When water enters your commercial building through a leaky roof, resulting issues will depend on the severity and location of the leak. Whenever you notice your roof is leaking, it’s essential to see that the roof gets fixed as soon as possible. It may seem like one more expense you can’t afford, but the initial cost will be nothing in comparison to what it’ll be if you just let it sit.
If you see a roof leak in your space, consider the following hazards before you start putting buckets under the drip and thinking, “It’ll be fine!”
Mold and Mildew Growth
Commercial buildings, in general, tend to be larger than most homes. As a result, the roof also covers larger square footage. When you experience a roof leak in such a large space, you might not even notice it right away. Sometimes the water will pool in some hidden corner where nobody will see it. The danger of this is that if that water is left for long enough, it can create humid conditions that lead to mold and mildew.
You’ll notice mold and mildew in these areas as discoloration. This can be seen on walls or ceilings. In general, mold presents as black discoloration that can also range from light to dark brown. Mildew also appears like brown stains. If you’re really unfortunate, or you simply let it sit too long, the mold might find its way into the HVAC system, where it will be dispersed throughout the building (and that’ll cost you even more).
Health Risks for Customers and Employees
The worst thing about the growth of mold and mildew is that it can end up adversely affecting the people who enter your commercial property. These two are serious allergens, and they can even affect perfectly healthy individuals. The outcomes are even worse for individuals who suffer from respiratory diseases or conditions that suppress the immune system.
Mold and mildew are nasty things, and can cause a lot of problems. You don’t want to get sick, or let others get sick, but you also don’t want to deal with the potential consequences of leaving it be.
The water itself also presents a severe danger. If there’s a pool of water somewhere and your employees don’t notice it, an unsuspecting customer can slip, fall, and get injured. In most instances, if the injury occurs on your premises, you’ll be held responsible. This usually results in lawsuits and loss of money. In the end, a simple roof fix would have been much cheaper and less stressful.
Damage to the Ceiling and Walls
Apart from health concerns, water can also cause untold damage to building materials that can cost you a lot in the long run. Firstly, the staining that results from mold or mildew doesn’t just go away on its own when the surfaces dry. You usually have to do some serious cleaning followed by a paint job. Before you even get to the painting, you may even end up with bubbling paint which will peel off due to the moisture underneath.
Too much moisture also has a negative impact on the structure of materials. For instance, most drywalls are made from compressed plaster. When this material gets wet, and the wetness is prolonged, it will start to lose cohesion. Over time, the plaster will start sagging and falling. In the worst cases, the ceiling or wall will end up falling. This means one more present danger to your employees and customers, and one more repair you have to pay for.
Electrical Shorts
It’s no news that water and electricity are not the best of friends. Because of that, most of the wires and electrical fixtures on buildings are waterproofed. However, this waterproofing is meant to protect only against accidental spray or minimal dampness.
If your wires and fixtures end up immersed in water, it will be a different story altogether. Either they will short out, or if you’re really unlucky, they may spark up and cause a fire.
Equipment and Product Damage
Unnoticed leaks run the risk of exposing your equipment and products to moisture and dampness. This usually happens in buildings where you don’t check the storage rooms frequently. By the time you go there to collect products, you might be met with a moldy and damaged pile of products that no one will buy.
Hire a Professional Roof Leak Repair Service in St. Augustine
To avoid the dangers of a leaking roof in your commercial building, it’s important to be proactive. By having a professional roofer visit your facility for an inspection, you can prevent roof leaks from ever happening, or catch them when they’re still small and manageable.
Contact us today to schedule your free inspection. HW Roofing proudly provides roofing services to those in and around Northeast FL, including St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra, and Nocatee.