The folks at WYTV out of Youngstown assure us you can find a difference between a pond and a lake. Ponds are shallower and smaller than lakes. The term is arbitrary until you attach “pond” to “commercial roof.” Then you never want that pond to become a lake. Ponding water is bad enough, and here is why.
Why Is It Leaking?
Water leaks on low-slope or flat commercial roofs are difficult to track down since a leak may travel dozens of feet laterally from exterior to interior. A primary cause of leaky commercial roofs is ponding, so most roofers start their repairs by finding the roof’s low spots.
When water sits on a roof — even a roof with no open seams — for more than 48 hours, it is ponding. You could invite the crew from WYTV over to quibble over pond vs. lake, but ponding means the water did not evaporate or drain away, and it is now compressing your roof’s insulation.
Over time, the pressure and weight of the standing water compresses insulation, spreading the damage and creating a bigger depression for more water to accumulate. Ponding becomes … uh, laking, we guess… if you do not get your local, reliable roofer to help solve the problem.
Causes of Ponding
Ponding can come about for several reasons:
- Clogged internal drains
- Clogged scuppers
- Organic debris locking in water
- Vegetation taking root on the roof
- Incorrect installation of insulation beneath the roofing surface
- Low spots due to building settling, weakened roof deck or deteriorated structural members
The fastest, surest way to diagnose ponding problems and track down water leaks is to enlist the help of your nearby commercial roofer.
Solving Ponding Puzzles
Your facilities crew is unlikely to be equipped to solve ponding problems. Your local commercial roofer has the experience, proper tools, and trained crews to end your roof’s water leaks. Your roofer’s crew will use several techniques to correct the problem:
- Clearing drains and inserting new strainers as needed
- Repair low spots by increasing insulation or reshaping it
- Closing seams, reattaching flashing, rebuilding scuppers as needed
A great preventive strategy is with a preventive maintenance program. Then ponding never starts. For practical solutions to your commercial roof problems for your Galena-area business, please contact us today at Division 7 Roofing. We have the equipment, expert crews, and experience to solve your water ponding and water infiltration challenges.