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commercial roof inspection

4 Signs You Need Commercial Roof Leak Repair

Many times you don’t even have to go on top of your commercial roof to determine it’s leaking. There are many different signs that could indicate your commercial roof needs to be repaired or replaced. You never want to have to deal with roof moisture getting in areas where it shouldn’t, which highlights the importance of getting a regular commercial roofing thermography inspection. Here are a few signs your commercial roof may need to be repaired.

Moisture Infiltration

If you’re experiencing roof moisture, you may see signs like water stains on the ceilings, insect problems or high indoor humidity. These are most likely the result of a leaky roof and will need to be fixed immediately. Conducting an infrared roof moisture survey will help identify the source of the leak and any potential problems on the horizon as well.

Low Spots or Sagging

You might have an issue below the surface of your roof if you see sagging or low spots anywhere. These issues could occur because of ponding damaging the roof insulation, or there could be other issues as well. Regardless of the reason, a thermography inspection can identify exactly what the issue may be and the source of the issue too.

Rising Energy Bills

You may not even know you need a commercial roof inspection until you get your energy bill one month and realize it’s much higher than normal. During the warm summer months, higher energy bills are expected, but you should especially look into getting an IR thermography survey conducted if the bills are much higher than normal. You could have a leak in your insulation or other part of the roof allowing air to escape. If you don’t get it fixed immediately, you’ll rack up more costs with your energy bills and likely come across more issues later on.

Poor Drainage

If it’s raining a lot outside, but you don’t see much water coming off of the roof, then you can assume drains are clogged. This can result in serious ponding on your roof and quickly cause damage to it. Certified thermographers can help detect drainage issues, and whether the ponding caused any damage to the roof. You never want to delay getting a drainage issue fixed, since major problems could be on the horizon leading to costly roof repair, or even replacement.

Infrared Consulting Services uses the best infrared detection technology on the market to ensure your commercial roof will remain in great shape. The best infrared inspection services can help detect commercial roof issues before they become a larger problem. Whether you think you have a roof moisture issue or not, now is the time to schedule your commercial roof inspection. Be sure to contact us at any time to set up an appointment.

baseline roof moisture survey

Why You Need a Baseline Roofing Moisture Survey

A baseline roofing moisture survey is an essential part of determining whether a newly constructed building was properly built. With a commercial roofing thermography test, you will be able to see areas of weakness that could potentially cause problems later on. Some of the issues detected by the commercial roof inspection may not require immediate attention, but it will give property owners something to keep an eye on as the years go by.

Set the Foundation for Future Surveys

Doing a baseline roof moisture survey will establish the current condition of the building, so future roof moisture surveys can be based on the initial one. One of the benefits of infrared inspection is you can keep the surveys and easily compare them to one another over a period of time. An issue may not look too bad five years from now, but when you compare it to the baseline roof moisture survey, you may determine the condition has gotten progressively worse and can take appropriate action to prevent further damage.

Importance of Knowing The Current Condition of the Building

When you know the current condition of the commercial building, you can make a more informed decision about whether you want to purchase it or lease it. If the commercial roof inspection shows some concerns about the viability of the roof, then you can reconsider your decision. Many people and businesses don’t think much about the roof since it’s out of sight.  Neglecting to give this important part of a structure the attention it deserves can cost a business owner a lot of money when moisture starts to penetrate their roof.

Finding an Issue Upfront is Better Than Later

A baseline roofing moisture survey is also helpful from an infrared problem prevention standpoint. In many cases, you’ll be able to detect a problem before it even occurs, which will save time and money later on. If a certain issue doesn’t require immediate attention, then at least you know there is a potential problem on the horizon and can monitor it closely. Sometimes you’ll need to have more frequent surveys in those cases to ensure the problem doesn’t get to the point where the roof begins leaking.

Save Money Down the Road

A commercial roof inspection is a bit costly, but the cost is minimal compared to the potential cost of the damage roof moisture can cause. Once moisture gets through the roof, it could get into insulation, HVAC systems and anywhere else to cause major problems. In other words, it’s usually not just a leak you have to fix when you find it.

Infrared Consulting Services has helped clients with their baseline roof moisture surveys for many years. Most surveys come back positive, but we have also helped clients save a lot of money by identifying potentially large issues. Feel free to contact us to inquire about a baseline roof moisture survey for your commercial building.

commercial roofing thermography

Dangers of Wet Insulation in a Commercial Roof

Roof moisture may appear to dry in the sun and wind. Yet, once roofing insulation gets wet, hazardous and costly problems get started almost immediately. A commercial roof inspection using IR thermography is imperative to detect and stop these potentially devastating issues in their tracks.

Fixing a Leak Isn’t Enough

Do you know why you can’t just fix a leak, but have to remove any wet insulation, too? It’s because water conducts energy, so instead of keeping energy inside the building, insulation that’s wet takes it out of the building.

Wet insulation also adds weight to your building’s roof, which can cause structural damage such as warping. Trapped wetness degrades materials throughout the roofing system, rusting steel components and weakening energy efficiency. In fact, since the wetter the insulation the heavier it is, your entire building’s integrity is at risk.

