Solving Flat Roof Problems – Sunlight Contractors – Commercial Roofing Experts
Flat roofs are easy and inexpensive to install, making them a natural choice for commercial and industrial properties. However, flat roofs are also prone to more problems than slanted roofs. Below, we’ve compiled a list of the most common flat roof complaints that we hear from Louisiana homeowners.
Ponding
The most common problem associated with flat roofs is ponding. Ponding occurs when drains become clogged and the flow of water off of a roof is impeded. Instead, rainwater collects on the rooftop. As the surface weakens under the pressure of the gathering water, the size of the puddle increases, allowing for more water and more weight to accumulate. Ultimately, permanent ponding can be an extremely dangerous situation resulting in the catastrophic collapse if left unchecked.
Alligatoring
Most Louisiana natives are familiar with the scaly, blistered appearance of an alligator’s hide. Picture that same texture on your rooftop, and you’ve got a good idea of what “alligatoring” is. Over years, the roof coating on any asphalt-based roofing system will wear off, leaving the substrate vulnerable to the sun’s UV rays. Left unprotected, the roof surface will begin to develop a pattern of cracks that will eventually penetrate even through your roof’s reinforced mat foundation.
Leaks
Once your roof’s structural integrity has been compromised by ponding, alligatoring and other damaging factors, leaks become inevitable. Though they cause plenty of property woes on their own, leaks also contribute significantly to additional flat roof problems, such as mold and buckling.
Buckling membrane
Flat roofs buckle for a few reasons. The day-to-day shifting of a building can cause flat roof sheets to buckle, and the seasonal expansion and contraction of your roofing membrane can do the same. As ponding weighs down of your roof’s rafters, buckling can occur. When moisture becomes trapped beneath your roof system, it can cause buckling. In other words, any chink in your roof’s armor can lead to buckling, and like ponding, buckling can lead to catastrophic damage.
Moisture damage
Flat roofs are also a breeding ground for moisture-related problems like mold, mildew, and rotting. These issues not only impact the structural integrity of your building, they also put people working and living in your properties at risk of health problems.
How to solve these common flat roof problems
As unlikely as it may seem, all of these flat roof problems can be resolved with one state-of-the-art solution: a silicone roof coating system. At Sunlight Contractors, we recommend commercial and industrial property owners in southern Louisiana restore weathered roofs with a combination of GacoRoofFoam and GacoFlex Silicone Roofing. This pioneering system of products can be applied to virtually any pre-existing flat roof surface, from BUR to metal to single-ply membranes, making even old roofs better than new.
Create a positive slope
GacoRoofFoam is generally used to insulate roofs from Louisiana’s harsh climate extremes. However, it can also be applied at varying thicknesses to create a positive slope. This improves the drainage on flat and low-sloped roofs, reducing or eliminating the problems associated with ponding.
Enhance structural integrity
Gaco’s silicone roofing system also improves the strength of industrial and commercial roofs. Even if water does pond on your flat roof, the seamless barrier created by silicone will withstand the weight without softening. Unlike traditional materials, silicone is permanent and won’t degrade, chalk, or crack under Louisiana’s harsh UV rays. Once your silicone roof is in place, you’ll have to make a trip to the bayous to see alligatoring.
Resist moisture damage
The silicone membrane of Gaco’s extraordinary product clings to every inch of your flat roof, sealing edges as well as cracks and crevices around fasteners and rooftop equipment. This safeguards your roof from torrential summer rains and wind lift, and the smooth surface of silicone provides protection from mold, mildew, and rotting.
Are you ready to solve your flat roof problems once and for all? Give the roofing specialists at Sunlight Contractors a call. We’ll schedule an assessment of your current roofing situation and provide a tailored solution that will put an end to alligatoring, ponding, and other worries associated with flat roofs.