One of the most common challenges all Jackson TN commercial property owners eventually face is none other than pooling water. This can be best described as a pond of water that remains on a roof for longer than 48 hours after a rainfall.
When water stays on your commercial roof for too long, it becomes a threat to the structural integrity of your property. Even buildings with a solid drainage system can suffer the consequences of pooling water due to damage from the outside elements such as snow or windstorms.
To help you maintain your commercial roof in top shape and know which red flags to look out for, here are the 5 most common negative effects pooling water can leave on your roof.
1. Destroyed Membrane
When submerged under any amount of pooling water, the membrane will suffer serious repercussions. The damage is often very swift, mostly due to photo-oxidation. When left exposed to continual pooling, polymeric materials and asphalt degrade at a particularly faster pace, which can have disastrous effects on your commercial roofing system.
2. Severe Structural Damage
The longer the pooling water remains on your roof, the more likely it is to weaken your roof’s structural integrity at the deck. By being constantly exposed to water, the metal parts of your commercial roof will start getting rusty and the concrete features will be more prone to damage. With time, the deck will start to sag and the damage will only get worse from there.
3. Algae and Mold Growth
As the water continues to pool on your roof, especially while being exposed to heat, it will become the ideal environment for algae and mold to start growing. While this might sound like a relatively harmless problem, it is not. This vegetation can damage the roof membrane and lead to debris increase, which will obstruct the drainage system and make the problem that much worse.
4. Leaks that Could Lead to Collapsing
Moisture usually enters your commercial roofing system through the weak points, slowly leading to leaks inside your property. But worse off, when water stands on your roof for too long, it creates additional weight that might cause your entire roof structure to collapse. Consider this a warning sign to get your commercial roof promptly inspected by experienced commercial roofers so that you can avoid leaks and premature failure that might endanger everyone inside the building.
5. Damage to the Coating
One of the major issues of pooling water is the fact that it leaves your roof coating constantly exposed to moisture. With time, this negatively affects the firmness of the roof’s coating, which can start to break down, especially under constant exposure to the sun’s dangerous UV rays.
Need Help with Your Commercial Roof?
Your #1 commercial roofing company Jackson TN is fully licensed, certified, and insured and we work according to the highest industry standards. You will never see us cutting corners. However big or small your roofing issue may be, you can trust us to provide you with the best solutions. Don’t hesitate to give us a call anytime for an efficient, prompt, and high-quality service that won’t let you down.