Of course, mold and mildew is dangerous to people, too. Mold takes hold within 24 to 48 hours. FEMA warns that besides being known allergens, some molds are seriously toxic. All molds, however, are capable of being detrimental to someone’s health.

A Sound Maintenance Plan Includes IR Testing

Every sound commercial roofing maintenance plan includes an annual IR thermography inspection. Wet insulation isn’t always noticeable until the mold and mildew become visible … and the problems become much more expensive to correct. They can also interfere with your operations, adding additional costs to an already unbudgeted expenditure.

If your enterprise is under a low-slope or flat roof, commercial roofing thermography now could save you tens of thousands of dollars later.

Call Infrared Consulting Services today, and let us find your wet insulation now!

commercial roof

Goals of a Roofing Plan Review

Infrared applications can sometimes be difficult to understand. This is especially true with commercial roofing thermography, since there are many different shapes, sizes, insulations, decks and more when it comes to the design of a roof. However, the main goal of any type of roof is to keep water out of the interior of the building, which is where thermographic imaging comes into play. When maintaining a commercial flat or low-sloped roof, there are many ways a thermography inspection can fit into the plan.

Inspect and Scan Before Replacing

A low-sloped roof generally has a slope of less than 3:12, while a flat roof has no slope at all. These types of roofs can cause major challenges for maintenance professionals, since mechanical drainage systems are used to ensure water is quickly removed from the roof. But if the roof eventually leaks, how do you know whether it’s time to replace it or if the holes can just be repaired?

Replacing a roof can be an expensive burden for companies. However, getting a commercial roofing thermography inspection can help save a lot of money, time and headaches. Thermography inspection professionals can use their thermography instruments to find any hidden roof moisture trapped inside the roof. At this point, the owner can decide whether they just want to patch up the problem areas or spend the extra money to replace the entire roof. Many factors go into making this determination.

Conduct IR Testing Prior to Purchasing a Building

Prior to purchasing a commercial building, business owners should conduct a commercial roof inspection to determine what kind of shape their roof is in. Roofs are not cheap, so if a building has a roof that is 30+ years old, there’s a chance it has some wear and tear if it hasn’t been replaced recently. A simple thermographic roof moisture survey can help you determine whether you’re making a good investment in the building.

How IR Testing Works on Roofs

The science behind thermographic imaging is fascinating. When the sun transfers energy to the roof during the day, it heats up. At night, the roof radiates the heat back with a process known as radiational cooling. If a roof has any sort of moisture in the walls, it will remain warmer longer since wet areas retain heat longer. When a commercial roofing thermography inspection is conducted, these areas of uneven heat can be quickly identified as areas needing attention due to the presence of moisture.

What Infrared Testing Accomplishes

By completing a commercial roof inspection on a flat or low-sloped roof, business and property owners can save a lot of money and potential damage later on. When reviewing a roofing plan for a new building, an older building you’re looking to purchase or if you’re determining whether the roof needs to be repaired or replaced, a thermography inspection is the most efficient and effective way to go.

Infrared Consulting Services has been in business for nearly 30 years and has helped keep thousands of commercial properties in great shape due to thermographic imaging. If you need help setting goals for your roofing plan review, be sure to contact us to see how we can help.

infrared thermography

4 Types of IR Roof Moisture Surveys

Identifying roof moisture in a commercial property’s roof system is vital to protecting a business owner’s investments and securing the safety of workers, visitors, residents and anyone else who has cause to be inside the facility. Thanks to today’s infrared detection technology, even the largest roofs can be inspected without destruction and in a timely manner.

IR thermography technicians use four types of surveys to detect moisture on commercial roofing:

  1. On-the-roof (also called on-roof or walking the roof) moisture survey

Most roof moisture surveys done with infrared thermography are performed by technicians using their equipment while standing on a business’ roof. A visual inspection by trained individuals can identify tears and poor seals around equipment and pipes on the roof where water is draining inside the facility, as well as detect places where unseen leaks may be wreaking havoc on the roof’s structure and underlying insulation.

  1. Under-the-roof (or under-roof) moisture survey

IR detection can be done from underneath the roof, between the interior ceiling and the roof structure. By using infrared thermography, IR Test technicians can find specific spots where moisture is being trapped under the roof so that you can repair only those areas.

  1. Elevated roof moisture survey

From an elevated position above the roof, IR thermographers can create a highly accurate roof moisture map of even the largest commercial roof. Few signs of leaks are missed from this perspective. Naturally, an elevated roof moisture survey is best done on a clear day.

  1. Aerial roof moisture survey

This is the most efficient way to conduct a commercial infrared roof moisture survey. Every nook and cranny of the roofing is exposed, so nothing prevents the IR thermography from detecting even the smallest signs of a leak.

Keeping a commercial building’s roofing insulation dry will help the roof last longer, keep electrical systems from malfunctioning, prevent the interior ceiling from falling in and eliminate mold growth. Infrared thermography identifies specific areas in need of repair, which means owners and contractors know exactly where to concentrate their work. Spot repair is significantly less expensive than replacing an entire roof.

Before any business owner or manager makes the decision to repair or replace the roof of a commercial building, an IR thermography roofing moisture survey is vital to saving time and unnecessary expense. Don’t assume your new roof is leak-proof, either! Get it inspected now for peace of mind (and safety) the rest of the year.