Under the Contractor Umbrella

If you own a commercial property and develop a leak in the roof, dealing with it doesn't have to be difficult. A commercial roofing contractor can take care of leaks or damage and provide service throughout the year to help ensure the roofing material lasts a long time and stays leak-free after the repairs. 

Finding The Leak

Commercial roofing is designed to be durable, but there are some places where leaks can develop over time. The areas around HVAC units, places where people walk on the roof, and drain pipes installed through the material, can all leak as the roofing material dries and cracks with sun and weather exposure. 

Most commercial roofing contractors will start with a complete roof inspection, including the area you suspect the leak is. However, sometimes the leak is not where you see it, and the water is getting in and traveling along pipes, ductwork, and trusses, then coming in where you see the leak. The inspection is vital because it is the most effective way to determine what is leaking and how it is getting inside your building. 

Repairing Leaks

Typically sealing leaking areas with additional rubber or adding some flashing to help direct water away from them will help, but when a leak develops, it is essential to have a commercial roofing contractor check it. The longer the leak continues, the worse it will get. Eventually, the leak could result in additional damage to the structure and the roof material around it. 

Water saturation can cause mold, rot, and glue failure in wood and other materials used on the roof, allowing it to lift and the roof to become weak. Mold growth can also create a health risk for people in the building, but if the leak is dealt with quickly and any water damage is dealt with, the risk is minimal. 

Small leaks can be resealed either with a patch on the roofing material or by adding hot rubber over the area to seal the hole. If the leak is too large for a patch, the contractor may need to replace a roof section to resolve the problem. 

Replacing an aging roof with new material may become necessary if the roof leaks in multiple places, or if there are a lot of cracks and wear on the outer surface. The process is not complicated, and an experienced commercial roofing contractor can take care of the job in a week or two on a moderately sized, flat-roof commercial structure. 

For more information, contact a company like United Contracting Group.