A flat commercial roof is one of the easier types of installations to install and care for over its lifetime.

Commercial roofing can also be prone to certain problems when not well maintained or properly installed.

These are the top issues that building owners should look for that suggest there is a problem.

When seeing these symptoms, experienced commercial roofers should be brought in to inspect the roof and make the appropriate repairs.

• Penetrations and Punctures - Probably the most common problem seen with commercial roof systems is leaks due to penetrations through the membrane or layers. Punctures can be caused in many ways, from being damaged during the installation of HVAC material, debris landing on the roof, and being walked on. 
• Ponding Water - Another common issue that affects large flat roofs is water ponding after it rains. This condition is typically caused by a poor installation that is not fully flat, leaving large divots and sunken spots that can collect water. Over time, the water can degrade the roofing material in those spots until leaking starts. Additionally, large areas that collect water on the roof can cause structural damage due to the added weight of the water. 
• Load Issues - The larger a commercial roof is, the more critical it becomes to correctly calculate the load-bearing capacity of that building in order to choose the right installation. Too often, inexperienced commercial roofers do not do this, and the results can be devastating. Load issues can occur if the roofing material is too heavy, when water ponding occurs, if snow and/or ice accumulate on the roof, or if too much HVAC and other equipment are installed up there. 
• Installation Issues - Any commercial roofing system that has not been properly installed is susceptible to problems like leaks around protrusions, blistering, splitting, ridging, shrinking, and other issues as it withstands ongoing exposure to the elements. Correct installation is required to prevent these problems and ensure that a commercial roof is sun, wind, and waterproof as time goes on.  
• Lack of Inspections - Small issues like little cracks and granules coming off the surface can quickly lead to big problems if not detected during regular inspections. Oversight on these, and many other small problems is yet another leading cause of major damage to commercial roofing.

Commercial roofs are generally easy to care for, but they do still require regular inspections and maintenance.

When building owners partner with experienced, reliable commercial roofers, not only will they get an expert installation but also the trained eye that will watch out for these and other common commercial roof problems!