Commercial Roof Leak Action Plans

Do you have an action plan in place should your commercial roof spring a leak…today? Puddles, the sight or sound of dripping water, and stains on ceilings and/or walls are all signs that you have a problem. The big question is: are you able to protect your building contents and keep your workers and visitors safe?

If you’re a commercial building owner or manager, you know that even a relatively small roof leak can have serious consequences. Unfortunately, the roof is often “out of sight, out of mind,” but as it’s always exposed to the elements, leaks are a constant possibility. So, it’s important to have a plan in place if water is penetrating your roof.

Your plan should include a list of action items to manage if you see evidence of a leak in your building. These should be clear and concise steps that can be understood by all employees in your organization and that will help mitigate any problems that could negatively affect your operation. Here are a few things to include:

• Safety comes first, so place bright cones and/or signs around the affected area to keep foot traffic away.
• Clean up the water from the floor. You should have the tools you’ll need (mop, squeegee, wet/dry vac, etc.) easily accessible.
• Obviously, if water is visibly dripping, move affected furniture and equipment out of the way; pieces that can’t be moved should be covered with water repellent tarps.
• If practical, place buckets or trash cans under the leak.
• You’ll need to document the damage for insurance claims, so take photos and make a detailed list of areas and building contents that have been affected.
• If there’s one leak in your building, there may be others, so inspect your entire facility, including storage areas and other little-used rooms.
• Once the wet area is safe and secure, you’ll obviously need to contact a commercial roofing professional, who has the tools and equipment to find the source of and repair the leak.

Of course, we at Complete Commercial Roofing hope you never experience leak problems. But if you do, call on us to take care of it. And if you’re in the market for a new or replacement commercial roofing system, we would love to discuss options with you.