How To Clean Up a Leaking Roof

10/30/2019 (Permalink)

Maintaining your commercial building is essential, especially if it’s a major business investment

How To Clean Up a Leaking Roof

Discovering a roof leak in O'Fallon,MO, is probably on the list of least-desired problems a commercial building owner can deal with, especially if you’re not sure when it started. If you suspect that the leak occurred a few days or weeks ago, perhaps going unnoticed while you were out of the office or not using that part of the building, you might discover more damage than anticipated such as:

• Mold
  
• Rotted wooden trusses or beams
  
• Pooling water, causing bacteria growth
  
• Electrical damage
  
• Soaked insulation
  
  

Knowing what to do in these situations is critical to preventing additional structural damage.

Stop Leaks and Remove Wet Materials

If there is an active roof leak, you should first contain the leak with buckets or towels. If you notice bulges in the ceiling, this could cause a collapse at some point. If it is safe to do so, poke a hole in the middle of the bulges to release the water. It is better to have a professional do this for your safety.
Then, begin removing belongings and other easily removable items from the area. Any materials, such as dry wall and damaged flooring can be torn out by a flood restoration company.

Dry and Disinfect Area

The flooded are must then be completely dried and disinfected if necessary. If any moisture is left behind, you could develop a mold problem very quickly. Roof leak restoration companies utilize professional drying equipment, which is very thorough at removing all moisture, including inside walls.
Depending on how long it took to begin the cleanup process, there may already be mold or bacterial growth. Disinfection is necessary to ensure no spores or bacteria are left behind.

Restore Roof and Ceilings

Once the area is completely clean and dry, you can begin to restore your damaged roof. Utilizing the services of a professional company is ideal in these circumstances, because they are able to determine the structural safety of the building and what types of repairs are needed to bring your building back to how it was before the flood.

Protect Your Investment

Maintaining your commercial building is essential, especially if it’s a major business investment. If you notice missing shingles or roof damage, it is best to make repairs sooner rather than later, so you don’t end up with another flooding problem in the future. If you have discovered a leak, also make sure to document and photograph damage and repairs for insurance purposes.