September should be about Fall Maintenance for your commercial flat roof. This is a service we do once a year to get ready for the winter rains. Our property managers have reported back to us that Fall roof maintenance greatly reduces winter roof leaks and extends the service life of the existing roof system. At Just Leaks, we have never had a management firm stop maintenance once they start.

What does roof maintenance look like? Here is what Just Leaks recommends for Autumn Roof Maintenance:

1. First, the drains and all areas of accumulated debris are swept clean.  Cleaning the roof in the Fall accomplishes three goals; exposing the roof membrane for inspection, removing debris, which can clog drains; minimizing the formation of mud, which stresses the underlying roof membrane and promotes weed growth.
2. After the roof is clean, it is then inspected and all minor defects are repaired.  This is done by first walking the perimeter of the roof, paying special attention to the drains and perimeter wall flashings.  The entire field of the roof is then inspected by systematically walking the length of each width of capsheet.
3. During this walk, the roof mechanic pulls a small cart with all the materials and tools necessary to repair the various defects (such as popped nails, fish mouths, small broken ridges, and blisters, mechanical damage, etc.) that are encountered.  The roof mechanic repairs each defect as it is found using the materials and technique appropriate for that repair.  Any foreign objects such as screws, nails, and stones are cleaned up at this time.

Here are photos of a roof maintenance project we recently completed:

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Even during a long drought, the commercial and industrial roofs in California require Autumn roof maintenance to prepare for the rainy season, regardless of the amount of rainfall. You can save yourself and your commercial tenants from leak damage if you take action in the Fall to do roof maintenance.

If you would like to be proactive and make sure your roof doesn’t leak anytime soon, contact the Just Leaks team for a consultation. We will be happy to provide you an estimate for Fall Roof Maintenance. Give us a call today at 408-249-4646.