When you are faced with an issue with your roof, you need to make a decision on whether to repair, restore, or replace it. Usually, roofs get damaged due to weather and wear and tear over time. Therefore, it is important to maintain your roof and its components and not just react when it fails. This will help avoid major and costly damages.

Another reason why your roof may become damaged is due to wet insulation. These are some of the issues wet insulation can cause when it comes to commercial roofing:

• Roof leaks and interior water damage to your property
• Higher energy bills as wet insulation becomes a conductor of energy
• Mold growth due to excess moisture
• Corrosion of roofing fasteners and lack of performance of the roof
• If there is excess moisture that gets trapped and vaporizes, it can affect the glue of the roofing system
• Quick deterioration of the roofing system

Sometimes even with proper maintenance, commercial roofs can become damaged. Therefore, it is important to consider doing the following before replacing your roof:

• Have a detailed roof inspection:

This inspection will let you know if your roof has been affected by weather and standing water and if it needs to be replaced. The technicians will look for failed joints, loose or missing sections, or areas where it has separated from the roof’s surface. Different types of roofs (pitched vs flat) will have different issues that the technicians will look for. Pitched roofs can have visible damage to shingles, curling, corrosion of panels etc. However, flat roofs are prone to punctures of the roof membrane, failed seams, blisters, and even growth of vegetation.

• Have a roof moisture survey performed on the roof:

Technicians can use non-destructive test methods to survey the roof damage which will help determine if the roof needs to be replaced.

Roof Assessment & Inspection

Before deciding on what to do with a damaged roof, it is important to have it assessed before making the final decision. Getting the roof inspected and assessed for damage can help you make this decision easier and choose the most cost-friendly option.

First, the condition of the roof needs to be assessed, which uncovers when it was installed, whether it was original or replaced, and if it was replaced, was it completely removed or installed over an existing one. Next, you would need to review the roof’s history of repairs and inspection to see if they’ve been done. All this data will help figure out ongoing issues or new ones that may have appeared and figure out the best way to get the roof repaired.

Also, maintenance records of the roof will help figure out how it has been maintained and if the cost has increased or decreased, if it has had the same issues, and if proper repairs have been done. It is also important to take into consideration factors such as how much time the building is being used, is regular access to the roof needed, and are there plans for renovation or demolition. All these considerations will help you decide whether the roof needs to be repaired or replaced.

Moisture Survey Options

Depending on the type of roof you have and what type of damage has occurred, there are various moisture surveys available on the market to help you determine what may be causing the damage to your roof and whether it can be repaired or replaced. If you replace your roof when it could have been repaired or restored, you will lose money. Therefore, this type of survey will help you make the decision by providing you with accurate data so you can extend the life of your roof and save money.

The following are the different types of moisture surveys available:

• Infrared Thermography or IR Scan:

This survey detects and records temperature differences across the surface of an object. It is facilitated at night to record thermal signature anomalies located within the roofing system. It provides a CAD drawing showing the location of thermal anomalies.

• Nuclear Scans:

These surveys are used to show various levels of hydrogen ions trapped within the roofing system. In other words, it shows areas that are moist which helps show where you may have a leak.

• Electronic Field Vector Mapping (EFVM):

This survey helps locate the point where moisture can enter the roof system. This can help with repairs and once the repairs are completed, it can be used to re-check the area to ensure it has been repaired properly.

• Capacitance Moisture Meters:

This device helps detect moisture. It works by transmitting a signal between two electrodes in the meter, which then provides a moisture reading. Using this device can be time consuming and expensive.

The hard data from moisture surveys is valuable to help you make your decision on whether to repair, restore, or replace your roof, and it is just as important to have highly skilled and trained roofing professionals perform these tests and help you interpret the results. It is also crucial that roofing experts enhance their assessment of the condition of your roof by conducting a visual inspection. Finally, they need to work within your needs and budget to get the project completed, knowing that this is a big investment for you.

Are you in need of roof repair or replacement services or need moisture surveys done at your property? Reliable Roofing can help. We are a commercial roofing company offering roof assessment, repairs, maintenance, and replacement in Chicago, IL and North Chicago Suburbs. To learn more about our commercial roofing repairs, visit our website or give us a call at (888) 915-7197.

About LUKE ARMSTRONG