Commercial Roofing Repairs To Fix Ponding Problems
If rainfall is forming a pool on top of your business's roof, then you have a ponding problem. Ponds can cause serious issues and they will often lead to the development of ceiling leaks. The good news is that a commercial roofer can repair the issue. Keep reading to find out how.
Repitching the Roof
In many cases, the ponding problem will develop due to the deterioration of the roof itself. In this situation, an entire roof replacement is necessary. While this can sometimes fix the issue, this is not the proper repair if the underlying issue involves poor initial installation. In this case, the roof must be repitched. Repitching eliminates flat areas of the roof that allow water to pool. Instead, the water will properly run to the drains along the perimeter of the roof.
Repitching is a process that may require the full removal of the roof down to the base. This allows the roofing professional to recalculate the pitch. Usually a minimum pitch of one-quarter inch is calculated for every foot.
In some cases, the entire roof may not be removed, but a new structure will be constructed on top of the existing roof. This occurs with the help of insulation panels. The panels are rigid and angled to create the best pitch for your roof. And, once the panels are secured, new roofing materials can be placed on top of them. Typically, a vapor barrier is added as well to keep moisture from penetrating the roof.
Adding Crickets
If ponds are smaller and isolated to one or two sections of the roof, then your roofing contractor may decide to add crickets instead of constructing a new pitch. Crickets are small angled constructions that work to channel water more aggressively to drainage systems. This helps to eliminate water before it has the chance to settle in low areas of the roof.
Unlike the crickets that are installed around chimneys and other residential roof protrusions, the flat roof varieties are wide and long. This is necessary due to the larger area requiring protection from water.
Triangular crickets are framed out of plywood and constructed just inside the edge of the roof. And, if drains are not substantial enough to deal with water flow, new ones are added to the perimeter and the middle sections of the roof.
If you want to know more about ponding and how your commercial roof can be fixed to prevent leaking issues, speak with a commercial roofer.