If you’re not prepared, our Connecticut winter weather can wreak havoc on your commercial roof and cause structural deterioration, water damage or even a devastating roof collapse. While you can’t control the weather, you can minimize the harm it does to your roof, building, and contents by taking these steps:
Schedule a Professional Inspection
Have a commercial roofing contractor who works with your type of roof system evaluate all the components and provide you with a detailed report so you can have deficiencies addressed before winter arrives. A pro should:
- Examine the membrane to look for defects like seam separations, blistering/bubbling, and splits, punctures or tears.
- Check the flashing and seals around the perimeter and parapets, rooftop equipment installations, penetrations, and expansion joints to find any areas that aren’t fully attached or watertight.
- Take core samples and/or perform thermal imaging if there’s a concern that water seepage is deteriorating the decking, insulation and/or structural components.
- Test the internal drains, scuppers, gutters, and downspouts to make sure that water drains away freely and doesn’t pond on the roof field.
- Identify any needed routine maintenance, such as removing vegetation, cleaning out the drainage system or clearing away rooftop debris.
Formulate a Roof Monitoring Plan
Before the temperatures dip and frozen precipitation starts falling, it’s vital to have a plan for safely monitoring conditions up on your roof. Ask your roofer about your roof’s snow load tolerance. Then, plan to have your maintenance staff visit the roof after significant snowfalls to record the amount of accumulation, and after thaws to check for proper drainage. Inside the building, plan periodic checks for signs of leaks, such as dripping or puddled water, and stained ceilings or exterior walls. Also, have your staff report any noises that warn of a potential roof collapse, like groaning, cracking and popping sounds.
Have an Emergency Strategy Ready
Conditions up on the roof can deteriorate rapidly in the winter, so you need to react quickly to emergencies such as an excessive snow load, backed-up internal drains, ice dams or sudden leaks. Discuss the services you might need with your commercial roofing pro, and keep their contact number(s) handy so you can get prompt help to free up blocked drains, clean off heavy snow, safely clear ice dams, or make emergency leak repairs.
For expert advice about preparing the roof on your Danbury property for winter, contact us at Vanguard Roofing.
