Squamish Commercial Flat Roofing
Squamish has a mix of commercial, industrial, strata and multi-family properties with flat, low-slope and metal roofing systems.
The combination of heavy rainfall, changing weather conditions and large commercial roof areas can make roof maintenance and leak investigation particularly important.
At Flat Roofing Insights, we bring more than 33 years of roofing experience to commercial roof inspections, leak investigation, repairs, preventative maintenance and replacement planning.
When a roof starts leaking, the location where water appears inside the building does not always identify where the problem is on the roof. Understanding the roofing system, previous repairs and the building below is often the starting point.
Commercial Roof Leak Investigation
Finding the source of a commercial roof leak can sometimes be straightforward. Other times, a very small defect can take considerable investigation to locate.
Flat Roof Assessment
Water can enter through a membrane defect, penetration, flashing or metal roof detail and travel before it becomes visible inside the building.
A proper leak investigation may include:
- Roof membrane condition
- Seams and laps
- Penetrations
- Roof drains
- Metal flashings and joints
- Previous repairs
- Rooftop equipment
- Interior signs of water entry
Looking at conditions inside the building can sometimes provide important information about what is happening above.
Previous Roof Repairs
Previous repairs should always be included when investigating an ongoing leak.
A repair may have deteriorated over time, failed to address the original problem or not bonded properly to the existing roofing material.
Preparation is particularly important when applying repair products to an existing roof.
The surface may need to be cleaned, dried and prepared or primed for the repair material being used. Applying additional material over a poorly prepared surface does not necessarily provide a reliable repair.
Small Defects on Large Commercial Roofs
Large commercial roofs present their own challenges.
A roof may cover an enormous area while the actual source of a leak is extremely small.
Systematically inspecting seams, fasteners, penetrations, transitions and previous repairs can therefore be more effective than simply looking for an obvious large defect above the area where water is appearing inside.
This is particularly relevant on large commercial metal roofs.
When Roof Deterioration Becomes More Serious
Not every roof leak means the roofing system needs to be replaced.
Localised problems can often be repaired when the remainder of the roof is still performing.
However, widespread membrane deterioration, persistent standing water, failed details and evidence of water reaching the roof deck or building interior can indicate a more serious problem.
At that stage, the complete roof condition should be considered before continuing with individual repairs.
Preventative Roof Maintenance in Squamish
Regular maintenance can make roof problems considerably easier to manage.
Keeping drainage areas clear, removing debris and vegetation, inspecting penetrations and checking previous repairs can help identify deterioration before water reaches the building.
Maintenance can also provide a useful record of how the roof is changing over time.
For property and facility managers, that can help with both immediate repair decisions and longer-term roof replacement planning.
Flat Roofing Systems in Squamish
Commercial and industrial buildings in Squamish can use several different roofing systems, including:
- SBS modified bitumen
- TPO
- PVC
- EPDM
- Built-up roofing
Commercial & Industrial Roofing in Squamish
Our Squamish roofing services are suitable for commercial buildings, warehouses, industrial facilities, strata properties and multi-family developments.
Whether the building requires a roof inspection, leak investigation, targeted repair, preventative maintenance or replacement planning, understanding the existing roofing system and the cause of any problems is the starting point.
Deteriorated SBS Roof in Squamish
This Squamish project involved a small SBS roof area where the roofing system had deteriorated significantly.
The roof was holding a substantial amount of water, and the effects of the roof failure could already be seen inside the building.
Standing Water Around Roof Penetrations
The roof contained two penetrations surrounded by a significant amount of standing water.
The condition of the surrounding SBS membrane indicated that this was more than a small isolated maintenance issue.
Standing water around two penetrations on a deteriorated SBS commercial roof in Squamish
Breakdown of the Existing SBS Roof
Closer inspection showed that areas of the existing roofing system had substantially deteriorated.
Rather than dealing with one simple defect, the overall condition of the SBS roof needed to be considered.
Significant deterioration of the existing SBS roofing system on a commercial property in Squamish
Water Damage Inside the Building
The consequences could also be seen below the roof.
Water had reached the area beneath the Q-deck, and timber components were wet close to electrical services.
This type of condition needs to be taken seriously. Once water is affecting the building below and is present around electrical services, the issue extends beyond routine roof maintenance.
Internal water damage below the deteriorated SBS roof with wet timber close to electrical services.
Large Metal Roof Leak Investigation in Squamish
A second Squamish project involved a completely different roofing problem.
This was a very large commercial metal roof where previous repairs had already been attempted, but water was continuing to enter the building.
Inspecting a Very Large Metal Roof
The size of the roof made the investigation challenging.
A relatively small defect can be difficult to locate across such a large area, particularly when previous repair work draws attention toward areas that may not be the only source of water entry.
Large commercial metal roof undergoing leak investigation in Squamish.
Previous Repair Work
Previous repair material had been applied around sections of the metal roofing.
Inspection showed that parts of the repair had deteriorated and were not performing as intended.
Previous repair work inspected on a large commercial metal roof in Squamish.
Finding a Small Pinhole
During the inspection, a small pinhole was identified in the metal roof.
It was a very small defect compared with the overall size of the building and had apparently been missed during the previous roofing work.
Small defects like this can still allow water into the building and demonstrate why detailed leak investigation is important.
Small pinhole identified during inspection of a commercial metal roof in Squamish.
Water Damage Below the Metal Roof
The effects of the leak were visible from inside the property.
Water entering through the roof was causing damage below, providing another piece of information when investigating the source from above.
Interior water damage associated with a leak through the commercial metal roof in Squamish.
Failed Adhesion of the Previous Repair
Closer inspection showed that the previous repair material could actually be peeled away from the metal.
The material had not bonded adequately to the roof surface.
Proper cleaning and preparation are essential when applying repair products to an existing metal roof. Without adequate adhesion, covering an area with more material does not necessarily provide a lasting repair.
Previous metal roof repair material peeling away where adhesion had failed.
What These Two Roofs Tell Us
These two Squamish projects involved completely different roofing systems, but both demonstrate why the condition of the roof needs to be properly investigated before deciding on the solution.
On the SBS roof, the roofing system had substantially deteriorated and water was already affecting the building below.
On the large metal roof, the investigation involved finding much smaller defects and identifying why previous repairs had not performed properly.
A leaking roof does not automatically need replacement, but repeatedly covering a problem without understanding its cause is not the answer either.
Need Help With a Commercial Roof in Squamish?
If you own or manage a commercial, industrial, strata or multi-family property in Squamish, we can help with roof inspections, leak investigation, repairs, preventative maintenance and replacement planning.
Call 778.908.3968
FAQ
Can a commercial roof leak be difficult to locate?
Yes. Water can travel from the original entry point before it becomes visible inside the building. Large roof areas, previous repairs and complex roof details can make the investigation more difficult.
Can an older SBS roof be repaired instead of replaced?
Sometimes. Localised defects can often be repaired when the remaining roof is still serviceable. Widespread deterioration, persistent water problems or damage below the roofing system may indicate that more extensive work should be considered.
Why can a metal roof still leak after it has been repaired?
The original defect may have been missed, there may be several sources of water entry or the repair material itself may not have bonded correctly to the existing metal.
Do you inspect both flat roofs and metal roofs in Squamish?
Yes. Commercial properties can have SBS, EPDM, TPO, PVC, built-up and metal roofing systems, and the inspection approach depends on the type and condition of the roof.
