It’s unfortunately easy to neglect one of the most important parts of your commercial building or warehouse roof: drainage. Drainage seems passive: you may assume it’s functioning fine unless you see indications of a problem.
However, drainage should be proactively and regularly examined and any problems promptly addressed. The integrity of your roof and protecting your investment are at stake.
Why Roof Drainage Matters
The purpose of a drainage system may seem simple—direct water away from the roof, but when it doesn’t work as designed, the problems can quickly spiral.
When any component of your drainage system fails, it can result in thousands of dollars of damage after just a single storm. The integrity, design and function of your roof drainage system is essential to protecting your entire building.
What Roof Drainage Systems Do
- Reduce Weight: Letting water and/or snow and ice accumulate on your roof is a recipe for disaster. Even seemingly small amounts of water add weight that can damage your building or cause a collapse.
- Protect from Water Infiltration: Water is the enemy of your roof and building. The roof is designed to be an impermeable surface. When leaks occur, they can damage the building’s interior, electrical systems and contents.
- Extend Building Life Span: The longer your roof remains an impenetrable layer of protection, the longer your commercial building’s life will be.
- Maintain Safety: Ice and snow on a roof can be dangerous and could make you potentially liable for any accidents that occur. A drainage system designed to divert all types and forms of water is important for workers in, around and who may be on top of your building, such as maintenance workers.
- Control Humidity: Mold and mildew can silently creep in and cause major damage if left untreated. Your roof’s drainage system is key to preventing mold and mildew from taking hold.
Drainage System Requirements
In addition to proactive protection and prevention from damage, many local building codes include requirements that commercial building roofs have adequate drainage systems. If you aren’t in compliance with codes, this can bring all kinds of legal troubles after damage or injury occurs. Familiarize yourself with regulations and laws regarding your building’s roof drainage system.
Components of Roof Drainage Systems
Understanding the parts of a roof drainage system and their functions can help you understand what to watch for during regular inspections, and what action to take when parts of your roofing system appear to be failing.
- Gutters: Gutters are horizontal pipes all along the edge of the roof that catch water, snow and ice. These can be covered or open and should be checked regularly for clogs, defects, rust or other damage.
- Downspouts: Working in concert with gutters, downspouts are vertical pipes that remove the water that’s collected in the gutters. Check downspouts regularly to make sure connections are intact and that water is being properly collected or diverted safely. Don’t let ice build up at the bottom of a downspout, which is a hazard.
- Scuppers and Drains: A scupper is an opening in a wall that directs water away from the building, while a drain diverts water into an enclosed space. Interior drains can divert water directly to the building’s overall drainage system. These should regularly be checked for integrity and clogs.
Regular Maintenance
The best way to ensure your roof’s drainage system is working properly is through regular maintenance and inspection. If you keep meaning to conduct an inspection but don’t have time, you may be missing out on existing or potential damage that could be very costly. The experts at Roberts Roofing have been entrusted with the business of companies across Northeast Ohio for over 40 years. We service and install nearly every type of commercial building roof and are available when you need us. Contact Roberts Roofing online or call us at 440-946-2233 to get started with a drainage system inspection.