10 Common Commercial Roof Issues You Need to Watch For

At some point, your commercial roof is going to need some kind of repair.

Unfortunately, these are easy to miss. And if you don’t catch them in time, you can end up with some serious and expensive damage. Spotting minor repairs early on extend the life expectancy of your rood and can save you a lot of money.

Take a look at these 10 common commercial roof issues and what to do about them.

Roof Leaks or Moisture

Leaks are one of the most common commercial roof issues. When any kind of water or moisture gets through your roof, your building is at risk of molding. And it’s not just rain you need to worry about.

Hail, snow, ice, wind, and other debris are all ways moisture can find it’s way under the layers of your roof.

You can spot a roof leak by water stains on the walls and ceilings, mold, musty odors, dripping water, or puddles inside your building.

Poorly Installed Flashing

The flashing is the part that seals any kind of hole in your roof, like vents, skylights, chimneys, pipes, and HVAC systems. If your flashing isn’t attached the way it should be, it can form seams open and lead to tiles blowing off.

Blistering

A few blistering shingles aren’t something to be concerned about. Because they don’t cause much damage, it’s not always worth fixing blistered shingles. However, you should address significant blistering. This can lead to large problems if you ignore it.

Bad Installation

A roof that hasn’t been installed correctly can cause all kinds of problems later on down the road. It also reduces the life expectancy of your roof.

You should always make sure you’re working with an experienced roofing contractor every time you need to do any work on your roof. If you’re concerned your roof hasn’t been installed the right way, you can always get a professional to examine it for you.

Lack of Maintenance

A lot of common roof problems start out as small repairs. They can be as minor as failing to clean out backed up gutters or trim overhanging branches.

But without proper maintenance, these minor problems can cause some serious damage.

Making routine inspections of your roof allows you to catch the problems when they’re still small. This means you extend the life of your roof and save money by avoiding major repairs.

Improper Repairs

In some cases, roofs need specific tools and materials for their repairs. If your contractor doesn’t use these things, they can cause permanent damage to your roof.

You should always ask your contractor is they are certified to repair the type of roof your building has.

Blow-Offs

When your roof isn’t properly secured to the substrate, single-ply roofs are in danger of billowing or blowing off altogether.

Ponding Water

Water should never puddle up on your roof. If you have ponding water on your roof, something isn’t happening how it should. This could be a sign of clogged gutters, a buildup of debris, or improper drainage of HVAC units.

Punctures

There are many things, like wind and hail, that can create punctures in your roof. You should always check the flashing and sealant around roof penetrations (like vents, pipes, chimneys, etc.), especially if these have been added after the roof was built.

Shrinkage

The roof membrane is the layer under the shingles. And when this begins to shrink, it causes the upper layers to start cracking or crazing. You can also spot shrinkage when the flashing begins to pull away from the wall.

What to Do About Common Commercial Roof Issues

The best way to handle common commercial roof issues is to focus on prevention. It’s always better to catch a problem when it’s small because it hasn’t had the chance to do any real damage. Make sure your roof gets routine inspections from certified roofing contractors.

Are you in need of commercial roof repair? Take a look at some of our services.