Evaluating The Roofing System After A Storm

You can’t do much to repair or maintain a roof while the storm is underway; a roof isn’t a safe place to be in bad weather. First and foremost, if you sense problems during a storm like ceiling tiles falling or sprinklers popping, indications that the roof may be caving in, you’ll want to evacuate the building immediately.

Once you’ve taken all the steps you can to ensure the roof will weather the storm (best achieved with an inspection from RAMCON), what happens when it’s over? It’s wise to perform a post storm roof inspection.

Evaluate the Damage
As soon as it’s safe to examine the roof, it’s important that we do so. RAMCON has teams that specialize in post-storm inspections and can quickly and effectively inspect the roof for any substantial damage.

As we review the system, taking action may be warranted. Anything that’s causing leaks is top priority and needs attention as soon as possible. Damage to the membrane, such as cuts, punctures and voids, needs to be addressed. It’s also vital to check the roof drains and gutters to see if they became clogged, which is common in a strong storm with debris flying around.

Similarly, we’ll need to see whether any metal flashings have come loose, creating a risk of water getting behind the flashing and into the facility. If the roof has multiple levels, we will pay particular attention to the intersections of the walls and roof levels to make sure nothing has been dislodged.

Also on the checklist: listening for a crunching sound as we walk the roof. That may indicate that the roof actually was lifted by the storm and is settling back into place as you walk over it, if that happens, we need to check it further. We may see that the fasteners have backed up and penetrated the roof membrane, so that they may cause leaks when the next storm hits.  Several areas warrant checking that might not be apparent at first glance. For instance, we confirm that all penetrations and penetration flashings remain firmly attached to the roof. The same goes for any equipment screens, which should be “storm-worthy for the next event”.

While roof maintenance often takes a back seat to other priorities on your “To-Do” list, it is an important part of managing and looking after the asset. An ongoing maintenance program can prevent more serious and costly problems down the road.