5 Leading Causes of Water Intrusion

This is the time of year building managers and owners start to cringe as we move into our summer rainy season. You think about the leaks that are going to pop up, the angry tenant calls and the damages that occur because of roof leaks. Most of you, history shows, will adopt a ‘leak and respond’ approach. You’ll respond to problems as they occur. It’s just the way you’ve always done it. But I want to show you another way to get ahead of this and probably save you money, time, and frustration. I’ll do it with some simple data.

Last calendar year (2014), RAMCON technicians responded to exactly 8,420 leaks on 2,118 facilities in Florida. Seventy-seven percent of the leading causes of water intrusion come from preventable damage. The remaining 23% of leaks were a result of non-roof related damage or poor workmanship of other contractors.

 

 

Puncture in TPO Membrane

 1. Damage to Roofing Systems – 2,136 Leaks

This predominately was punctures located within 3 linear feet of either a mechanical unit or the roof access hatch.

How You Can Prevent it ...

If there is one puncture in the roof, you can bank on there likely being several. There are two ways to save money in this situation. First, be proactive and attempt to eliminate them from occurring. Send a letter to your mechanical vender warning them of potential back charges for damages to the roof system. Second, it is cost effective to fix all of the punctures at once, rather than a leak here or there. Small punctures may not leak every time but they can get exponentially worse over time.  RAMCON technicians will save you money by examining the whole membrane. Then fixing all of the punctures at once eliminating the frustration, consequential damages, and the expenses of multiple leak calls.



HVAC Unit

2. Mechanical Units – 1,803 Leaks

Higher on the list than you would think? Well, it’s true. Roof top mechanical units, predominately HVAC units, account for 21% of leaks we repair.

We Can Prevent This Together ...

As you know, at RAMCON we do what we are best at… roofing. However, roof system failures are not always the source of leaks. Thankfully, we have good relationships with just about every mechanical vender in Florida. When we respond to a leak and the roof is not at fault, RAMCON technicians will perform a water test to confirm it is the mechanical unit. RAMCON will provide full documentation the same day, so that your mechanical vender can solve the mechanical problem. We will take photographs and videos to show the mechanical vender the point of intrusion. We will even return to the facility with your mechanical vender if necessary and show them. This year, we need to all work as a team when it comes to mechanical units.

Pitch Pockets

3. Pitch Pockets – 1,116 Leaks

Pitch pockets are notorious for leaks because they allow items to penetrate the roof. When there sealant begins to deteriorate, void, or split they will leak. Pitch pockets are a continuous maintenance item that falls under ownership maintenance responsibilities. Do not wait until they leak to perform maintenance checks.

How You Can Prevent This ...
Just look at them. Pitch pockets are simple things in which a visual inspection tells you just about everything you need to know. If the sealant looks low, cracked, or separated from the metal, you can bet water intrusion will occur. DO NOT attempt to seal it with a caulking it will not work. We apply a special ‘cured’ sealer to seal these penetrations. If you see deterioration, have RAMCON come reseal them now. Most manufacturers have new products available that eliminate the need for a pitch pocket and even include it under the coverage of your existing manufacture warranty. If you have, pitch pockets with reoccurring problems ask RAMCON to replace your existing pitch pockets with upgraded products and allow the manufacturer to cover any potential leaks from that point forward.

4. Counter Flashing Sealant – 906 Leaks 

The roof system has to stop somewhere. This is typically a termination or metal counter flashing that has a seal at the top. Over time, through building movement, general aging, and thermal expansion/contraction, these sealants will deteriorate. 

How You Can Prevent This ... The trick to eliminating this situation from becoming a roof leak is to address the problem early. Once moisture gets behind the sealant, it saturates the base flashing, then the roof system, and facility. RAMCON technicians can probe for voids in the counter flashing sealant. Where voids occur we apply a special primer to reseal it accordingly. It is less expensive to fix these problem areas all at once than to nickel and dime yourself fixing a section here and there over the summer.

 

5. Internal Roof Drains – 512 Leaks
Many facilities do not have internal roof drains but they can be a real problem area. They can leak at multiple areas and it’s not always roof related. About 63% of the time, we found flashing issues and 37% came from damaged pipe seals and deterioration.

How You Can Prevent This ...
Preventing internal roof drains from leaking is not always easy. Compounding the issue are leaks from internal roof drains appear worse because water is directed to this point. If you have a history of internal roof drain leaks, we recommend utilizing an improved version of drain flashing. Back in the ‘old days’, we would install a lead sheet with roofing cement that sealed the drain. It was a maintenance nightmare. These days, we can eliminate the old ‘compression seal’ by utilizing a new efficient liquid flashing. RAMCON has responded to less than five leaks at internal roof drains with this new method in place and of those with leaks were the result of physical damage. The best part is the upgrade is put under your roof’s warranty.

 

While we can’t stop the rains from moving in, we can control how it effects our roofing systems and our businesses. The facts show these items are on your roofing system and they are leaking. They’ll continue to do so, at an accelerated rate as your roofs progress through their life cycle. What I strongly encourage you to do is get ahead of the curve. The punctures up there will leak. The pitch pockets are starting to void. You have sealants that are giving way. The choice you have is to wait until a leak starts and fix them one at a time, or invest a small amount and have a RAMCON technician fix all of these issues in one visit. National Roofing Contractors Association data shows the average roof leak costs approximately $612.46 to solve in 2014 (nation-wide). Preventing just two leaks more than covers a technician spending a day on your roof solving dozens of potential leaks. It’s a good investment and will make your jobs much easier this summer.

 

Asset Management Programs Make Roofs Last

No one ever wants to think about replacing a roof before the end of its expected life. But that may be exactly what happens when you don’t think enough about the roof.

