Flat roofs are most common in commercial buildings and as many business owners come to know, flat roofs require a different kind of care than regular roofs. Due to the design of flat roofs, they often require frequent maintenance to prevent roof damage or leaks. AAA Commercial Industrial Roofing will share some of the common maintenance and repairs for commercial flat roofs.
Why is My Flat Roof Cracking?
It is common for flat roofs to develop splits. Splits most often occurs when ice thaws, or excessive pressure, stress, water ponding and poor construction occurs. A split often occurs when added weight from people walking atop them or from heavy snow. Splitting becomes a problem when the roof was neglected or received poor maintenance. To help prevent splitting, flat roofs are coated with a solar reflective paint and covered with stones or rocks. It important that the paint is maintained to help prevent splitting damages.
Is Ponding on a Flat Roof Normal?
Ponding is a roofing term which occurs when water pools in a small area on top of a flat roof. Ponding often occurs near drains, around air conditioning units, and typically occurs during rain or snow storms. Ponding will cause yellowish colored stains where the water sat for an extended period of time. As the water evaporated it leaves behind the stain. Ponding is bad for many reasons and can cause a variety of roof damages. If some areas that are prone to ponding, a roofer can come and level out the low point on the roof and prevent future ponding.
What Causes Blisters on a Flat Roof?
Blistering is when air gets trapped between the felt substrate or just the felt. As these pockets of air heat up, it causes the felt to bubble more and eventually leads to popping or the pockets get punctured. Blistering most often occurs around the seams or joints of the roof framing. As the blistering becomes worse, the interior structure of the roof is exposed which leads to further roofing damage. When blistering does occur it will need to be cleaned and repaired. The repairs will prevent interior damage and prevent future structural failure. Blistering and interior damage can accelerate if rain or snow occurs, leading to interior water damage.
How Should You Maintain a Flat Roof?
Flat roofs require proper inspections and repairs, especially after a major rainy season. Prolonged moisture exposure often leads to minor damage or wear which needs to be corrected and/or repaired. It is common for flat roofs to require re-stoning and repainting after every few years to ensue the roof’s condition. Flat roofs use a drainage system that helps prevent ponding or prolonged water exposure. These drainage systems often need to be cleaned out much like gutter systems. There are varying types of flat roof designs and each will vary on their maintenance needs.
Commercial Flat Roof Installation, Inspection, Repair, Maintenance & More in Long Beach, Santa Clarita, Glendale, Lancaster, Palmdale, Pomona & the Greater Los Angeles, CA
If your commercial or industrial building has a flat roof, contact a professional roofing company to inspect and help you maintain your flat roof. For all of your roofing needs, contact AAA Commercial Industrial Roofing today.
