Commercial membrane roofing is tough, but since it's fairly thin, it can be punctured due to foot traffic. If someone steps on a rock or nail, the membrane might tear. When your roofer inspects the membrane during a maintenance call, they look for areas where the membrane has been punctured or ripped.
This type of damage is common near equipment on the roof, such as the HVAC unit. Contractors can accidentally put a hole in a membrane while working when they drop heavy tools or pull something heavy across the membrane. Here's a look at how this type of commercial roof damage repair is done.
Areas Of Damage Are Located
Your roofer may carry chalk to mark puncture holes on the roof as they inspect the membrane. They can then go back later and find all the spots that need to be patched. This also helps the roofer track the number of holes that need to be repaired. If there are many holes, as might happen due to hail impacts, your roof might need to be replaced instead of repaired.
However, when damage is in just one area, such as around the HVAC equipment, repairs will be done if possible.
Patches Are Made For The Repair Work
Whether you have a plastic or rubber membrane on your roof, the repairs are similar. The contractor needs to make patches out of like materials. For instance, a rubber membrane is used to make patches for a rubber roof and a plastic membrane is used for cutting out patches for plastic roofing.
The patches are usually cut in a round shape so the edges won't snag easily. Each patch is much larger than the hole it will cover so the patch adheres well.
The Roof Is Cleaned First
The key to successful commercial roof damage repair is to make sure the patch bonds well. That starts with a clean roofing membrane. If there is any grit or debris, the patch might not stick and last a long time. Once the roof is dry, the patch is ready to apply.
The Patch Is Bonded Over The Hole
Membrane roofing patches are applied in a couple of ways. One is to use heat to melt the patch to the membrane. This is done with plastic roofing. The other method is to adhere the patch with adhesive. No matter what method is used, the contractor has to ensure all the edges around the patch are bonded tight and secure so rain can't roll under the patch.
For more information, contact a local company, like Roof Cat.