Instead of managing the roof as an asset, too often people ignore the roof until a leak develops. This sort of neglect is far from benign: It can shorten the life of the roof, disrupt business operations and increase costs. The cornerstone of effective roof asset management is getting timely information about the roof, then acting on it to prevent small problems from becoming big ones. And the key to achieving those goals is a commitment to regular maintenance.

Best Bang For Your Buck
Regular maintenance is a key ingredient in the long-term performance of any roof. In many cases, the difference between a roof that meets or exceeds its rated service life and one that fails prematurely is simply maintenance. But the benefits of good roof maintenance don’t end there. A comprehensive roof maintenance program will minimize the need for emergency repairs, reduce damage to the building structure and finishes, and help maintain a safe and healthy working environment for building occupants. It’s been estimated that for every $1 spent on a comprehensive roof maintenance program, $3 - $5 is saved through reduced emergency repairs, interior damage, energy conservation and extended roof life.

Unfortunately, few organizations take a proactive approach to roof maintenance. Instead, leaks and roof failures determine maintenance performed on a roof. As a result, the focus of roof maintenance is replacement, not repair.

We all agree that good maintenance is the key to long service lives for roofs. This makes inspections vital, as regularly conducted roof inspections are critical to determining what maintenance needs to be performed.

So this year, make an effort to pro-actively manage your roofing system. If you call RAMCON, we’ll inspect the roof free and help develop a proactive management program that will show a proven ROI. You’ll know what you have, what it will take to maintain it and estimated lifetime savings.

Enemies of Your Roof

Your roofing system’s performance is affected by numerous factors. Given the fact that your ultimate goal is to have a roofing system that lasts a long time with low lifetime maintenance costs, we need to know what we’re up against.

Sun: Heat and ultraviolet rays cause roofing materials to deteriorate over time. Think about it, direct sunlight causes the material heat and cool rapidly, causing deterioration. Usually this occurs faster on the sides facing south.

Rain: When water gets underneath the membrane, flashing or other materials, it can work its way along the roof deck to a penetration point in the deck, resulting in a roof leak. Often, water can sit on the deck for a considerable amount of time which encourages deck and insulation deterioration and may significantly increase the cost of re-roofing the system.

Wind: High winds can cause all sorts of damage on the roofing system. If condensation lines are not securely attached to the roof, they will swing back and forth, causing slices and punctures to the membrane. Flying debris and equipment will also cause serious damage to the surface, allowing points of water penetration. Extremely high winds can cause extensive damage.

Moss, Algae and Vegetation: Moss and algae can grow directly on the membrane, especially around AC fluid lines. Once growing, it holds even more moisture to a roof system’s surface, causing deterioration. In addition, vegetation roots also can work their way into the system and structure. Besides creating a black-green stain, algae can retain moisture, causing rot and deterioration as well. Trees and bushes should be trimmed away from the building to eliminate damp, shaded areas, and drainage systems should be kept clean to ensure good drainage.

Trees and Leaves: Tree branches touching a roof will scratch and gouge roofing materials when the branches are blown by the wind. Falling branches from overhanging trees will almost certainly puncture most membranes. Leaves on a roof system’s surface retain moisture and cause rot, and leaves in the drainage system will cause the roof the ‘pond’ water.

Missing or Damaged Materials: The key to a roof system’s effectiveness is complete protection. When a piece of the system is missing or damage, the roof structure and the building interior are vulnerable to water damage. The problem is likely to compound, as the missing or damaged piece will cause surrounding areas to be damaged as well.

Punctures: The most preventable enemy, punctures, usually occurs because of carelessness on the part of people visiting the roof: HVAC technicians, window washers, painters, maintenance staff, smokers and tenants. Punctures can also occur because of debris left, blown or tossed on the roof. They may appear as tears or holes in the membrane

Flashing Deterioration: Fact: most leaks on a roof occur at the flashing areas (perimeter walls, roof penetrations, etc.). Without good, tight flashings around vents, AC units, roof hatches, skylights and wall/roof junctions, water can enter the building and cause damage to the building interior.

Neglect: The biggest enemy of the roof is often the owner. Roofs, like any equipment, require periodic routine maintenance to fix little problems early, before they become big and expensive. Just like changing the oil in your car, there are certain things that must be routinely done to maximize your roofing investment. Discover simple, comprehensive and cost efficient programs for you (plus how much it could save you) at www.MyRAMCON.com

Is This The Future of Cool Roofing?

 Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have recently invented a new smart roofing tile called “Thermeleon” (rhymes with “chameleon”), which is thermochromic – in other words, when it is exposed to heat it changes color from black to white, and vice-versa.

Thermeleon works by sandwiching common polymers between several flexible plastic layers. When it is cold outside, the polymer solution stays dissolved and the black rear-face shows through to absorb the natural heat. When it heats up outside, the polymer solution condenses to form light-scattering droplets (in other words, it turns white), to reflect the heat.

We now know that a white roof reflects up to 80% of the sunlight, keeping the interior of the building beneath the roof much cooler. This can result in a 20% reduction in summer air conditioning costs. But during the winter months when you would rather your roof capture as much heat as possible from the sun, the black coloring has the reverse effect - these tiles scatter only 30% of incoming solar radiation, thereby helping to keep the building beneath the roof warmer (reducing heating costs).

The team at MIT is now working on micro-encapsulating the chemicals to create a commercially-viable paintable or spray-on roof coating. If they can figure out how to produce this roof coating at a favorable price and proves to be durable enough for the extreme summer months in regions like the desert southwest, this could very well be a sneak peek at the future of cool roofing.