Every year, commercial property owners dread hurricane season here in Tampa — specifically during peak hurricane season, which lasts from late August through the end of September.
Hurricanes can cause massive commercial roof damage, which can not only be expensive to repair or replace but can force businesses to temporarily shut down. Once a hurricane has come through your area, you’ll want to do a visual inspection of your property to determine if your commercial roof has experienced any damage.
Inspecting a Commercial Roof After a Hurricane
Safety should be your number one priority. This means that if your property experienced flooding, do not go inside unless the electricity has been turned off. Additionally, do not go up on your roof to look for damage. Even if it looks like it’s in good condition, it may be structurally unsound — and even if it’s fine, you could end up hurting yourself or damaging your roof due to a lack of training.
Instead, circle around your property and do a visual inspection. If it looks like anything’s been damaged, then you should have a professional roofer come and perform a thorough inspection.
Common Hurricane-Related Roof Damage
The following are some of the common types of commercial roof damage that occurs during a hurricane:
- Roof leaks – If you can see holes or other forms of visible damage on your roof or to the roof’s flashing, there’s a good chance there’s a leak. If large puddles have gathered on your commercial roof, there may be some risk for leaks as well. The best way to ensure that there are no leaks is to have a roof inspection performed.
- Gutter problems – High powered winds have been known to rip gutters from their roofing. Inspect your gutter system if you have one. Look to make sure that it’s still attached to the roof. You should also consider having your gutters cleaned in case debris has collected during the hurricane. This will prevent clogs from occurring.
- Roof debris – If you can see debris on your roof, such as branches, dirt, rocks, or other items, you should have them professionally removed. They are adding stress to a roof system that might be vulnerable to other roof damage.
Whether you can spot any damage or not, it’s a good idea to have an inspection performed following a hurricane. Schedule a commercial roof inspection by contacting us at Aderhold Roofing today.