The roof is the primary form of protection against extreme weather conditions for your premises. That’s why it’s essential you keep it properly maintained, as a damaged roof will allow the ingress of rain water and can quickly deteriorate – especially during the winter. This will, over time, affect your building’s structure and all your assets and equipment could be destroyed.
Whatever type of roof covering your premises has, you should arrange for at least yearly inspections by a professional. Damage can occur at any time – a severe storm, attempted criminal activity or general wear and tear – and it’s unlikely you’ll notice straight away, which allows the problem time to worsen.
So, no matter whether it’s lead, copper, zinc or stainless steel, damage to your roof will leave your premises vulnerable to further damage as water and damp seeps in, making it incredibly important to identify a problem straight away.
SIGNS OF DAMP FROM WATER INGRESS
You can’t always see damp. If it’s high up in the rafters of your premises, or seeping into the cavity walls, it can be months – possibly even years before you realise. By which time it could have caused extensive structural damage to the building’s fabric. The first thing you are likely to notice, will be a distinctive fusty odour. So if there is a damp or nasty smell, take it seriously!
Other signs that water and damp are penetrating your premises via a damaged roof covering might include:
- Tide marks at the top of the walls
- Damp patches appearing on the underside of roofing felt
- Mould growing at edges or corners
- Damp or wet roofing timbers
SOLUTIONS FOR DAMP & DAMAGED ROOFS
First things first, you should have the roof professionally assessed to get a thorough understanding of the extent of the damage and the financial costs of the repair. They will also be able to give you an indication of the timescale, and whether or not you will experience any downtime to your business.
If necessary they’ll be able to remove the roof immediately, to halt the further deterioration of the timbers and reduce the impact of the damp on your building’s structure. Or it may be a simple case of replacing some tiles or flashing to waterproof that area.
You should never ignore the signs of damp in your premises, as they will only even get worse without a professionally applied remedy. There are a few things you can do to limit the likelihood or extent of damage once you realise your roof is damaged:
- Improve ventilation
- Apply an anti-mould product
- Check guttering and drainpipes
- Apply temporary repairs to allow the roof to dry out