Canadian weather is harsh. Between the rain, sleet, snow, wind, and severe storms that occur, danger to your flat roofing can emerge unexpectedly.

The aftermath of these weather events – including sitting water, snow, and debris – are just as treacherous. New leaks can form, or existing leaks can worsen. When left untreated, or treated improperly, these leaks can quickly accelerate from minor problems to serious safety and structural issues. You can help mitigate the chances of having Weather Related Emergencies, click on the link to learn more.

What to do During a Flat Roofing Emergency

If you find yourself in a crisis during a storm or severe weather event, follow these steps:

1) Never go onto the roof during a storm. Any leaks causing structural damage could compromise your roof and increase risk of injury.

2) Protect your affected interior, including furnishings, carpeting, drywall and hard floors. Spread out plastic sheeting for large leaks, or use buckets to contain smaller leaks. While you should wait to assess the damage later, you can make your life easier by controlling whatever you can on the inside.

3) Don’t try to repair any leaks or damage yourself. Untrained work is a leading cause of current leaks worsening resulting in more damage.

4) The most important thing to do is to call a flat roofing expert the moment you notice any problems. Leaving flat roof leaks and damage untreated leads to more damage, expensive repairs, and safety issues in the future.

What to do After The Flat Roofing Emergency Emergency

Ice
This is a big problem in Canada during spring and autumn; ice from freezing rain or rapidly-changing weather conditions is not something to be ignored. Under certain freeze-thaw-freeze conditions, ice can exert strong lateral pressure and cause damage by expansion. If there is more than 15 cm of hard ice on your roof, the load will have to be lightened. Unless you’re a trained professional, it’s not recommended to risk further damage to your flat roof by attempting to remove the ice yourself.

Snow
Similar to the problem of ice accumulation, as snow falls it can collect on your flat roof putting unnecessary weight on the structure. This down-bearing pressure can cause the roof to bow, and eventually result in pooling/ponding of water on the roof. Additionally, you will want to remove the snow as soon as possible because when it thaws and freezes continuously, the water and ice seeps into the cracks and causes further damage as it expands and contracts

Water
This is connected directly to the other 2 items on this list since it is the end result. If your flat roof draining system has become damaged or blocked then it can quickly lead to water pooling. If the water can not drain and doesn’t evaporate quickly enough it can leak into the building and cause everything from damaged equipment to mold. The sooner you spot water that has not drained properly, the better.

Crown Industrial Roofing Emergency Services

If you are experiencing a flat roofing emergency, pick up the phone and call Crown Industrial Roofing immediately. Our team of experienced commercial roofers and industrial roofers will assess the situation, provide expert flat roof leak detection, and repair your flat roof quickly and safely. Emergency leak detection and repair services are available within 24 hours, 52 weeks a year. Additionally, if you are concerned about snow load on your flat roof, we have crews ready to remove it.

For more information, or in case of a flat roofing emergency, contact Crown Industrial Roofing by phone at: 416-744-7788.