done right. “True grit is making a decision and standing by it, doing what must be done.”

Damscrhoder Roofing Inc.

Manufacturers

Damschroder Roofing was founded in 1976 and has been a family, locally owned business for over 45 years. We pride ourselves on the quality process we provide to all of our customers from start to finish.
Are you having leaks in your metal roof system? The constant expansion and contraction of metal roof panels can be the cause of leaks. All metal roofing will expand with the temperature changes-Standing seam metal roofs will allow for expansion and contraction while exposed fastener systems do not. Over time leaks can occur at those fasteners as well as any penetrations installed in the roof. Call us today to evaluate your metal roofing system. 419-332-5000 ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
We will be closed on Monday, May 29th, to celebrate the holiday. To our heroes, we salute you…we thank you!#freedom #MemorialDay ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
Another job well done by the Damschroder team!#durolastroofing#commercialroofingcontractor ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
Looking for a reliable solution for your commercial roof replacement? Damschroder Roofing has a team of experts to ensure a successful project. Call us at 419-332-5000 to schedule your roof inspection.#commercialroofingcontractor #reliablesolutions #damschroderroofing ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
Do you have a shingle roof with constant blow-offs or an "odd shaped" structure that is in need of replacement? Look no further than Damschroder Roofing Inc."Jim of The Andersons, Inc., grew weary of the maintenance and expense of replacing asphalt shingles that would fly off the arch building after a windstorm. In 2021, Collins determined protecting 61,000 tons of dry fertilizer was worth investing in a new roof. He knew Damschroder Roofing would be up for the job."#commercialroofing #shinglealternative #customfabrication ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

1 month ago

Damschroder Roofing, Inc
Here at Damschroder Roofing, we play as hard as we work!If you are looking for someplace fun to work, go to www.damschroderroofing.com and apply 😀#werehiringnow #puttingchallenge #WackyWednesday ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
Roof maintenance on your commercial building is important! This bottle was preventing the scupper from draining properly and allowing inches of water to back up on this roof. The weight of water on the roof can cause serious stress to your building structure.Call Damschroder Roofing today to schedule your maintenance call. 419-332-5000Complete your online request here damschroderroofing.com/service-request/ ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
Our Leadership Team getting one click better at the EOS conference in Indianapolis#leadershipteam #eosconference2023 #damschroderroofing ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
We enjoyed a fun time at the "Dancing With The Stars" event while supporting our Sandusky County Engineer, Carlos Baez, in fundraising for the local CASA chapter. A wonderful organization that helps children who need a voice in court.#communitysupport #helpingchildren #TeamCarlos ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
It's been a beautiful sunny week and our sales guys have been out across the state measuring roofs for upcoming projects!#commercialroofing #damschroderroofing #lovethesunshine ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
© Copyright - Damschroder Roofing INC | Website By Rockit Creative Solutions
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram Skip to content