Lesser-Known Consequences of Commercial Roof Leaks

Aside from the inconvenience and cost of repairing leaks in your commercial roofing system, there are some potentially higher expenses that may come your way if those leaks aren’t dealt with quickly and effectively. Here are a few cases.

Roof leaks can result in water on your floor, and standing water on any surface – especially vinyl composition or hard concrete floors, like those found in many warehouses and factories – can be hazardous. There’s added risk if your operation uses industrial lubricants. Workplace slips-and-falls are a major source of worker compensation claims as well as lawsuits by building visitors.

Insects flourish in warm moist environments, and roof insulation that’s become wet from a leak can be a breeding ground. This also applies to other building materials, such as wood used in the facility’s structure and ceiling and wall materials. Hiring an exterminator to properly rid your building of these pests can be costly and disruptive to your operation.

Mold – like bugs – develops in building conditions that are warm and moist. In addition to potentially making your workers ill (resulting in lost productivity and possible workers’ comp claims), mold can cause permanent damage to building components like walls, ceilings, carpets, window treatments and more. Mold can be hard to locate and harder to remediate, often requiring the complete removal of affected areas – expensive by itself, but also potentially having a disruptive impact on your day-to-day business.

Your roof system insulation helps keep your building warm in winter and cool in summer, but if it gets wet, it loses its R-value. This reduced insulation effectiveness means that your wintertime heating and summertime cooling costs are likely to increase.

At the time they’re installed, most new commercial roofs should last at least 15 years. But water from a leak that penetrates the roof surface can shorten that expectation by damaging the deck, insulation, fasteners, and other components. Needing to invest in another new roofing system before you expected isn’t a preferable financial option.

Clearly, compared to these potentially expensive and unforeseen consequences, the cost of finding and repairing leaks in your commercial roof will be much less. Your building maintenance budget should include plans for addressing rooftop leaks and best preventative practices.

Great Lakes Roofing & Insulation would be privileged to partner with you on any commercial roofing project you may have in the works. Reach out to us for a consult!