Does your business have a flat roof? If so, you likely are concerned when you see pooling water on the surface. This is a problem that is quite common with flat roofs that have a low incline, and it helps to know more about this problem and how to deal with it.
The Problem
Pooling water can cause the surface of your flat roof to get damaged, but the problem goes beyond the physical damage that you see. The main concern is all that weight that is being put on the roof, which can cause it to fail. You may be surprised at how much weight is added to a roof with as little as an inch of water, with about 5 lbs of weight being added for each square foot of your roof with pooling water. If you have a very large commercial space, that weight can quickly add up and cause a disaster because of your roof failing.
During the winter months, that pooling water can freeze and cause even more damage. The water can get into small crevices, freeze, and expand to damage the roof's membrane. This will eventually lead to a leak in the roof that causes water to reach the inside.
Many business owners are not aware about how pooling water can void the warranty of your roofing material. It was never designed to hold back water continuously, so make sure you have any problems fixed to prevent pooling water from occurring.
The Solution
A local roofing contractor can help fix this problem with pooling water by giving the roof a full inspection. They'll look at the structure of the roof to determine if that is the cause of the pooling water since a damaged roof deck can cause a dip in the roof. The contractor will need to figure out how to create drainage in the area where water is pooling, which may involve creating an incline in the area where the roof dips downward.
Another solution is to use a pump to remove water from the lowest spot on the roof. While this is a quick and easy solution, the pump is another thing that you'll need to maintain on your roof. However, this can be much more affordable than making major repairs to the surface of the roof to add a slope to your gutters and other drainage.
Reach out to a company that offers roofing services when you have problems with pooling water.