By Josh Breneville from SERVPRO
How big does a leak in your building have to be in order to cause damage? The short answer is not very big at all. The longer answer illustrates the damage that a ‘not very big at all’ sized leak can do. We will look at an example of where a leak can come from and discuss recommended practices to prevent water from leaking into your building. At SERVPRO we clean up disasters “Like It Never Even Happened”. We are frequently responding to water damaged losses more than any other problem we are trained to deal with. Most water damages are due to plumbing related disasters, but the most commonly overlooked water damages are roof related.
For instance, a common issue on roofs is the drainage systems being clogged with years of leaves, miscellaneous debris and neglected maintenance. One may go up every now and then and still not seem to notice that it’s even clogged to begin with, let alone damaged or in some cases even outdated. When water is not draining effectively on a low slope roof, it is appropriate to be concerned. Water will collect around the faulty drain and begin to pool. Prolonged standing water will eventually deteriorate the protective membrane and even add considerable weight for a roof to support. Water will find seams to make its way into a building overtime. There are times where standing water can even attract birds and animals to your roof. The winter can even accelerate damage ponding water can do. As water makes its way past the membrane, it will expand once frozen, opening seams up even more, before it thaws out again, allowing water to easily flow inside.
So what’s the big deal if a little water gets inside? A few drops won’t change anything significantly, right? That would all depend on how fast you can address the water issue and that’s if you even notice it. You may not always see water damage until it reaches a ceiling tile or section of drywall. By that point, you may also have mold and rotting wood to worry about as well. The longer moisture is retained in wood due to delayed response, the more opportunity fungi have to compromise the integrity of the wood, rotting it from the inside. It does take quite a bit of time for this to happen, varying on the type of wood and level of moisture present. It may begin rotting within one month or within one year. However, within 24 hours of wood being exposed to moisture mold will begin to germinate. As long as mold has moisture, humidity and organic material (like dust or wood) mold spores will spread and continue to thrive until it is properly mitigated. In as little as two weeks of being unaddressed it will colonize and start to become visible. So how do we prevent any of this from transpiring to begin with?
- While preventing these issues is not always easy to do, it is relatively straightforward. The first step must always begin with addressing standing water, excessive moisture and water intrusion with urgency. There are some cases where people call SERVPRO to amend a water damaged area without the problem being fixed first. We will always recommend fixing the issue at hand before we address any damage. That way we can restore a water damaged area once instead of multiple times as a result of a recurring unresolved problem. A simple water intrusion issue can bring up multiple different problems to deal with the longer it is ignored. The quicker you can fix the water issue, the more time and money you will save in the long run. Which your property will thank you for by having fewer issues that come up. It does not take long for bigger problems to manifest as a result of poor response time.
- You should already have a drainage system on your roof. If you do not, it would be best to start there. On low sloped roofs you will typically see internal drains recessed toward the center, scuppers on the outer edges of a roof, and crickets guiding the water toward a drain, scupper or both depending on roof size. Internal drains are covered with a metal grate preventing debris from clogging the pipe that connects to the drain. This pipe runs inside the building before connecting to an underground drainage system. Scuppers are low points along the perimeter of a roof where water is channeled to go through the other side of, what’s called a parapet wall. That water runs off of the roof and into a downspout before collecting into the storm drainage system or just right outside away from the building. You can drain water off your roof using gravity or a siphon. Regardless of the system or drain type, failing to keep up with maintenance will allow for debris to accumulate over time, obstructing the draining process. Scuffers that are improperly maintained can freeze up in the winter and cause structural damage. While the internal drains benefit from not being directly exposed to elements, the metal grate itself can clog up with debris, accumulating water around the drain itself. This water can freeze, potentially damage roofing material, thus potentially creating a leak inside the building. Quickly turning into an expensive fix depending on what and where you would need access to in order to repair. The quicker water can drain off your roof, the better it will be for its overall lifespan. Make sure you have the correct drainage system installed and then maintain them preferably once in the spring and once more in the fall, this will also vary based on your geographic location
- Your rooftop mechanical systems should be serviced routinely. Among the many features that make up a roof, you will typically find various mechanical fixtures. From exhausts, plumbing vents, solar panels, skylights, HVAC rooftop units and/or condensers. Being that these all require some sort of penetration, these are all considered the weak points on a roof. Diligence is not only required upon installation by making sure everything is installed and sealed to code. But it is also important to maintain these fixtures as time goes on. The most important being your HVAC systems. A poorly maintained HVAC system will drastically shorten the lifespan of the unit and cause disgruntled tenants. At SERVPRO, we have been called on several different instances where rooftop HVAC systems had caused fires leaving behind a considerable amount of damage for a property to deal with. HVAC rooftop units should be serviced every fall before the winter and condensers serviced in the spring before the summer heat hits.
- Every building must be maintained in order to operate properly. An essential piece of maintenance is preventative. This would include periodic inspections. We highly suggest walking through and inspecting your property and roof, at minimum, every spring and fall. This allows any potential work needed to be done before the summer or winter arrive while also assessing any potential damage you may not see during the winter. If you can get on your roof after severe winds or storms, when it is safe to do so, even better. Address any wear and tear, anything that looks concerning to you. If you notice standing water 2-3 days after it rained, that would indicate an issue that would require a trusted roofing professional to deal with.
- Lastly, there are qualified trusted roofing professionals in your area that will inspect your roof and communicate any concerning issues before they become major problems. They should be added to your list of yearly maintenance contacts as they can clean the accumulated debris benefiting your drainage systems, roof membrane, and ridding your roof of potential animals. It is recommended to schedule a roof inspection every fall. This alone would serve as a major asset, allowing you to stay ahead of issues while freeing up your time. You may even want to include a building envelope consultant as they understand how the entire outside of your building works in unison. They may be able to connect dots that a specialist in one trade may not see. Though I won’t speak for them. What I can say is calling a specialist before there is even a noticeable issue will save you many dollars and headaches.
To summarize, schedule times twice a year at the very least to do walkthroughs of your roof. Do it yourself and with a professional, if you can. Dealing with any water and moisture related issues as soon as you notice them will save you money and problems down the road. Ensuring drainage and mechanical systems on your roof are cleared and serviced will both extend the longevity of the systems but also your roof. As people, we may not be able to entirely stop disasters from happening, but we combat them by staying prepared.
Josh Breneville is a Sales and Marketing Representative from SERVPRO of Somerville and Charlestown in the Boston area. Contact him at josh@servprooflexington.com or connect with him on LinkedIn.
Sources:
“How to Prevent Roof Leaks in a Commercial Property.” SERVPRO, 4 Mar. 2024,
https://www.servpro.com/resources/how-to-prevent-roof-leaks-commercial-property#:~:text=For%20Commercial%20Roof%20Leaks%2C%20Contact,and%20always%20here%20to%20help.
“How Long Does It Take For Wood To Rot?” ALTA Roofing and Waterproofing, 1 Apr. 2022,
https://altaroofinginc.com/how-long-does-it-take-for-wood-to-rot/
“Ponding Water On Flat Roofs; Common Problems & Best Solutions.” Roof Hub, 29 Sept. 2020,
https://myroofhub.com/flat-roofs/water-ponding/
“Commercial Roof Drains and Drainage Systems.” IKO Commercial, Apr. 2019,
https://www.iko.com/comm/blog/commercial-roof-drains/
“How Many Drains Are Needed For A Flat Roof?” ASIRI Designs, 28 Feb. 2023,
https://asiri-designs.com/resources-1/f/how-many-drains-are-needed-for-a-flat-roof
