Roofs are usually not designed to have the life span of the rest of the building, so, at one point or another, one will have to deal with leaks. A single leak in a roof does not mean that the whole roof must be replaced, but it must surely get the attention it deserves.
First and foremost, a leak must be anticipated. Keep in mind that you must not panic when a leak occurs, as most building materials have a certain moisture tolerance and the damage is very much influenced by the amount moisture and the time of exposure. If you can anticipate a leak, then the permanent damage to the inside of a building can be reduced by trying to minimize the damage once the leak is discovered, and then work diligently to stop the leak and to prevent additional damage.
Once you have discovered a leak, you must take away from the wet area anything from filing cabinets, desks, chairs to pictures on a wall, as they can be easily damaged by the moisture. Place buckets and plastic so that you can catch the water and then start removing the ceiling tiles. Ceiling tiles will otherwise spread the leak from one tile to the next. You may also put some warning signs, so that no one will get hurt around the leaky area.
Never go onto the roof on a thunderstorm, as you can be hit by lightning! Its not worth to get hurt or even killed for something like this. In case you get on the roof, make sure that you dont slip. Get someone to help you and stay near a doorway or hatchway while you do the work.
Finding the source of the leak is very important. Should it be a plugged drain, this can be easily cleaned. Should it be a missing metal from fan housings, ducts and access doors, check to see if the metal is lying on the roof and whether it damaged the roof as it traveled.
Finally, you should by all means find out who installed the roof for the building. If the roofer is still responsible for it, then he must be immediately notified. In the case there is a manufacturer warranty, then let him know about the leak and have him repair the damaged roof as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile the manager of the building is responsible for minimizing the damage caused by the leak. He can patch the roof with plastic roof cement and woven glass mesh, as it is the perfect solution on the short term. |
